My take on the Super Eagles 'code of conduct'.

   From when I was a kid, the NFF, then NFA, has been the bane of Nigerian football. Nigerians had no faith in the NFA so much that they were nicknamed No Future Ambition. The game, idolized by all; old and young, male and female, has been a political toy in the hands of  grossly corrupt and incompetent Football administrators in the country. The manner in which the men and women of the Glass House run football is very appalling.
   In the days of Stephen Keshi as the Super Eagles skippo, he was accused by the football house as running a mafia in the team. Sunday Oliseh was accused of being a rebel leader because he stood his ground against reneging on agreements by the never-straight NFF. Today, Vincent Enyeama and Mikel Obi have been booked by NFF for having a stand on bonus issues. A panel was set up, led by an honorable gentleman, Olusegun Adeniyi, to look into the bonus row. Amongst other things, his panel recommended that the Eagles should not be paid bonus for any match the outcome is a draw and proposed a players' code of conduct. On the former, one asks; where a draw determines Nigeria's participation in an event, say the world cup, so the players will not be paid? Even if the draw is deemed to be unimportant, the boys still won't be paid? On both cases, the recommendation of the panel,above anything else is selfish. On the latter, why on earth will you not pay players because they slugged out a draw? A lot of workers report to office by 10 am, leave before closing time and at the end of the month they receive a bumper salary.
   Another question that begs an answer is, who draws up the said code of conduct? The NFF? In as much as I am for good players behaviour while in camp, I don't subscribe to primary-school-like COC where adult,bread winning footballers are treated like kids. Also, I hope the code of conduct will equally lay down guidelines for the NFF to follow. A situation where NFF officials sent to prosecute matches abroad are two times the number of players and technical crew combined is highly irresponsible. Quite frankly, i believe the NFF should not be allowed to come up with a COC to bear down on the players in a master-slave relationship where the NFF is the master and overlord, even though they are the highest football running body in the country. However it is done, the interest of the players should be considered. Fact remains that the NFF has over the years, proved to be an irresponsible body. A body comprised of square pegs in round holes. To solve the issue of bonus rows within the Eagles, the NFF should look inwards, eschew selfishness and corruption. When Nigerians see that NFF is now a 'changed body', erring players will be castigated by football loving Nigerians themselves.
   Until we see otherwise, it remains both a fact and a truth that the problem of Nigerian football is the Nigerian Football Federation.

Adeniyi Panel submits report on Super Eagles bonus row.

   The panel set up by the Honorable Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, headed by Olusegun Adeniyi to look into the bonus row that almost hampered Super Eagles participation in the Confederations Cup held in Brazil. The crisis started just after the Super Eagles played a 1 - 1 draw with Namibia, in Windhoek.
    In his submission, the report fingered Vincent Enyeama and Mikel Obi as the chief actors from the players side; Super Eagles Coach, Stephen Keshi and also the NFF. Olusegun Adeniyi submitted that the players were contacted via text messages which were never replied. That only the out of favour Joseph Yobo called to state his stand on the matter. They also implied that the Eagles were handsomely rewarded for their AFCON conquest just months earlier and therefore should not have chosen to 'embarrass' the country. They blamed the Super Eagles technical crew for 'looking the other way' during the crisis and only blamed the NFF for handling communication of their decisions to the players beforehand wrongly.
   In black and white, Nigerians are hypocrites. ASUU is on strike today because according to them the Federal Government is yet to implement an agreement they reached years ago. Civil servants won't bat an eyelid before going on strike if owed salaries or allowances. Factory workers will down tools when wages are not paid. Yet, the Super Eagles should not complain or protest when owed allowances or treated unjustly. At least, that is the picture Nigerians were presented with. What does the bonus owed them have to do with the reward they got when they won AFCON? If it true that text message were sent to some players, then I think it is wrong. What happened to direct communication? Even if it is considered a waste of public funds, which our politicians have proved it not to be, they could have easily waited till when the Super Eagles gathered for the Nelson Mandela challenge or the Malawi World Cup qualifier so there will be a form of direct communication instead of the alleged text message. What more, the Stephen Keshi led technical crew were probably expected to spank the players or caution them, hence their own part of the blame game. And then NFF were seen to be wrong just for the lack of proper communication with the team and not for the proper lapses! Unfortunately, Nigeria is a place where one who stands for his rights is seen as a rebel. One is expected to stay mute and take every form of bullshit thrown at him. This is not the first time issues as this is coming up within the football ranks of the country. Keshi was accused of being a mafia leader during his time as Super Eagles captain; Sunday Oliseh was accused of being a rebel leader. On the other hand, Jay Jay Okocha and Joseph Yobo were accused by the the Nigerian football community as being NFF pawns. An allegation which the veracity cannot be ascertained.
    Nigerians cry daily for leaders who will work with their interests at heart but obviously don't want the Eagles to have a leader who will work for the interest of  his team mates. Very hypocritical indeed. In as much as I don't support un patriotic and irrational actions by sportsmen or anybody at that, I won't subscribe to labeling the players and officials rebels because they stood to ask for their entitlements or ungrateful because they were just rewarded for winning AFCON but went ahead to ask for their entitlements. These footballers and indeed sportsmen have careers to protect as that is their source of livelihood. That is what put food on their tables and roofs over their heads. Treat them well and I feel they will respond accordingly. NFF is the bane of Nigerian football. Their insincerity and insconsistency is legendary. Every house should be put in order. When this is done, every erring party will be identified and subsequently reprimanded.

