NNPC/Shell Cup enters q-finals stage

The quarter finals of the NNPC/Shell Cup will hold in four cities across the country today and tomorrow with all the matches being played from 4:00pm each day, the National Co-ordinator of the competition, Shola Akinwale has said. At the Sagamu stadium, BrightVille College, Ibadan that shown so brightly during the zonal preliminaries at Osogbo center by clinching the sole quarter final ticket will lock horns with Randolph Comprehensive College, Port Harcourt, another very enterprising team in the Championship. Spectators will surely be treated to scintillating soccer display from these young talents going by their performances at the zonal preliminaries. Also, at the Stella Maris College playground in Port Harcourt, the struggle for semi finals ticket is between St. Thomas Basic Secondary School, Benin, Anglican Secondary School, Makurdi and Etinan Community Secondary School, Uyo. It would be recalled that St. Thomas Basic Secondary School were the overall champions of the competition in 2003. They would be aiming for a repeat performance once again.

The Bako Kotangora Stadium, Minna will host quarter final matches between Government Secondary School, Kopyal Bokos, Plateau State, Government Day Secondary School, Gandu, Gombe State and Dangogo Secondary School, Bungudu, Zamfara State. Only one school will emerge for the semi finals. Of all the three, only Plateau State have not gone past the quarter finals in the history of the championship. Although with different school, Zamfara state lost to Edo in the 2003 final while, Gombe state have won the NNPC/Shell Cup Trophy in 2006 through Government Science Technical College. Meanwhile, the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna is also battle ready for the on-onslaught between Government Model School, Kotangora, Niger State and Government Day Secondary School,Dange, Sokoto State. The two semi final matches of the championship is scheduled to hold on Friday, April 25th at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos while the third place and final matches will hold on Sunday, April 27th at the same venue.

World Cup: Kigha, FIFA/CAF Instructor decries Eagles’ poor preparation

Says Keshi, NFF not sincere over Okpala By Eddie Akalonu Nigeria’s CAF/FIFA referees Fitness Instructor, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Felix Kigha, has observed that rather than focus on the World Cup in Brazil, Nigeria’s preparation is not only far behind but has been enmeshed in controversies. Speaking with Saturday Vanguard sports in Owerri, Kigha said the development does not give the Super Eagles any chance of winning the cup in Brazil as have been expressed in certain quarters.

“I have to be honest with you some people say we can win the cup in Brazil but I don’t think so because though we have players who can rise up to the occasion any day, our attitude will hinder us. We are not even close to being ready for the World Cup. To that extent we have no chance of even getting close to the final because our football is still bonded in controversies such as team list. These have taken the football administrators very far away from the objective of guiding the technical crew in getting a team fully ready for the World Cup,” said the retired player and referee. To illustrate his point, Kigha, a member of the Anambra State Football Association said “It is no surprise that the NFF have rather been busy making plans on the issue of a succession plan, that is holding an election congress. If by now Keshi and the NFF have not agreed on the team, it means it’s business as usual in which pressure will come from everywhere for Keshi to include player A or B by powerful forces.” “Now there is so much argument about who should make the list. Whether Osaze Odemwingie, Ike Uche or some others should be included for the world Cup or not. I think these are irrelevant issues in the lead up to the World Cup. My advice is that Keshi should respect the opinion of stakeholders and elders in the business over the issue of players,”he stressed. Making reference to the case of Sylvanus Okpala, ACP Kigha simply said “both Keshi and the NFF have not been sincere and transparent about the matter. On one hand, Keshi has not given reasons why he wants Okpala back in the team. He should be specific on what he wants Okpala to do in the team in the event of his return. On the other hand, the NFF must inform Nigerians why they don’t want Okpala back in the team. Look, it is a public matter that requires giving the public right information.”

2014 Commonwealth Games: NSC aims to surpass Delhi 2010 performance

Gbenga Elegbeleye, the Director-General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), has said that the commission’s focus for the 2014 Commonwealth Games is for Team Nigeria to surpass its 2010 Games’ performance. Elegbeleye told newsmen during the week in Abuja that the commission was preparing its athletes adequately to meet the target of improving on the 11 gold medals won in 2010. “For the 2014 Commonwealth Games, I am not going to say we will win a particular number of medals. “But all I will say is that while we won 11 gold medals at New Delhi in India in 2010, we won’t go below that or just achieve same this time around. Rather, we want to surpass that in Glasgow. “Our target is to go beyond what we won in New Delhi. That is success. We must improve on our previous performance and not be on the same level or go below,” he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that reports that the 2014 Commonwealth Games will be held from July 23 to Aug. 3 at Glasgow in Scotland. Elegbeleye said the country’s athletes in para-powerlifting, boxing, weightlifting, table tennis and wrestling have been participating in various international competitions to help prepare them adequately for the Games. The NSC director-general said preparations were ongoing to ensure that athletes acquired the necessary exposure internationally before the Games. “We are not just leaving our athletes for the Games, without preparing them. We believe in competition, the more you compete with others outside your environment, the more you have the confidence to go out for international competition,” he said.

