Sports
‘We’ll Do All It Takes To Win 2017/2018 NPFL Title’
Head Coach of Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia, Kabiru Dogo, says his club’s target for the new season is to do all it takes to win the league title.
Dogo told newsmen in Lafia that he would also do all he could to motivate his players to ensure this.
Tidesports source gathered that the “Solid Miners’’ finished fifth in the 2016/2017 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.
“I will do all I can to motivate the players to maintain a winning streak all throughout the season, starting from the first home match against defending champions Plateau United Football Club.
“We did not do badly last season. Out of 20 clubs, we came fifth. The only thing was that we did not win either the league or secure a continental spot. I want to assure you that we will come out fighting hard this season.
“Plateau United is a very good team and we are happy to be playing them first. They are our neighbours.
“We know it will be a difficult game, but we plan to approach the game with a positive mindset so as to secure the three points and kickstart our journey towards the title,’’ Dogo said.
The head coach added that, for the club to achieve its goal, preparation for the new season must be in full gear.
He thereby appealed to the club’s management to give the team full support as it prepares to kickstart its 2017/2018 season at home against Plateau United in few weeks’ time.
“I am not satisfied with the way we are preparing, and every success depends on good preparation.
“That is why I am appealing to the management to give us full support, so that we can achieve our goal. Nevertheless, we will use what we have to get what we want,’’ Dogo said.
He stated that the transfer of some of his players to other clubs would not in any way affect the team’s determination to succeed in the new season.
The coach pointed out that while some players left, players from other clubs were also recruited to join the club for the new season.
“The issue of football is all about movement in and out. Some people have to go, and some others will come in.
“But I believe we have capable hands to replace those who left and handle every position in the team,” he added.
Dogo therefore appealed to the Nasarawa state government, as well as the club’s management and supporters, to give the team their full support in the new season.
He said this would boost the morale of players and officials to achieve the goal of winning laurels and earn a spot to play continental football.
“The government has been trying for us, but we want more.
“We want more from the government, management and from our supporters so that at the end of the season, we can achieve what we set out to achieve,” the head coach said.
Young basketball players have been urged not to sacrifice their education for sporting ambitions, as stakeholders at the third Elevate Basketball Clinic stressed the need for young athletes to develop both on and off the court.
The call was the thematic preoccupation of the clinic held on Saturday at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, where hundreds of participants were taken through basic basketball skills and drills.
The third edition of the clinic, organised by Elevate Basketball Academy in partnership with the Lagos State Basketball Association, brought together hundreds of youngsters, mostly under the age of 16.
Founder and sponsor of the clinic, Akinwande Oshodi, said the initiative was designed to use basketball as a vehicle for youth empowerment while helping participants understand the values required to succeed in life.
“The end game is to elevate basketball and it’s about empowering the youth through basketball. It’s not just about the game, it’s about life, helping the students to understand what it takes to be successful,” Oshodi said.
Oshodi, who is Lagos-born but based in the United States, also disclosed plans to establish a foundation focused on basketball and athletics while creating opportunities for educational enrichment.
“This year, we are planning on tracking statistics so we can share with our sponsors what we have been doing over the last three years,” he added.
Oshodi’s mother, Bosede Ode, a sports nurse who worked with the Lagos State Government at Rowe Park, also stressed the importance of combining sporting development with academic pursuits.
“I’m very encouraged that more girls are in sports than what it used to be. I just want to encourage them to focus on not just sports but their education as well,” Ode said.
Ode said her son’s experience had reinforced the importance of education, recalling that an injury prevented him from pursuing basketball professionally but that his education had helped him build a life beyond the sport.
“I always tell my son about the importance of education, he had an injury which prevented him from playing professionally, but with education, that is helping him through life and giving back to the society. When he was small, he played basketball through school and I’ve always encouraged him,” she added.
The message was also reflected in the experience of one of the participants, Abdulkareem Abdulraheem, who attended the clinic for the second consecutive year.
Abdulraheem said the progress he observed among participants compared to last year had motivated him to keep improving, adding that he also makes time for his academics despite training regularly.
“The motivation is high. Last year I saw some people that were learning how to bounce the ball. This year, I’m seeing people play more and that is motivating me to never give up,” he said.
“For me, I train like three times a week and I make enough time for my academics as well, and that is one of the teachings of this clinic.”
Coordinator Gbade Olatona said the initiative was also aimed at using basketball to nurture discipline, leadership and responsible citizenship among young people.
Since its launch in 2024, the initiative has sought to position basketball as more than a competitive sport, using the game as a platform for mentorship, character development and creating opportunities for young people.
Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets will miss both the 2027 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup after they were eliminated from the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Championship following a 1-1 draw with Ivory Coast in Ouagadougou on Saturday.
The result in their second Group B match at the Stade du 4 Août left the five-time world champions bottom of the table with a solitary point from two games, ending their hopes of qualification.
The Golden Eaglets needed a victory after losing 2-1 to Niger Republic in their opening match last Wednesday, but they could not find the result required to stay alive in the competition.
Nigeria fell behind in the 16th minute when Alex Fousseni scored for Ivory Coast, leaving head coach Eboboritse Uwejamomere’s side with an uphill task.
The young Nigerians continued to push for an equaliser and were rewarded in the 84th minute, when Abiodun John levelled the scores to set up a tense finish. Despite their late efforts, they could not find a winner.
Niger Republic finished top of Group B with four points, while Ivory Coast took second place with two points.
The failure to progress means Nigeria will miss the U-17 AFCON for the third consecutive edition, having also failed to qualify for the 2025 and 2026 tournaments, both hosted by Morocco. The North African country will also host the 2027 edition.
The disappointment extends to the global stage, as the team will miss the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the fourth consecutive edition. The Golden Eaglets last took part in the tournament in 2019.
Former Ajax defender Frank de Boer has urged supporters to be patient with Super Eagles striker Tolu Arokodare, saying the forward should simply be allowed to play.
De Boer was speaking about the early excitement around the Nigerian at Ajax. He did not compare Arokodare to Marco van Basten or Patrick Kluivert. He used the two former Ajax strikers as an example of how Dutch fans tend to judge every new forward.
“We are used to comparing a striker to Van Basten and Kluivert, but I have also seen a few times that he is technically gifted and that you can make very good use of him. I have seen some great things. So just let him play,” De Boer told Tidesports source, via Ajax Showtime.
Arokodare joined Ajax from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer on a season-long loan with an option to buy, after a difficult spell in the Premier League.
He has scored seven goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances across all competitions, despite starting only six of those games.
The 25-year-old played the full 90 minutes of Ajax’s UEFA Conference League game away to Hajduk Split on Thursday but did not score.
De Boer, who played for Ajax and the Netherlands, also said the club could get more from Arokodare by delivering crosses from the flanks, which would suit his game in the penalty area.