Sports
SWAN President Lauds Rangers, Rivers United, Others
The President, Sports
Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr Honour Sirawoo has called on players invited to camp for the Super Eagles clash with the Chipolopolo of Zambia to work hard and show commitment to ease the works of the technical crew.
This is as he commends Rangers International of Enugu for winning the 2015/2016 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title thereby breaking a thirty-two (32) year old jinx and Rivers United for placing second to secure a continental ticket within one year of formation.
Sirawoo, who spoke shortly after witnessing Rangers defeat El Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri to clinch the league title in Enugu also said he was pleased with the contributions of sports writers in the out gone season, promising improved service.
The SWAN boss tasked players invited for the October 9 clash in Zambia to rise to the occasion as Nigerians were looking up to them to qualify the country for the World Cup in 2018.
According to him, “Nigerians are yet to get over our inability to qualify for some major football tournaments recently; however, the World Cup qualifiers present us with great opportunity to make amends and bring smiles to the faces of Nigerians.
“I interacted with the NFF President, Amaju Pinnick over the readiness of the Glass House for the match in Zambia; he told me that the technical crew is in high spirit and that other logistics for a successful outing have been put in place; it is now for our players to reciprocate by playing their role,” he said.
While soliciting the prayers of Nigerians for the team, the SWAN president urged those invited to see it as an invitation to serve our dear nation. “We need all hands on deck to ensure we fly the flag of Nigeria among others in Russia 2018; Nigerians are counting on you, please don’t let us down.”
He praised the Enugu State Government, management and players of Rangers, particularly the discipline and managerial acumen of Head Coach, Imama Amapakabo whose free flowing football philosophy led to a glorious finish.
Sirawoo was also full of commendation for Rivers United, a club formed barely a year, for coming second, stating that such feat was only possible through the determined efforts of the state government, officials and players of the club.
He tasked Rangers International, Rivers United, Wikki Tourists and the team that would emerge winner of the Federation Cup to commence early preparations for CAF competitions.
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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