Sports
Commonwealth Games: Coach Wants Good Effective Parkage
A Lagos State-based athletics coach, Adegboyega Adenuga says maximum welfare package should be in place for Nigerian athletes as they prepare for the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.
Adenuga told Tidesports source yesterday in Lagos that this was necessary in view of the fact that preparations have begun in earnest for the Games.
The Games is scheduled for Gold Coast from April 4 to April 15.
Outstanding athletes discovered at the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports-organised national trials have now resumed camping in Port Harcourt.
“The problem of adopting the fire brigade approach in preparing for international tournaments is now disappearing with the recently-organised National Trials for the Commonwealth Games.
“This is a plus for our sports sector. It is also a welcome development that the identified athletes are now in camp.
“However, their welfare package must be given priority to fortify their preparations.
“This package has to do with the provision of kits for trainings, good feeding, medicals and, most importantly, ensuring the prompt payment of allowances.
“This is because during the specified camp duration, the target is to get the athletes physically and psychologically focused for them to excel and improve the country’s medals haul at the Games,’’ Adenuga said.
He said athletes with credible performances at the National Trials held in Abuja in December were working hard in the ongoing national camps to make the final list.
The coach said foreign-based athletes would also be given opportunity to be part of the final stage trials in February, which would determine the fate of all the athletes.
“The camping is part of the build-up, to help them defend their titles recorded at the recently-held National Trials, because that will be highly competitive due to the presence of the foreign-based athletes. More from www.perfectbettingonline.co.uk
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.