Sports
We Must Restart Positively – Wikki Tourists’
Idris Sabo says it will be vital for Wikki Tourists to start the second half of the 2016/17 Nigerian topflight on a positive note.
The Bauchi Elephants will look to improve on their form when they lock horns with Abia Warriors in their first fixture after the league’s restarts.
“Going into the Abia Warriors’ game, we know very well that we are indebted to our supporters who want nothing but a win after enduring a below average form in the first round,” Sabo told newsmen.
“But we know we will be faced with a tough battle against Abia Warriors, because they have proven to be a competitive side in this season so far.
“And there is no doubt they go to the match with more determination, as they also look to fight for vital points to finish the season on a good position on the log.
“The first game of the second round is very important considering our current position in the table. Three points will put us in the groove.”
Ovoke Targets CAF Cup
Bernard Ovoke says that Rivers United are targeting
CAF Confederation Cup success.
The Pride of Rivers have endured an uninspiring start to the season both domestically and on the continent.
But were given a second chance in Africa’s second-tier club competition after being ousted from the CAF Champions League. And Ovoke says that they are going for glory.
“First, I will like to thank God for making it possible for us as a team to make it this far. It has not been considering the expectations and fixtures but like I said, it has been God,” Ovoke told newsmen.
“On the continent, we have made the group stage and now the only target before us is to win the trophy.
“The first round of the league and the battle to stay up on the continent was challenging. It became really tough after that loss in Sudan but we picked up the pieces and so far, we have kept our heads up high.
“My expectations in the second round is to leave where we are at the moment and move to the top because that’s where we belong,” he concluded.
Kano Pillars Will Fight
To End-Isa
Danladi Isa strongly believes that Kano Pillars will
fight till the end as their aspiration is to lift the Nigeria Professional Football League title.
Pillars find themselves in 13th spot in the NPFL standings and sit 10 points behind leaders Plateau United.
“One thing that is certain is; Kano Pillars are champions, the fans and everyone at the club believe so and it is one major component that has kept us going on,” Danladi told newsmen.
“We won the league title thrice in a row, that’s exceptional. It doesn’t just happens, the belief system at Kano Pillars propels us to fight till the end and we shall do that to lift the league trophy this season.
“The fans will see more of that from the team when the second round of the league resumes,” he added.
On his injury, the shot-stopper said, “As for me, I am back, fully fit and I’ve been in action in the Kano State FA Cup. I was in goal in the semi final where we won the match via penalties
“We shall play in the final on Sunday and I hope to be called upon as I will always give my best at all times.”
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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