By Daily sports on March 15, 2021

Since inception, this digital newspaper has created a niche for itself in all spheres including the straight news reporting and depth fearless analysis that has brought it to the forefront. It has won us friends as well as enemies.

In short, we have anchored more on authoritative, authentic, exclusives, fresh, prompt and other attributes of news which has brought Daily Sports among the front benchers in this online newspapering. We are proud of these and others.

Dear readers, you read on this page last week the depth and painstaking analysis on how South Africa’s mining billionaire businessman and owner of one of the frontline football clubs in that country, Melondi Sundowns, Practice Motsepe would emerge CAF President in the poll that was held in Rabat Morocco on March 12, 2021 and prompt it came to pass. It is gladdening to note that he has taken over the mantle of leadership at the apex football governing body in the continent.

As it is, I’m not pretending to be one of the hearty admirers of Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, not for anything but for the fact that he is consistent and do not pretend in order to be loved by all and sundry knowing full well that it is never doable for everyone to love you.

Aside from the fact he calls a spade by its name, he is also savvy and not many know he is also kind hearted. He loves his people not by lips as many of his counterparts do. He is Pillar of Sports in Africa as decorated by AIPS Africa President, Mitchell Obi. He has been a lover of sports and football in particular. We have seen how he has transformed Rivers United into a formidable NPFL side you cannot just wish away. One hopes that those it is their responsibility to ensure its one stop status team would do their jobs professionally and reach their optimum.

Equally of note is that other sports in the State are not suffering either. However, this brief was to congratulate him on the official inauguration of the multimillion state of the art facility Real Madrid FC Academy which no doubt would benefit our youths and younger ones handsomely.

Governor Wike ensured he completed the all-important project. Others that have been very prime to his heart have been thrown open and the edifice to be exploited to its full potentials. Governor Wike is not a failed Governor and that aspect has even been fully acknowledged by his arch rivals and most Wike haters/critics.       

Coming back to CAF, one prays that people like Ivory Coast’s Jacques Anouma won’t become a bad influence on the new helmsman just coming into the circle of African football politics. The way and manner FIFA openly said the former veteran Ivory Coast football supremo would assume the position of mentor remains worrisome to close and honest observers. One however expects that the way and manner he does his things will be different, transparent, sound and on high note too because he has seen money as a very successful and high flyer businessman.

I will not be surprised if Anouma rocks the boat and gives Motsepe a bad name in order to hang him. I am still at a loss why FIFA planted him in the present CAF which ought to have been a clean slate. But Motsepe must beware of him. He is a very dangerous and desperate person so far as grabbing position or power is concerned. As this columnist did say last week, the others that stepped down for him would be more effectively handled than Anouma who would act like a bull in the cafe shop.

My take and Advise is for Motsepe to be careful as he goes about his reign in CAF. As he came in loudest ovation, it would be great credence if he bows out honourably because you never know what could hinder his widely expected very and highly anticipated performance. Money won’t attract him to dent his already built image and so he has no excuse whatsoever not to take CAF to the highest level in every sense of the word.

Heartwarming news from the recent CAF polls was the election of Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick into FIFA and CAF executive Councils. Amaju Pinnick has done well here since he came in and no matter his attitude, one must give it to him. I have said this to high heavens that if he plays his card and be vigilant in the body, he may end up becoming the first Nigerian to attain the position of CAF President which was aborted this term because he allowed his opponents to drag him into playing into the waiting hands of the suspended CAF President, Ahmadu Ahmadu.

Truth is that Amaju Pinnick and I are not best of friends’ right from his days as Executive Chairman of Delta State Sports Commission and we are not enemies either but partners in progress for the good of the game. I have told this story  when the need arose because destroyers have accused me of playing double standard, like meeting him at night  and criticizing him in the day time. That never borders me because I know who I am but not a saint though. Congratulations to both Motsepe and Pinnick including the others that made it to the present CAF executive and FIFA.

Now, Enyimba International FC of Nigeria started their CAF Confederation Cup last week against the supposedly weak team in their group A, a Libyan team Benghazi in Aba winning 2-1 that never reflected the tempo of the match by the home team.

The Aba based side created and missed so many glaring chances and worst of all, losing concentration that gave the visitors their lone goal just few seconds after scoring them. The simple fact is that if the former CAF Champs League kings hopes to move, it must up its scoring ability by taking chances it normally creates. It has remained undoing this term and in NPFL, same story.

However my anger boiled over when its chief coach, Lukman Osho collaborated and to my greatest shock, would rather dismiss it with a wave of the hand than take the needed blame. To be honest with you, this first time, he disappointed me. Lukman must brace up and give that aspect the much needed seriousness it dissevered because in the first place and to give it him, he has also driven confidence and determination into the boys and if he harnesses the loophole in the areas of taking her chances then forget, Enyimba would be real hot locally and internationally

I wish them well as it takes Orlando of South Africa first and then Algerian club side.

And now this . . . In Nigeria absurdities are always celebrated with some few media men without conscience hired to attack who dare point out the anomaly. It is not new in the present media practice in Nigeria today.

I grew up in this once upon a time noble profession where we were made to understand that dogs don’t eat dogs. It held sway then and brought respect and dignity during the great and good old days of journalism practice in Nigeria. I was among the benefactors of that depth maxim.

Shortly after the team list of the Super Eagles players that would do the two final battles of AFCON in her group was released,  it was sadly discovered that Paul Onuachu who has done so great with 26 goals highest amongst Nigerian players in Europe’s top five leagues, this term, was on Rohr’s  standby list. That is the country we are presently where nothing absolutely nothing goes the way it should be.

How absurd. I knew how Rohr got this job and it was exclusively reported on this red hot platform. I had a close friend then in the Committee that selected and interviewed the coaches and I won’t border you very loyal reader on that again. I have told the story more than thrice because of either his short sightedness or the arrogance of Pinnick Amaju. Whoever was responsible in Paul Onuachu’s name being in the standby list is fraudulent and wicked.

Now Rohr owes Nigerians cogent reasons why such silly selection was allowed into the public purview. The Franc-German has again shot himself on the foot thereby stamping the widely held view that he is not ripe for a high profile African side like the Super Eagles.

He must reverse the nonsense mistake and apologise publicly. It is high time this nonsense must stop. Paul Onuachu is a first team material, at least for his current form. That is the only thing that will wipe out doubts and suspicion in the minds of numerous fans of the player. Paul Onuachu must be treated like whoever has attention in the team. It was not surprising that hired sports writers started their usual nonsensical defense of the abnormality by Rohr and his technical crew.

We need equal opportunity in Eagles. We say capital NO to preferential treatment of any player whatsoever. There must be a full stop to it except if this yet another confirmation that money truly exchanges hands as was in the ugly past.

This columnist is again dismayed thus far by this attitude. When will good news come out of this arena called Super Eagles? Paul Onuachu is doing better than many that made the first term list by Rohr, Yobo, and Agu’s high prejudiced judgment.

Our social media handles are ever on lets discuss these burning issues raised herein. Keep shooting hard till next week as the struggle continues!!

Source Daily sports

Posted March 15, 2021

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