By Daily Sports on September 4, 2017

Let me start on this note, the Super Eagles overran the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifier game in Uyo Nigeria, September 1. The double header second leg affair continues later today in Cameroun, and it may be safe to say it will be a formality for the homers that are already out of next year’s World Cup calculation.

The first leg triumph had many trappings for the wide celebration and reportage which followed.

The outcome of the encounter was as a result of the approach the Central African team usually adopt to achieve victory, which backfired in Uyo. They adopted all manner of intimidation, against the younger Eagles players with their wrestler physique. Their antic is a long standing one.

The other secret about the victory was that the Franco-German technical hand of the Eagles, Gernot Rohr began preparations for the game well ahead and was also in touch with the traditional players he has used since the qualifiers began. He stuck to his line-up and now has a richer bench. Though Ezenwa was not called to serious duty he, however, demonstrated more confidence than Daniel Akpeyi who (by the grace of God) said he was injured. Let me anchor here till the result of today’s encounter comes in.

It was sweet victory and a confirmation of Nigeria’s superiority over her boastful and crafty neighbour. It was well served.

However, today’s second leg match in Cameroon will be purely for prestige for the African defending champions. The Indomitable Lions are out of next year’s Russia World Cup football summit. The side will be playing for honour and nothing else. The question is will the team I saw in Uyo muster all it takes to come out forcefully to defend their status? But the Eagles seemed adamant to let go. The Nigerian side are angling for one hundred percent over their Cameroonian counterparts. However, despite what happened in Uyo last Friday, today’s encounter won’t be an easy task. The Eagles would strive for another outright victory or in the worst case scenario, a draw situation. We should expect an explosive encounter. Rohr will stick to his winning army. He may start Ola Aina or bring him in later to test his capability. Head or tail, it looks as if the good old days of the Eagles are gradually coming back. Let us keep our fingers crossed.

High Performance Centre Abuja stories: Daily Sports Reporter under verbal attack.

Can you believe that two weeks after Daily Sports did a critical analysis on what is called High Performance Centre (HPC) Abuja, Bolaji Abdullahi’s boys are still unrelenting in hauling stones at the writer of the article. Their actions have further attracted upwards the traffic hits of the write up.

Let me say that since after our article on the High Performance Centre where a whopping N3 billion meant for the building of the project has not been accounted for, the Sports Minister that embarked on that white elephant project, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who is now the All Progressives Congress (APC) image maker through his boys is still not done in pouring venoms on the Reporter calling him a sell-out, sponsored among other unprintable names.

To be honest with you, I’m never deterred or afraid of what next but would continue to tell Nigerians and the outside world what is happening and what happened in sports. The unfortunate act of diverting funds meant for the development of sports and athletes in the country. It is now a norm in this part of the globe…pity!

For instance, Bolaji Abdullahi battled the former President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba to a standstill simply because the Delta State born Publisher dared to ask questions about the High Performance Centre project the ex-Sports Minister hurriedly embarked upon. Ogba once described it as a wild goose chase. He took up arms against Ogba.

The current Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung admitted openly that the N3 billion meant for the High Performance Centre in Abuja was misused and called on all those involved to come forward and render proper account on what they used the huge sum for. One thought that by now Abdullahi would have courageously stepped out to do the needful. Sadly, he has kept mum as if he is not the one all the accusing fingers are pointing at. That is aside from the huge fund that was released to him for London 2012 Olympic games preparations and participation, and for which he set a record as the first Minister that presided over Nigeria’s sports and came back from such major sporting champ empty handed. Nobody is asking him to account for that but the huge High Performance Centre project which was conceived shortly after that 2012 dismal performance in London, which Abdullahi convinced the last administration was the way out. He later convened a stake-holders conference that discussed the way forward for sports in Nigeria.

Pronto, the idea of High Performance Centre was agreed upon and same forwarded to government which earlier frowned at the way London Olympics went. Government later provided the fund that eventually entered voice mail till today. Abdullahi has been adamant, refusing to come forward to present his report card on the project. Ibrahim Magu’s EFCC has been shielding him, looking the other way and leaving Abdullahi to walk freely. Pundits continue to argue that if the ex-Sports Minister had remained in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would have been first tried in the media and then hastily investigated and charged to Court for corruption and sundry.

