Sports
2014 W/Cup:NFF Delighted, Warns S’Eagles
Nigeria Football Federation, NFF General Secretary Musa Amadu was delighted to see Nigeria drawn against Ethiopia for the final round of 2014 World Cup qualifying, but says there will be no complacency.
Ethiopia are the lowest-ranked team in the draws, and Amadu admits it was the best possible draw for the Super Eagles.
“I actually think we couldn’t have had a better draw,” he told newsmen
“We got the lowest ranked team in the draw. They are number 25 in Africa and 93 in the world, and we getting to play the first leg away from home. It is really the best we could have got out of the draw.
“Having said that, we need to be well prepared.
“Last time we were in Ethiopia for an African Nations Cup qualifier, we had to scrape to get a 2-2 draw.
“We can’t take them for granted. They qualified from a difficult group including Botswana and South Africa and we really must prepare very well against them.”
Amadu also pointed to the high altitude at Addis Ababa and the heaving support of their fans as major factors that the Eagles will have to be wary of.
“We have to also consider that they are a high altitude country. We know how passionate their fans can be and having come this far, I’m sure this is the closest they have come to qualifying for the World Cup, they will give it their all and we have to be very careful.
“But it’s a very good draw and we will take it like that and work towards qualification.
“We won’t under rate them. They gave us a tough run in South Africa at the Nations Cup so we know they are skilful and pacy and having come this far, will feel that they themselves have a very good chance of qualifying for the World Cup.
“So there will be no complacency and we will take it like we are playing Egypt, or CIV or Ghana or any other country and ultimately qualify for the World Cup.”
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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