Sports
Yusuf Seals Two-Year Contract With Rangers
Rangers International F.C Coach, Salisu Yusuf, has penned down a two-year deal with the Enugu club side.
The former Super Eagles Coach said after signing the deal that even though his target for the season was to emerge champions of the league again, he nonetheless, respected every team in the NPFL.
Coach Salisu, who recently penned down a two-year deal with the ‘Flying Antelopes’ said in an exclusive chat that all the teams should be respected so as not to be given a surprise treat.
“For me, my philosophy in looking at other teams, is, “always respect all the teams in the NPFL,” because that is why they are in the premier league. Any team in the premier-ship deserves some respect, then you can be able to work hard and beat them. When you don’t show them respect, you will be in for some surprises,” stated the vastly experienced gaffer.
He stated further, “So, all the teams in the top league, I respect them and I believe they have what it takes to be in the premiership. Every team we play, we take as a cup final. We also know that there are many big teams in the league who always contest for the titles and we too want to contest for the title. I believe that the game of football is a game of mindset, so we believe that we can challenge seriously for the championship. Anything can happen, but we hope in the two years to come, we hope to do well in the first season, get the continental ticket and do better in the second year in the continent. That is our objective, that is our focus.”
He stressed that in the game of football, there were high and low points, but assured the teeming supporters of the club that he hoped to have much more high points to lead the club to the league and cup double at the end of the season.
“The Nigeria league organisers have again shifted the start date for the 2020/2021 NPFL season to a new date of December 13, 2020, subject to confirmation by the AGM of the L.M.C that holds Wednesday in Abuja and Rangers are set to rub shoulders with other top sides to challenge for the league diadem, he added.
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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