Sports
Super Eagles: Why Oliseh Must Not Fail
Last Wednesday, Nigeria
gave Sunday Oliseh a chance to put in practice all his talk as the new coach of the Super Eagles.
Reactions have been varied over Oliseh’s appointment but in general, they have been favourable.
The former Eagles skipper is widely regarded as a very knowledgeable and tactically sound coach going by his work as a TV pundit and with the FIFA Technical Study Group.
He is also known as someone who does not compromise his high standards as we all saw when he took on the country’s sports officialdom at the 2002 AFCON in Mali.
But again there are those who have questioned his very limited experience as a coach and also if he could go past the many pitfalls that go with holding down one of the toughest jobs in African football.
Quacks today parade themselves as coaches in Nigeria. They are not willing to develop and empower themselves, they are unprofessional and neck-deep in the rot that is Nigerian football now.
That explains why national team coaches are forced to train their call-ups from the domestic league on the basics – from how to kick the ball, passing and positional play.
There are also the numerous sentiments that have affected their judgment and decisions – from what they will be paid for playing a particular player to the pressures the high and mighty exert on them to pick players from them.
A person like Segun ‘Mathematical’ Odegbami is therefore living in the past to have said he would have led a protest march were a Nigerian not hired to replace Keshi.
The former Eagles skipper must have been overcome by patriotic fervour to have contemplated such.
This is because Odegbami ought to know more than most that besides the excess baggage the Nigerian coach comes with, he lacks the tactical acumen at a time when matches are now won on the bench than the pitch.
These coaches do not study their opponents and so they do not have clear and well-thought-out tactics to beat the other team.
Nigeria stars are not playing in the top leagues or some of the top clubs in Europe and some do not even get to play regularly for their foreign clubs.
But it still remains a very lame excuse for how badly the Eagles have played for many, many years now.
A good friend, the Slovenian coach Ivo Sajh, who led Kano Pillars to reach the last four of the 2009 CAF Champions League, told me has applied for the Eagles top post because “Nigeria have not had a coach for the past 10 years!”
The NFF has now displayed the will that they wish to change things for the better.
They must now support Oliseh all the way because he probably remains one of a handful of Nigerians who could get the Eagles flying again.
He in turn has to instill discipline and commitment in his team as well as groom younger players, who are hungry to make a name for themselves.
Were the Oliseh gamble to fail, we would all have to put aside national pride and seek help overseas.
That is why Oliseh cannot afford to bungle the chance a whole nation has now presented him.
.Audu writes for Africanfootball. Com.
Samm Audu
Sports
Amusan places third in Diamond League opener
The Nigerian, who arrived in China fresh from winning gold at the African Senior Athletics Championships in Ghana earlier on Wednesday, clocked a season’s best of 12.41s behind Olympic champion Masai Russell and Bahamian star Devynne Charlton.
Russell produced a dominant display to win the race in a meeting record and world-leading time of 12.25s, improving on her previous world lead of 12.40s.
Charlton, the reigning world indoor champion, finished second in 12.38s in one of her strongest outdoor performances to date.
Amusan, whose world record of 12.12s remains the fastest time ever run in the event, improved significantly from her previous season’s best of 12.84s set during her victorious outing at the African Championships in Accra.
The 29-year-old was competing in a stacked field that included reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland, Jamaican pair Megan Simmonds and Ackera Nugent, China’s Wu Yanni and Americans Tonea Marshall and Danielle Williams.
Kambundji, who won the world title in Tokyo last year with a Swiss record 12.24s, finished fifth in 12.82s, while Jamaica’s Nugent placed sixth in 12.98s.
Marshall and Williams failed to finish the race.
Following Amusan’s victory in Accra, the three-time Diamond League final winner expressed gratitude to her supporters while insisting she remained determined to achieve more success this season.
“Beyond grateful to God, my team, supporters, and everyone who continues to believe in me through every season. Historic feeling. Still hungry for more. The mission continues,”
Sports
Falcons To Tackle Senegal in Pre-WAFCON friendly
The 10-time African champions are scheduled to take on the Teranga Lionesses on June 5 and 8 at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne, Ogun State, in what will form a key part of their build-up to July’s continental tournament.
The fixtures were confirmed on social media platform X by Super Falcons Show, which announced the details of the encounter and venue.
“Nigeria’s senior women’s national team, the Super Falcons, will take on Senegal Women’s National Team in a double-header international friendly scheduled for June 5 and 8,” the post read.
“Both matches will be played in Ikenne, Nigeria.”
The friendlies come after Nigeria’s proposed training tour of the United Kingdom, which included a planned match against Jamaica, was cancelled due to scheduling complications linked to FIFA’s official women’s international window. The timing meant clubs would not have been obliged to release players.
With that tour shelved, the Senegal fixtures now offer a timely opportunity for coach Justine Madugu and his technical team to assess squad options, test tactical systems and strengthen team cohesion ahead of the WAFCON campaign and longer-term qualification targets for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
Senegal are expected to provide a competitive regional test, with their physical style and disciplined organisation likely to offer Nigeria a different tactical challenge across both matches.
The Super Falcons, who have dominated African women’s football for decades, will be aiming to use the double-header to fine-tune preparations as they pursue another continental title in Morocco next year.
Sports
Okpekpe Road Race Unveils Partners, Appoints Dr. Bojuwoye
Dr Bojuwoye, a seasoned medical professional with extensive experience in road running events across Nigeria, is expected to bring added value to the race through his expertise.
As medical director, his responsibilities will include overseeing emergency medical response, coordinating first aid stations along the course, ensuring athlete safety, and supervising medical volunteers and paramedics.
His role is critical in safeguarding the health of both elite and recreational runners, as well as spectators.
In addition to unveiling its new medical director, the organisers also announced five corporate partners for the 2026 edition.
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), Petralon Energy, Razzl Drink, Dan Oil, and Carloha Motors have joined as sponsors, reflecting the race’s growing appeal across diverse sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Okpekpe race, organised by Pamodzi Sports Marketing Company, has steadily risen in prominence since becoming the first road race in Nigeria to earn World Athletics label status in 2015.
It has since advanced to Gold Label Race status, attracting elite athletes from around the world and cementing its reputation as one of Africa’s benchmark road-running competitions.
Edo State, under the leadership of Governor Monday Okpebolo, has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the race, citing its role in promoting tourism, community pride, and international recognition for the region.
Race Director Zack Amodu noted that the new partnerships underscore the event’s stature and its impact beyond sport.
We are delighted to welcome DBN, Petralon, Razzl, and Carloha Motors as partners for the 11th edition. Their support, alongside the backing of Edo State, not only strengthens the race but also reinforces its role as a platform for promoting excellence, youth empowerment, and community development,’ Amodu said.
Beyond its sporting significance, the Okpekpe International 10km Road Race has become a catalyst for social, health, and economic benefits.
It encourages fitness and healthy lifestyles, fosters social cohesion by bringing communities together, and generates economic activity through tourism, hospitality, and local commerce.
The event also showcases Edo State’s cultural vibrancy while contributing to Nigeria’s growing reputation in global athletics.
The 11th edition is expected to draw elite athletes, local participants, and international attention, further consolidating Nigeria’s place on the global athletics calendar.
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