Sports

S’Eagles: Ebola, Kidnapping Fears Stop Gullit

Published

10 years ago

October 22, 2014

Tidesports can again report that former Dutch super star Ruud Gullit has rejected a chance to coach Nigeria because of the Ebola disease and fears he could be kidnapped in the country.
Several top sources have confirmed this to Tidesports since it was first broken the that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had mandated a contact in Holland to sound out the former Chelsea coach.
Nigeria plans to hire a foreign coach immediately after the country’s two 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa next month, which will be handled by caretaker coach Shuaibu Amodu after Stephen Keshi was not given a new contract.
But one of Gullit’s representatives first told Tidesports source he will not be interested in taking up the job because it is “high risk”, while listing out the outbreak of Ebola and security fears in Nigeria particularly as the country is gearing up to conduct a general election next year.
“Gullit is not interested in coaching Nigeria,” the source informed Tidesports soon after he had spoken to the ex-Dutch skipper’s agent.
“His agent told me the job is high risk. She spoke about Ebola and fears about terrorism in Nigeria and she said for those reasons, her client will not be keen.”
Yet another source confirmed these same fears and added that most top Dutch coaches who may now be approached may equally opt out because of the same reasons.
“The fear of Ebola in Nigeria is still very real even though the Nigerian government has announced it has successfully tackled the disease there,” this source disclosed.
“Also, Gullit is a top personality and he told the person who spoke directly to him on Monday that he fears he may be kidnapped in Nigeria.”
The source further added: “What is clear is that these fears may not be only limited to Gullit. Most other top Dutch coaches will also stay away because of these should they be approached for the job.”
Nigeria’s most successful periods at full international levels were supervised by Dutch coaches Clemens Westerhof and Jo Bonfrere.
Westerhof led Nigeria to win a second Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and qualified the country to the World Cup for the very first time that same year.
His long-time assistant Bonfrere will then lead the country to win an historic Olympic gold in 1996 in Atlanta, United State of America.

Sharks’ Christian Pyagbara (10) on duty for Nigeira

Sports

FEPSGA: Rivers Female Gold medalist Applauded Gov Fubara Over Hosting

Published

3 days ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

The only female Chess play who won gold medal at just concluded Federation of Public Service Games( FEPSGA) held in Port Harcourt, Veronica Moses has lauded the Rivers State Governor Siminialayi Fubara for hosting the games.

Moses who is a staff of Rivers State Housing and Property Development Authority further expressed joy for winning gold medal for team Rivers in female category in the Chess event.

She said these in an exclusively interview with Tidesports at the weekend in Port Harcourt, adding Chess was one of the games that makes human beings reason positively.

According to her, she started playing Chess in 1990 and since then she has represented the State at different tournaments and competitions, and won gold, silver and bronze for the State.

“I have won bronze in School sports festival 1991, National Sports Festival in 1993 I won silver and Gold in team play and several wins in other tournaments years back.

“I thank God for the gold medal I won for the State this year, no competition is easy but you can only win when you are adequately prepared in all ramifications.

“I thank Governor Siminialayi Fubara for hosting the games which gives me the opportunity to represent my State’, Moses said.

She use the forum to call on private sectors to promote and sponsor Chess tournaments and competitions in Nigeria.

The gold medalist further advice upcoming Chess players to always believe in themselves and appeal to governments to introduce grassroots Chess competitions mostly in primary and secondary Schools.

By: Tonye Orabere

Sports

Subsea Cycling Club Chairman Solicits for Support

Published

3 days ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

The Chairman of Subsea Cycling Club in Port Harcourt, Emmanuel Tom has appealed to the Rivers State Government and corporate organisations to support the club.

According to him cyclists in the club are currently the best in the country, where most times represent the State and Nigeria, saying that most of the riders were picked from the Streets and groom them to stardom.

Tom said these while fielding questions from sports journalists during their end of year get together party at National Museum complex, Harley Street Old GRA in Port Harcourt.

He explained that the intention of club was to ensure that the youths are useful themselves and build cycling in the State.

“We picked most of boys from the streets and groom them because we want to make sure that the boys are useful to themselves, the State and Nigeria at large.

Besides that we equally want to build cycling in Rivers State. You see some of these cyclists have been sent to Angola, South Africa, Italy and Germany for training. We did all that from our meager salaries.

“As I speak one of our cyclists by name Assi is now a professional cyclist, riding for a club abroad and represent the country when called.

“The most annoying part was that when our cyclists were called to represent the country the authorities concern will still not provide cycles, they use the ones we provided and each of the cycles are more than N5m”, Tom said.

The cycling club boss further revealed that they picked the boys from age five and give them long time training, adding that cyclists are started preparing for the forthcoming National Sports Festival in Ogun State , next year.

By: Tonye Orabere

Sports

Galaxy Win Sixth MLS Title

Published

4 days ago

December 9, 2024

The Tide

LA Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup title as they beat New York Red Bulls to delight a home crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The MLS Cup is the showpiece match at the end of the US season, pitching the champions of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference finals together.
This was the first MLS Cup between two sides from the largest cities in the United States, Los Angeles and New York, and it produced a hectic opening with all three goals scored in the first half-hour.
Red Bulls were the lowest seed to ever reach the final after finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, and their underdog status initially showed as Galaxy dominated the 29th MLS Cup early on.
Galaxy led after nine minutes when Joseph Paintsil squeezed his shot under goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, and it was 2-0 soon after as Dejan Joveljic ran through the Red Bulls defence and finished with the outside of his boot.
Both men celebrated by holding up the shirt of team-mate Riqui Puig, the former Barcelona player who ruptured his ACL in the Western Conference Final which Galaxy won to reach this championship game.
Galaxy threatened to overwhelm their opponents as Sean Nealis headed a free-kick against his own crossbar.
But Red Bulls centre-back Nealis pulled his team back into the game after 28 minutes when he chested down and volleyed in from 15 yards when Galaxy players failed to clear a corner.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the second half: Galaxy right-back Miki Yamane struck the outside of the post, before Emil Forsberg curled an effort off the upright for Red Bulls.
But Galaxy, who had home advantage because of their better record in the regular season, held on to win their first MLS Cup since 2014.
Red Bulls remain without an MLS Cup title in their history after losing on what was their second appearance in the championship game.