By Daily Sports on March 6, 2018

Chairman of Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC), Dr. Kweku Tandoh, has thumbed up the efforts of the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation executive committee on their spirited commitment towards ensuring crisis free, depth preparations towards anticipated successful World Cup 2018 outing by Nigeria which is to be held in Russia from June.

He made the assertion recently in an exclusive conversation with Daily Sports, stressing that the body went out of her way to identify areas of acrimony in the past with the players on one hand and its technical crew on the order and sort them out amicably with them well ahead of the game. He declared that such points to positive thinking and sensitive of duty by the leadership of the body.  

Tandoh pin-pointed one of what he described as teething areas the present administration fixed as players’ welfare which has been a sour point in every international football tournament the country has participated in. According to him finding lasting solution to it remains one big step forward recorded by this administration. It has in the past drawn the attention and intervention of top government officials before the players would reluctantly agree to play that is after it must have attracted bad press and image for the country. Now it will be a thing of past because the administration dealt a deadly blow on it and other towards the buildup for Russia 2018. It meant that the often disagreement between the players, coaches and the officials of the apex football body would be non-existent in Russia.

Continuing, the LSSC supremo added that ensuring that the contract of the technical adviser, Gernot Rohr was also extended and settled well ahead of the tournament showed sense of responsibility and patriotism on the part of NFF leadership. It has also stood them out as not only being proactive administrators but meant they are on top of our Russia 2018 World Cup preparations, he said. 

“Let me say this once again without any let or hindrance that with what is on ground now the coast is near home and dry for optimum performance by the Super Eagles because every grey area that normally cause distraction and mistrust in the past have been properly ironed out no doubt they would be properly implemented a s far reaching commitment has also been made to that effect. The lads will not have any cause to raise alarm as everything that would enable them to succeed would be at their disposal in Russia. The city where the camp of the team will be staying is one of the best in Russia and it was chosen to allow for full concentration. It was some of the far reaching and numerous efforts the NFF has put in place to make things easier to breed sense of belonging to the players and their coaches to enable them set the tone for a good job,” he remarked.

He insisted that with such depth antidote ahead the commencement of the World Cup, he has seen nothing under the sun that would bring distrust, disharmony and distraction in the camp. The fact is that the NFF has not stopped to go all out to source for funds for the championship as no sum of money would be too much for the proper preparations and participation of Nigeria in World Cup summit in Russia. The name of the name is money and Nigeria and her team would not be left out. The players and their coaches need lots of mouthwatering motivation that will prompt them to display their best for the country. We need much money and Amaju Pinnick’s NFF is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure the team will not lack anything throughout the tournament, Tandoh emphasised.

The veteran administrator quickly pointed out that he is not speaking for the NFF rather he says what is practically on ground and also most of the efforts the football body is making are in the public domain. His words: “We must encourage their efforts towards staging a crisis free showpiece for the first time. We all heard the hours Eagles players put in the negotiation of their monies during the World Cups and even AFCON which always affect their output on the field of play the next day. According to him, for this regime to sit down with the players to harmonise and agree is worth commending and we pray we have injury free team and for the NFF to raise enough fund so as to nip all these on bud.

“We have witnessed where FIFA grants tore players and NFF apart now all these have been fixed. We are waiting for the friendlies to commence. We all saw the grade A games Eagles will play before going in for the nitty-gritty. Fair play in the game and it implies that we do it according to the rule. This NFF has shown such green light and we need to join hands so as to raise the bar for our team’s placing after the World Cup and for the good of the game in the land.”

•Photo shows LSSC Chairman, Dr. Kweku Tandoh.

Source Daily Sports

Posted March 6, 2018

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