Sports

Fans Rate Super Eagles’ Strikers Average

Published

12 years ago

June 11, 2014

Football fans have rated
the strikers of the Super Eagles selected for the World Cup in Brazil as an average.
In separate interviews with our correspondent in Lagos they said that they did not expect the strikers to score a lot of goals at the World Cup.
The strikers are Osaze Odemwinge, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Babatunde Michael, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor, Shola Ameobi and Nnamdi Odumadi.
Dan Ikpoyi, a photo journalist, said that he did not expect the strikers to be so proficient in scoring goals because the likes of Ike Uche and Brown Ideye are absent.
“I do not expect a lot of efficiency since we did not go with Ike Uche that has a fighting spirit and Brown Ideye that likes to play behind a main striker for rebounds.
“But again, we cannot rule out the possibilities of a Victor Moses that will work both on the flanks and be in the box for any possible rebounds.
“There is the likelihood that there would be a lot of stress on Emenike,” he said.
A teacher, Collins Ifeaynichukwu, told our correspondent that he expected 35 per cent effectiveness from the strikers.
“We have an injured Musa in the first eleven, perhaps an Ameobi who was able to score one goal for Newcastle after one and a half season.
“Our most dependable Moses is match-rusty because he has not been playing regularly at Liverpool while Emenike is still an ordinary level striker.
“John Obi Mikel who is expected to initiate our attack from the midfield is more or less a defensive midfielder who is gifted in passing the ball backwards.
“So, tell me how you expect the attack to be proficient, it is only sheer luck that can makes us to scale through,” he said.
Another football fan and a banker, Chiedu Chiadika, said that he did not believe that the Eagles’ strikers would score many goals at the World Cup.
“I do not consider them as strikers talkless of them being a striking force.
“So, I am not expecting them to perform at the World Cup,” Chiadika said.
Nathaniel Adakpo, a consultant, told our correspondent that most of the strikers did not have regular playing time at their clubs and so he did not see how they would be efficient in Brazil.
A cricketer, Charles Chinedu, said that he expected the forward players would have the desire to prove themselves and would want to be as efficient as possible.
“I believe that they will want to be at their best because it will be a means of selling themselves to the world,” he said.
An undergraduate, Tochi Isichei, said that with the presence of Odemwinge, Emenike and Moses, he expected 75 per cent of goal scoring chances to be utilised by the national team.
For businessman Ndubuisi Obidiegwu, he expects 55 per cent efficiency from the strikers.
The World Cup is scheduled to start on June 12 with Nigeria in Group F alongside Bosnia-Herzgovina, Argentina and Iran.

Basketball players struggling for honours during a national event in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently.

Sports

Fury, Joshua Fight Sealed

Published

2 days ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Fury, (left) and Joshua

The proposed blockbuster fight between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua has been signed and will go ahead, according to Joshua’s promoter, Eddie Hearn.

Fury had suggested on Friday that the long-awaited all-British showdown was unlikely to happen, but Hearn insisted the fight is contractually agreed.

“We’ve signed the contract, we’re waiting for a date,” Hearn told Tidesports source yesterday.

Hearn said neither fighter could simply withdraw from the agreement.

“The fight’s signed. No-one can pull out of the fight. You can’t just pull out of a contract,” he said.

The main issue still to be resolved is where the fight will take place.

The bout had been expected to happen in the United Kingdom in November, but Saudi organisers Sela are pushing for it to be staged in the United States.

Joshua and Fury have separate contracts with Sela, with New York’s Madison Square Garden reportedly among the preferred venues.

The fight is also expected to be broadcast on Netflix.

Hearn said the Joshua camp would prefer the fight to remain in Britain but could consider a move to the United States under the right terms.

“We know everybody and his dog involved in the fight wants to do the fight in America. We don’t,” Hearn said.

The promoter added that discussions with Sela were continuing, but stressed that there was no indication the fight itself was in danger of falling apart.

“We’ve told Sela and the team, ‘If you want to do it in America, these are the terms that we can move forward with. But we’d rather not please,’” he said.

Fury and Joshua have been expected to meet in one of the biggest fights in British boxing history, with the venue and date now the major outstanding details.

Sports

Arsenal Want Osimhen To Take Pay Cut

Published

3 days ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Arsenal want Galatasaray striker, Victor Osimhen, to accept a reduction in his wage demands as a condition for completing a move to the Emirates before the summer transfer window closes.

The Gunners remain hopeful of landing the Nigeria international, with manager Mikel Arteta keen to strengthen his attacking options after failing to convince Atletico Madrid to sell Julian Alvarez, who is said to prefer a move to Barcelona over a return to the Premier League.

According to sources, Arsenal have held direct talks over a deal for Osimhen but are unwilling to make an excessive contract offer, leaving any potential agreement dependent on the striker’s willingness to compromise on his salary.

The 27-year-old currently earns in excess of €20 million (£17.1m) annually at Galatasaray, a figure Arsenal are said to be unwilling to match. Negotiating a fee could prove another obstacle, with Galatasaray president, Dursun Ozbek, insisting the striker is not for sale, a stance underlined by the club’s rejection of a €130 million (£111m) offer from Saudi Pro League side, Al-Hilal, earlier this month.

Having missed out on Osimhen, Al-Hilal reportedly turned their attention to Aston Villa striker, Ollie Watkins, only for their latest £45 million approach to also be rejected, further highlighting the difficulty clubs are facing in prising top forwards away from their current sides this summer.

Despite the ongoing speculation over his future, Osimhen has enjoyed a strong start to the season in Turkey.

He scored twice and provided an assist in Galatasaray’s 4-0 away win over Erzurumspor on Friday, having also netted twice in a 2-2 draw with Corum FK. The forward is expected to continue leading the line for the Turkish champions as Arsenal await his decision on a possible switch to the Premier League.

Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a convincing victory against newly promoted Coventry City at Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta ended the club’s 22-year wait for a league title last season – and with a faultless display against Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues in their opener, his team reminded the rest of the league why they are favourites to retain the crown.

First-half goals from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka put the reigning champions firmly in control, and captain Martin Odegaard added a third soon after the restart to seal a comfortable win on the opening day of the campaign.

Arsenal began their Premier League title defence with a convincing victory against newly promoted Coventry City at Emirates Stadium.

Sports

PH TO HOST NPBL PLAYOFFS

Published

3 days ago

August 24, 2026

The Tide

Port Harcourt has been confirmed as the host city for the 2026 Nigeria Premier Basketball League (NPBL) Playoffs for a fourth straight year, following a slight schedule adjustment by the League Management Committee of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF).

Originally slated for Aug. 22–29, the Playoffs (Phase 3) will now run from 29 August to 6 September at the Basketball Stadium, 59 Niger Street, Port Harcourt Township, Rivers State.

In a communiqué issued on 21 August 2026 by NBBF Vice-President and League Chairman Babatunde Ogunade alongside Secretary-General Amina Amanchi, the federation commended the qualifying teams for their professionalism and performance thus far.

Per the updated schedule, participating teams are expected to arrive on 29 August for pre-tournament technical meetings, with competitive action running from 30 August through 5 September, while team departures take place a day later.

The eight-team, round-robin tournament features four qualifiers from the Atlantic Conference—Rivers Hoopers, Maktown Flyers, Hoops & Read, and Lagos Raptors—alongside Savannah Conference representatives Aso Sky Hawks, 313 Warriors, Gboko City Chiefs, and Kano Pillars.

The selection of Port Harcourt re-establishes Rivers State as a central venue for elite domestic basketball in Nigeria and once again brings the action closer to the teeming fans, following a successful staging of the playoffs and Final Four at the same venue last year.