Sports
Former Table Tennis Champion Wants National Job
Former table tennis champion, Atanda Musa, has described the number of coaches assigned to handle emerging talent was inadequate, saying the country will not make any meaningful impact in internationally with that number.
Musa said retired stars should be employed to help the young players reach their full potential.
Speaking to The Tidesports source Wednesday, Musa said his last visit to the country gave him an insight into the country’s abundant talents and the need to tutor the young athletes in the right step to success in the sport.
“I must be frank with you, I believe this country still has abundant talents in table tennis, which can be groomed and nurtured to greatness. These youngsters only need to be coached properly to achieve their potential.
“At the Asoju Oba Cup that I watched, I noticed athletes in the cadet and interme diary events, who are very good. I found out, however, that there were inadequate coaches to help them learn from their mistakes and move on to become better players,” he said.
Musa, now based in the United States, said he was open to work with the national team, adding, “What I will do if that happens is to engage some former internationals, who I know will tutor and guide these youngsters to become international stars.
“This is exactly what the Egyptians did when they employed former stars to train their talented youngsters to stardom. It is something we can replicate here if we are to reclaim our position in Africa.”
The former Olympian advised the country’s record holder in appearances at the Games, Olufunke Oshonaike, to quit the sport and help groom the younger ones to stardom.
“My candid opinion is that Funke should leave the stage now and allow upcoming ones to get exposure”, he said.
Sports
Iwobi Optimistic On S’Eagles Qualification
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.
Sports
ATLANTICBELL CEO ADVICE SPORTS WRITERS ON SPECIALIZATION
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.
Sports
DEPUTY PRESIDENT EXPRESSES COMMITMENT TO SUPPORT SPORTS DEV, SWAN
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.
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