Today as an APC chieftain, he has immunity as his boys have often boasted before this reporter. Our pledge: We will not rest on our oars. We will always be on the side of the truth, which is our covenant with our numerous readers from day one which we have upheld till this moment.

Nigeria is currently focused on the World Cup qualifier game but one has to bring to our notice what Abdullahi’s idle boys have been demonstrating, which I have often described as empty.

…..And now this…

This page has once described Amaju Pinnick as a proverbial cat with nine lives due to his survivalist methods. When it seems heaven and earth are crashing on his head, that is when he moves mountain in Nigerian football. Safe to say it makes him stronger and resilient.

Let me confess that he has against all odds been steadfast despite some of his attitudes that can easily put one off. Many have often complained about it. I have come to realise that it is same character he exhibits to even his closest of friends and to his blood brothers.

It is an open truth that Nigeria and her numerous populace behave like Oliver Twist always wanting more even when it is not so convenient for you. It is in us. However what brought us to this conclusion to give his latest effort some space in this page is to show our continued commitment of love for grassroots sports.

You will recall that Daily Sports devotes every Thursday for grassroots sports reportage. It remains a collector’s item to read. The first in Nigeria. Check us out on this. We bring to you, the zeal with which Amaju Pinnick-led NFF executive committee’s desire for the game at the grassroots with Zenith Bank International Plc on their existing pact. Daily Sports was there. Have a swell time!

The Nigeria Football Federation and Zenith International Bank launched the second edition of the NFF/Zenith Bank U13/U15 Future Eagles Stars Championship.

This was made known in a media interaction last Wednesday in Lagos at an event, held inside the office of Lagos State Football Association, Onikan where NFF First Vice President/Chairman of Youth Football Committee, Seyi Akinwunmi, Zenith Bank’s Head of Digital Marketing, Pascal Or, Member of NFF Youth Football Committee, Dotun Coker, NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire and Zenith Bank’s Head of Media, Akin Olaniyan, were present.

Akinwunmi disclosed that calls have gone out for entries from the states for the second edition, September 10, slated as deadline for entries, and the zonal finals to take place September 13-16.

The group stage matches/final of U-13/semi-finals of U-15 will come up in Kano, September 20-23, while the final of the U-15 will come up on a date to be agreed with the sponsors, and will also have the Future Eagles play against a top academy as curtain raiser.

“The NFF as an institution remains very grateful to Zenith Bank for this partnership, which has enabled us to give fillip to our vision of youth football development. The first edition produced players who form our U-15 National Team (Future Eagles) that recently impressed in a two-match tour of Morocco against the Morocco U-15 team,” Akinwunmi said.

According to him, “For this second edition, we have planned for it to be much bigger, and we have the support of Zenith Bank. We are committed to sustaining the credibility and integrity of the championship through thorough screening that will take several stages and dimensions, and we also want to breed the next generation of Nigerian referees by using very young referees.”

The Chairman of NFF Football Committee further revealed that his committee will insist on coaches who have a minimum of CAF C License to handle the teams, making case for young, agile, educated and certificated trainers to grow the future stars.

“I can assure you that this is one project that the entire NFF board is passionate about. It is about building good, diligent and wonderful people who are proud to be Nigerians,” he remarked.

Let’s keep a tab on Nigeria’s best online Sports Daily for no-holds-barred information as discussion continues on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and WhatsAPP. This is wishing our Super Eagles another high performance in Cameroon today. The team has demonstrated character and determination to excel as captured by Indomitable Lion’s head gaffer, Hugo Broos. The Belgian’s wish that his boys would revenge for honours sake represents a picture of a drowning man who is desperately looking at something to hold on to for survival. Let us pray that Rohr and his lads will reproduce the form of September 1 against the host. Eagles can keep up the tempo. Another tough showpiece looms!  Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 4, 2017

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