Izilein begs NFF for unpaid bonuses

With the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF agreeing it was owing its coaches, past and present, former Super Falcons coach, Godwin Izilein has appealed to the football house not to forget that he is being owed some money after serving the country since 2006. According to Izilein, the NFF refused to pay him and his two assistants, Mrs Lizzy Ogiemwonyi and Ann Agumanu-Chiejina following the Super Falcons protest of non payment of their allowances after the 2006 Africa Women Championships which they won in South Africa. “When the girls refused they will not return to Nigeria after the competition, I was mandated to go and talk to them to calm down, that they will be paid once they get back to Nigeria but they refused. I had to go on my knees to beg these girls who were young enough to be my daughters,”Izilein disclosed. “Ironically, the players said the money they were agitating for was not owed them during my time as coach but before I came. I pleaded with them but they refused. We stayed back in South Africa after the competition for about a week and I was able to monitor these girls to ensure they never went out of camp to mess around,” he stressed. The former Golden Eaglets coach said that Chief Ayo Omidiran who is now a lawmaker in the House of Representatives was the leader of delegation and could testify to what he is saying but said that she has not done anything about his plight since then. “The NFF is owing me and my assistants a total of $28,750 of match bonus, my own is $12,000 out of it. When the Federal Government rewarded them with N1 million for winning the trophy, my reward was supposed to be N2 million because the NFF said I was to get 100% of whatever money the players received,” Izilein disclosed.

Yobo not fit for Eagles squad, Laloko declares

Veteran coach and former Nigeria Football Federation technical director, Kashimawo Laloko said yesterday that coach Stephen Keshi will be making a mistake if he includes Joseph Yobo into his plans for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He argued that the Super Eagles captain who played a cameo role at the 2013 Nations Cup success in South Africa and has not played for the Eagles since then, has passed his prime and he was only angling to go to Brazil 2014 and make the record of being the Nigerian player with the most attended world cup. “ I don’t see what a person like Yobo is coming to do other than to create record; he wants to say he has been to the World Cup three, four times. “That is the reason; otherwise you look at his ability, his performance, his age, his technical preparation; we have younger players who can play in that position better than he. “At the end of the day Keshi has the final decision. What we should guard against is the pressure of the press and others who are influencing him to begin to force players on him. “But I am sure that Keshi being a good player himself must know what he requires to get a good team,” Laloko said.

Odegbami backs Greater Tomorrow foundation

Former Green Eagles captain, Segun Odegbami has commended ex- international, Paul Okoku over his plans to formally launch a foundation for less privileged kids in Abuja.

Speaking ahead of the April 17 fund raising/launch of Paul Okoku Foundation at the NICON Luxury Hotel Abuja, Odegbami said such humanitarian effort is a project t that should be supported by all Nigerians. “As far as I am concerned Okoku is giving back to the Nigerian society that produced him and this calls for support from all sportsmen and women. “That a former football star is at the forefront of supporting the less privileged kids in our society is unique and memorable. It is my prayer that more former sportsmen and women should emulate Okoku,” added Odegbami.

Eagles move up in FIFA ranking

The Super Eagles moved two places up in the monthly Fifa ranking released on yesterday morning in Zurich, Switzerland. Nigeria is now the 45th best national team in the world according to the latest ranking by the football governing body. The Super Eagles were ranked 47th in the last Fifa rankings following their goalless draw with Mexico in last month’s international friendly. Cote D’Ivoire continue to be the top-ranked African side moving up three places to 21 this month. Egypt also moved up two spots to finish in 24th position in the world and second in Africa. They are followed by Algeria in 25, Ghana 38, Cape Verde 42, Tunisia 49, Cameroon 50, Guinea51 and Mali 59 to round up the African top ten. Europe occupies the top three places on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking after Portugal climbed third behind leaders Spain and Germany. They are followed by four South American sides in Colombia, Uruguay and fierce rivals Argentina and Brazil, who share sixth position. Greece return to the top ten for the first time since October 2012, while Scotland moved up 15 places to the 22nd position in the world. Nigeria’s World Cup Group F opponents are ranked thus: Argentina 6, Bosnia-Herzegovina 25 and Iran 37. The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 8 May.