Sports
Insurance’s Relegation, Sad, Unfortunate – Izilein
The relegation of Bendel Insurance FC of Benin is expectedly beginning to elicit emotions from some sports technocrats of the state as former coach of the club, Godwin Izilein describes it as “sad and unfortunate.”
Insurance needed a win in their last game against Rivers United of Port Harcourt; an away tie which held at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, but lost 1-0.
Izilein, who is the Technical Director of Inneh Queens FC of Benin, had told newsmen that the Edo State Government has shown considerable concern and commitment to return the club to its pride of place.
“I’m personally saddened that Bendel Insurance are being relegated again; this is unfortunate. When the club gained promotion last season to the top flight, Edo State Government, I must say, tried to see how they could return the club to its pride of place; good coaches who have social and cultural background of the club were appointed, Baldwin Bazuaye, Monday Odigie and others. So, one had expected something better,” Izilein said.
Against this background, Izilein wondered what could have gone wrong even with the presence of the government with the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu working between the club and government.
“The Deputy Governor was always on ground to see to the needs of the club,” but Izilein was also philosophical saying: “I can’t explain how things turned this way that the club could not perform to remain in the top flight.
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.
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.
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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