Nigeria's D'Tigers see off Mali in the Men's Afro Basketball Championship

   In the group game involving Nigeria and Mali in the ongoing Afro Basketball Men's Championship in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivore, Nigeria beat their west African neighbours 74 - 59.
   In a very captivating game that saw both sides constantly run the length of the court, both countries gave good account of themselves. Bundy, led the onslaught from the Malian side while the Aminu brothers, Abdulwahab and Alfarouk, and Ike Diogu countered from the Nigerian side. At the end, the Aminu's chalked up 27 points between them, Diogu came up with 19. The Malian Bundy came up with 21 points.
   The Coach Ayodele Bakare tutored men are in the group with Cameroun, Congo and the Malians whom they saw off today.

Nigerian League Management Committee lands Supersports deal.

   The League Management Committee announced that it had brokered a $34 million deal with Supersports, expected to run from 2015 to 2019. This comes at the back of promises made by the LMC Chairman, Nduka Irabor, to better the lot of the Nigerian League. He spoke of the dedication of  his committee to take the Nigerian League to greater heights.
   To Nigerian football league fans, this is a welcome development as more money will be channelled into the league. Nduka Irabor and the General Manager of Supersports in Nigeria, Felix Awogu, presented the package to the Minister of Sports, Bola Abdullahi. An obviously elated Minister congratulated the NFF President, Aminu Maigari and the LMC Chairman, Irabor on the development.  
   Irabor said the contents of the deal meant that Nigerians will have the opportunity to watch six matches every week. And it is expected that since the contract runs through till 2019, the Nigerian staff of Supersports are at least sure to keep their jobs till 2019. Also, Supersports will give the LMC $2 million at the beginning of every season, expected to form the running cost.
   Football lovers across the country are optimistic that televising the matches will put the organisers of the league on their toes and help eradicate the many traces of corruption especially as has to do with officiating.
   Nigerian league exudes quality of play. It's high time it came on air. Kudos to the League Management Committee.

Nigerian Sports and mother luck.

   From Algiers '90, through Barcelona '92, Senegal '92, Tunisia ' 94, USA '94, Atlanta '96 and up until the recently concluded IAAF Championship in Moscow, Nigeria have banked more on luck than rewards of adequate preparations,for success. Those successes too, it must be said, came as a result of the sheer resilience exhibited by the athletes who were eager make a name for themselves. 

   We have heard cases of funds released to federations or athletes just weeks, or even days prior to an event. In some cases too, these athletes are made to bear the cost of almost everything involved. And some Nigerians, knowing these things,crucify them on the alter of non patriotism,saying they should be happy representing the nation. What a shame. The national colours they wear will put food on their tables, pay their bills and improve their standards of living? It all boils down to the corruption that is now a part of the Nigerian culture, embedded into the system by the ruling class. Nigeria have a lot of athletes representing other nations. Francis Obikwelu, Christine Ohurogu, Gabriel Agbonlahor and Carlton Cole are just a few names we lost to other nations.

   The day Nigeria adopt the method of adequate preparation that has been so effective for Jamaica, USA, China, Germany, Spain and indeed the rest of them; put round pegs in round holes and stop banking on mother luck who is now tired of Nigeria and her sporting methods, few nations,if any, can stand us. We have the human and material resources. Corruption, remains the problem.

   Sports is an instrument of unity in Nigeria and therefore should not be toyed with. Adequate preparations will take us beyond where mother luck will abandon us. Moreso, mother luck is tired of Nigeria, her sports and sporting methods.

Roberto Di Matteo visits the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Chelsea's UEFA champions league coach, Roberto Di Matteo was in Nigeria last week and visited the national stadium, Surulere, Lagos
state.
    He met with the players and staff of Collins Edwin Sports Club. The club President, Chief Osy Edwin Nwokeabia, Director of Admin, Mr. Paul Maduakor and the Chief Coach, Uche Ugwu, were on hand to receive him.  The grassroot club,well famed for producing players in both the Nigerian league and abroad,are a foremost grassroot sports club headquatered in Lagos,and give aspiring sportsmen opportunuities to excel in their chosen careers. Di Matteo's visit will most definitely inspire the club to greater heights.

