Sports
Stakeholders Task Keshi On Transparency,Viable Team
Some football stake
holders in Enugu have urged the re-appointed Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, to be transparent in handling the team in his second tenure.
The stakeholders, who spoke to newsmen in Enugu, said the second tenure was a chance for Keshi to show how good he is.
Team Co-ordinator of Crime Busters Football Club of Enugu, Ebere Amaraizu, expressed happiness that the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) found Keshi worthy of a second chance amidst controversies trailing his appointment.
“Keshi should make humility his watchword and carry everybody along, as football remains a game of team work.
“He should dwell more on youth development to raise a Super Eagles that will stand the test of time, a team devoid of acrimony and sentiment but of good performance,’’ he said.
In his contribution, a former Coach of Rangers International FC, John Obuh, said the appointment of Keshi was good for the team because they needed continuity.
“Thank God Nigeria has been able to settle down and the two parties, the NFA and the coach, need to work together to achieve their aim of taking the country’s football to a higher height.
“Keshi deserves the second tenure considering his achievement in 2013, when he achieved so much, within the short period he was at the helm of the Eagles’ affairs,’’ he said.
Another stakeholder, the Enugu State Director of Sports, John Eli, however said Keshi’s re-appointment as the national coach was not a totally good idea by the NFA.
“A coach is as good as his last game. Keshi won the 2013 AFCON for the country no doubt, but he failed to lead the team to qualification for the next edition.
“However, he may prove himself this time around. But there is need for the NFA to keep a check on the technical team, players and their programme.
“As for grooming young and viable players, Keshi is good at that. He has done it before, with Togo and Mali, and won the 2013 AFCON for Nigeria and he can do it again,’’ Eli said.
He however said all hands should be on deck to ensure that the employer and the employee succeed in helping Nigeria qualify for the 2017 AFCON and other future tournaments.
The Delta State Sports Commission has come under scrutiny following the state’s disappointing performance at the just-concluded National Youth Games (NYG) in Asaba, where Lagos dethroned Delta to clinch top spot.
Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, visibly displeased with both the poor outing of Team Delta and the organizational lapses witnessed during the Games, summoned an emergency meeting with the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) immediately after the closing ceremony.
Delta, which had dominated the NYG by finishing first in the last eight editions, only managed second place this time — a result the governor described as “totally unacceptable,” especially given the state’s significant investment in the event.
According to a reliable source privy to the meeting, Governor Oborevwori expressed deep disappointment, stressing that his administration had provided all necessary support to the Sports Commission and the LOC to ensure Delta retained its traditional top position.
In a decisive move, the governor demoted his Executive Assistant on Sports and former Director-General of the Sports Commission, Festus Owhojero, under whose leadership the Games were organized. Owhojero was reassigned from Executive Assistant (EA) to Senior Special Assistant (SSA) with immediate effect.
The governor’s action, our source revealed, reflects his zero-tolerance stance on incompetence and underperformance within his administration. Mr. Owhojero thus becomes the first high-profile casualty of the governor’s resolve to reposition sports in Delta State.
Furthermore, Oborevwori directed the Sports Commission and LOC officials to submit a detailed report on the Games, outlining what went wrong and providing recommendations for improvement. The governor emphasized the need for urgent reforms to restore Delta’s dominance, especially as the state is set to host the next edition of the Games under an existing memorandum of understanding (MoU).
The Nigeria Football Federation has distanced itself from a post-match statement that criticised some Super Eagles players following the team’s 1-1 draw with South Africa in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The statement, issued by the NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, singled out forward Cyriel Dessers and captain William Troost-Ekong for criticism.
It accused Dessers of being sluggish and faulted Ekong for the own goal that gave Bafana Bafana the lead.
However, NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, said on Wednesday that the statement did not represent the official position of the Federation.
“I saw the release just like everyone else did. Nobody in the Federation is happy with it,” Sanusi said.
“The NFF did not authorise that statement. We have great respect for all the players. Blaming an individual for a team result is unfair.”
He added that the Federation regards the South Africa match as a collective effort and will not support attempts to scapegoat any player.
“When we win, it’s a team victory. When we lose, it’s also collective. No player should be singled out,” Sanusi said.
He described the targeted criticism of Troost-Ekong as unjustified, noting that the defender had previously been celebrated as the Most Valuable Player at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.
“It was an unfortunate own goal. His intention was to clear the ball. Anyone who knows football understands that such things happen,” he said..
Sanusi also expressed confidence in the team’s unity, revealing that efforts were ongoing to regroup and refocus ahead of the remaining qualifiers and AFCON.
“Our house is in order. We’re preparing for the rest of the qualifiers and the AFCON in Morocco,” he said.
“There’s no problem with our players or coaching crew. Our relationship remains cordial. The government and the NFF are proud of the players’ efforts.”
The Federation had initially praised Calvin Bassey for his equalising goal and lamented the team’s failure to convert second-half chances.
But Sanusi made it clear that internal disciplinary action would be taken over the unauthorised release.
“I can assure you the NFF will take action on the matter,” he said.
Nigeria currently sit third in Group C of the CAF World Cup qualifiers with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa lead the group with 17 points.
The Super Eagles must now win their remaining games against Lesotho and Benin Republic and hope other results go their way to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tagged “Boxing Jams Music,” the year-end edition will once again blend elite professional boxing with live musical performances. Fans can look forward to thrilling bouts across weight divisions and electrifying performances by some of Nigeria’s top entertainers.
Flykite Productions’ Chief Operating Officer, Bamidele Johnson, said the forthcoming edition will build on the event’s tradition of combining sport and music in a festival-like atmosphere. He assured fans of an unforgettable Boxing Day experience, with added entertainment elements planned.
“GOtv Boxing Night 34 will once again deliver the best of both worlds of top-class boxing and live music. We are committed to giving fans a truly memorable Boxing Day experience at Tafawa Balewa Square,” he said.
Over the years, Boxing Jams Music has grown into the country’s biggest sport-entertainment spectacle, hosting title bouts sanctioned by continental and global bodies alongside live performances by top acts such as Burna Boy, Teni, Mayorkun, Zlatan and Wande Coal.
-
Politics3 days ago
2027: Bayelsa APC Adopts Tinubu As Sole Candidate … As Lokpobiri, Lyon Shun Meeting
-
Sports3 days ago
GOtv Boxing Night 34 holds Dec. in Lagos
-
Sports3 days ago
WCQ: NFF Denies Post Match Statement
-
Politics3 days agoAlleged Smear Campaign Against Yakubu, CSOs Demand Apology From Uzodimma
-
Politics3 days ago
2027: Jega Condemns Premature Campaigns, Blames Elected Officials
-
Politics3 days ago
Why INEC Can’t Punish Politicians For Early Campaigns – Yakubu
-
Politics3 days ago
Stopping Natasha’s Resumption Threatens Nigeria’s Democracy – ADC
-
Sports3 days ago
Gov. Decries Delta’s Poor Performance At 2025 NYG