Sports
Eguaveon’s Resignation, Product Of Corrupt System – Odegbami, Others
Football enthusiasts have blamed Austin Eguaveon’s resignation as the coach of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure on the corruption that has eaten deep into football.
‘Mathematical’ Segun Odegbami, in an interview with newsmen said that the situation was sad.
“It’s a psychological thing, this has been an issue for a very long time and nothing has been done.
“I don’t know if anything can be done in this regard because it seems nothing has been done to make our referees better.
“It’s like corruption in this country it has eaten deep into the system, in fact that’s what is wrong with our football.
“ It is the same set of people that have been there that are still there so you don’t expect much from them,” he said.
A former Super Eagles number one goalkeeper Dosu Joseph, said that it was quite unfortunate, that for Eguaveon to resign after two matches spoke volumes of the state of football in the country.
“ The truth is at times human error comes into play but when it becomes consistent it shows something is wrong.
“ For him to resign after two matches to me shows that he knows what he is doing and since he saw that he could not cope he did the needful.
“It takes guts for him to do that ; it’s unfortunate that he resigned. Sunshine has lost a good coach, “ Joseph said.
Also sharing same view was Nduka Ugbade, he told newsmen that there could be more to it.
“I’m yet to call him, but there is more to it, that’s my assumption, Austin is a coach that knows his worth.
“ It’s so unfortunate that things ended like this for Sunshine, they really needed his experience, “ he said.
However, a board member of the Lagos State Football Association, Wahidi Akanni, said Eguaveon’s resignation due to referee’s conduct was not enough reason for his resignation.
“The truth is our referees need reorientation but the truth is, it’s not enough for Eguaveon to resign that’s my take.
“He should present his evidence to the relevant authorities, this is not to justify anything but the truth is officiating in the NPFL needs serious upgrade,” he said.
Tidesports source gathered that Eguavoen left his post as the Technical Adviser of Sunshine Stars after the Week 23 match against Plateau United.
Sunshine Stars played five games with the former Nigerian Coach in charge, winning two and losing three.
The club defeated Rangers International of Enugu 2-0, lost 0-1 to Lobi Stars of Makurdi, defeated Enyimba International of Aba 1-0 and also lost 0-1 to 3SC of Ibadan and 1-2 to Plateau United of Jos.
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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