What with the Nigerian Professional Football League. 2

      In a particular case, security officials joined hands with a home team to disrupt play after the visiting team scored a second goal and the game was abandoned.
    The quality of play is near excellent, I dare say. If it wasn't, players such as Sunday Mba, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Gabriel Reuben, Mohammed Gambo, Godfrey Oboabona, Chigozie Agbim and co, would not have been drafted into the Super Eagles from the Nigerian league.
The organization is poor. Very poor. Corruption runs in the veins of the organisers and indeed the organization. Corporate sponsors aren't given tax rebate, ie, if indeed they pay taxes at all.
    Some things can be put in place to make the league attractive. Tax rebates should be granted sponsors; state of the stadia should be of paramount importance; adequate security should be provided; the welfare of officials should be placed under the care of the central organizers etc.
    Indeed, the Nigerian league has not been disappointing in terms of play,though can be better. When a good organization is ensured, every other thing will fall into place.

What,with the Nigerian Professional Football League? Part 1

    A lot has been said about the Nigerian football league. Impressions have been made. Some right and some wrong. In some cases you don't blame the owners of the erroneous impressions. In other cases, these erroneous cases are either not true or they are entirely based on here say.

    As a kid, my father, an ardent fan of Enugu Rangers used to tell me stories of  Sylvanus Okpala, Aloysius Atuegbu, Teslim Balogun, Christian Chukwu and a host of others. His stories first aroused my interest in Nigerian football. Growing up in the University town of Nsukka and almost always in Enugu turned me to a fan of Enugu Rangers. I started going for their games. I watched such classic games as Rangers vs 3SC, Iwuanyanwu Nationale, Stationary Stores etc. I remember when Rangers signed central defender Etim Oyobio from Kwara. It was a celebrated signing as he was a good baller and nicknamed 'the assasin'. His pairing with Joseph Enakhaire was legendary in The coal city.
After a while, the Nigerian football league lost its appeal.
  Today,a lot of things are wrong with the league. However, the quality of play is not one of them. The league still offers quality in terms of play. However, the officiating is most often than not, an eye sore. That may not change in the nearest future. A situation where the home team takes care of the welfare of officials is the single factor responsible for the poor officiating. As a referee, knowing that the home team determines your pay, it becomes a thing of morals if your officiate fairly. Because in Nigeria where corruption is the order of the day, the official will loose his wage in a situation where the home team looses the game. Not in all cases though. In most.

That brings us to the second issue; security in stadia. Security personnel deployed to game venues get there and become spectators. They abandon their primary duties and focu on the game. In some cases, you see them cheering a team. 

Moyes off to a good start.

Two early goals in either half by Robin Van Persie handed new manager,David Moyes his first silverware as United manager.
The United hitman released Evra on the left flank and still stepped up to head home from Evra's cross.
  Wigan's James Mclean ran the left flank effectively and nearly assisted new boy,Holt,but who failed to turn up early at the rear post. Owen Coyle's men battled back into the game later in the half but were unlucky not to score.
United's mister consistent,Michael Carrick in posting a man of the match appearance paired in central midfield with Tom Cleverly. They had Mcarthur on the other side to counter them but the United lads smiled last. Rafael in right back for United was injured early in the half and was replaced by Chris Smalling. Grant Holt posed a serious physical threat to United's returning captain,Nemanja Vidic,whose presence added confidence and stability to the team.
  Early in the second half,a Robin Van Persie's low shot was deflected by James Perch above Scot Carson for United's second. From there,there was no coming back for Wigan.
Substitutions were made by both sides but the tempo of the game remained the same. Wigan gave a pretty good account of themselves but couldn't cap it up with a goal as Manchester United's goalkeeper,David de Gea remained unthreatened.
Antonio Valencia's number 7 was missing at the back of his jersey as it was replaced by his erstwhile number 25. It was later confirmed that the player requested for the change in jersey number.
The game ended after four minutes of extra time for David Moyes lifting his first trophy.

First lithmus test for Manchester United

As Manchester United prepare to file out against FA cup winners, Wigan Atheletic,every football enthusiast will want to see how United fare in what is perceived to be United's first major battle in the post Ferguson era. Wigan,led by new coach Owen Coyle will want to prove that their giant killing journey to the cup victory was no fluke.
  United enter the game in the middle of a raging row that centres on alleged want away striker, Wayne Rooney. How United fare without  Rooney who is said to have a shoulder injury will be seen after 90 minutes.
  Wigan,who have lost their coach, Roberto Martinez and key striker Arouna Kone,both to Everton, will be looking to show their might despite being relegated at the end of last season.