Saudi ’89 star, Mutiu Adepoju has cautioned Super Eagles coach Samson Siasia to ensure he lines up an array of friendly matches for the team after prosecuting the African Cup of Nations match against Ethiopia later in the month.
Mutiu, who is a former Super Eagles midfield ace, said that engaging the team in such friendlies will go a long way to further strengthen the expected cohesion which football followers in the country are clamouring for.
“I would have loved the match or other matches to be played in Lagos as often as possible like every other Nigerian would, but I suppose because of what happened at the last match played against Sierra Leon, it was moved. It is unfortunate that the match against Ethiopia will be prosecuted in Abuja, but Abuja is also Nigeria so we just need to give our support.
“I don’t know why some of the proposed friendlies have not been able to hold, because I am not in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), but I sincerely think after the Ethiopia match the Eagles should continue playing together in friendly matches so as to get the needed blend,” he said.
Mutiu told NationSport that what Nigerians are yelling for is nothing more than victory, adding that against the Ethiopians only an outright victory will rekindle the lost confidence in the team. He said that the visitors should not pose a threat to Nigeria’s quest to book a place in the African Cup of Nations next year.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Flying Eagles spy on Cameroun
COACH of Nigeria’s Flying Eagles, John Obuh, has stayed back in Dubai to spy on African Youth Championship group rivals, Cameroun when they tackle Egypt in a warm-up match.
“The team have left for Nigeria, but I’m still in Dubai because I have a chance to observe Cameroun, drawn with us in Group B of the AYC and play against Egypt in a friendly,” Obuh told MTNFootball.com.
“I will only return to Nigeria on Tuesday(today) after watching the game.”
Cameroun won 2-0 in a semi-final clash to deny Nigeria a berth in the final of the 2009 championship in Rwanda.
On Friday, the Flying Eagles lost 1-2 to their Egyptian counterparts, who have also qualified for the AYC.
On Sunday evening, the Flying Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Saudi Arabia U-20 team in continuation of their build-up for the AYC.
Chidi Osuchukwu hit target for Nigeria in the 72nd minute before the Saudis pegged the young Nigerians in the dying moments of the encounter.
“We were unlucky not to win this match because it was a far better performance by the team. We showed great character and we had already won the game and so everybody was disappointed with this draw,” Obuh said.
“This was an evening kick-off and so we did not have any problems with the weather, like we did in our first match in Dubai against Egypt.”
He stated that most of the problems with his team could be corrected in time before the AYC begins.
“We can correct the things that are affecting the team because they are usually our own mistakes. The players need to play simpler,” he said.
MTNFootball.com has also gathered that plans are underway for the team to train in Lagos on the ticket of the Lagos State Government before they head off to the AYC.
“The team have left for Nigeria, but I’m still in Dubai because I have a chance to observe Cameroun, drawn with us in Group B of the AYC and play against Egypt in a friendly,” Obuh told MTNFootball.com.
“I will only return to Nigeria on Tuesday(today) after watching the game.”
Cameroun won 2-0 in a semi-final clash to deny Nigeria a berth in the final of the 2009 championship in Rwanda.
On Friday, the Flying Eagles lost 1-2 to their Egyptian counterparts, who have also qualified for the AYC.
On Sunday evening, the Flying Eagles were forced to a 1-1 draw by the Saudi Arabia U-20 team in continuation of their build-up for the AYC.
Chidi Osuchukwu hit target for Nigeria in the 72nd minute before the Saudis pegged the young Nigerians in the dying moments of the encounter.
“We were unlucky not to win this match because it was a far better performance by the team. We showed great character and we had already won the game and so everybody was disappointed with this draw,” Obuh said.
“This was an evening kick-off and so we did not have any problems with the weather, like we did in our first match in Dubai against Egypt.”
He stated that most of the problems with his team could be corrected in time before the AYC begins.
“We can correct the things that are affecting the team because they are usually our own mistakes. The players need to play simpler,” he said.
MTNFootball.com has also gathered that plans are underway for the team to train in Lagos on the ticket of the Lagos State Government before they head off to the AYC.
Man City wants revenge against Utd
Manchester City want revenge on Wayne Rooney after the two Manchester clubs were drawn together in an explosive FA Cup semi-final.
City defender Micah Richards scored the winner that set up next month’s Wembley showdown with United.
And Richards says Roberto Mancini’s men are determined to avenge last month’s league derby defeat.
Rooney’s stunning bicycle kick gave United victory at Old Trafford and, when asked if City were out for revenge, Richards said: “Yeah, definitely, after Rooney’s overhead kick last time, but we’re looking forward to it. It should be a great game.”
City boss Roberto Mancini warned United the gap between the two sides had closed and told Sir Alex Ferguson and his players to prepare for a battle at Wembley.
City defender Micah Richards scored the winner that set up next month’s Wembley showdown with United.
And Richards says Roberto Mancini’s men are determined to avenge last month’s league derby defeat.
Rooney’s stunning bicycle kick gave United victory at Old Trafford and, when asked if City were out for revenge, Richards said: “Yeah, definitely, after Rooney’s overhead kick last time, but we’re looking forward to it. It should be a great game.”
City boss Roberto Mancini warned United the gap between the two sides had closed and told Sir Alex Ferguson and his players to prepare for a battle at Wembley.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Saturday's gossip column - transfers and rumours BREAKING GOSSIP
BREAKING GOSSIP
1831 GMT: Bayern Munich are not after Germany coach Joachim Loew to replace Louis van Gaal, who is leaving at the end of the season, said the club's sports director Christian Nerlinger. Asked whether Loew, who has a contract with the national team until 2012, was a target, Nerlinger told Sky Television: "This is all speculation that is out there in public but there is no truth in that. We will try to find a good and convincing solution."1036 GMT: Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has said that he would have preferred manager Arsene Wenger to keep his criticisms of Uefa and Swiss referee Massimo Busacca private. He adds to Wenger's criticisms of Uefa however, stating that its officials "don't listen to you and never have done."
Friday, March 11, 2011
William Gallas stays grounded as Tottenham Hotspur start to soar
The fans are excited about outlasting Arsenal but the French defender says Spurs have achieved nothing yetTottenham Hotspur's William Gallas clears a Robinho effort off the line during the Champions League match against Milan. Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images
The crowing from the White Hart Lane stands was loud and inevitable and for one man the temptation to join in might have felt irresistible. When William Gallas crossed the bitter north London divide last summer, he ensured that his ability to polarise opinion was ratcheted up to a new level.
Now his Tottenham Hotspur team had succeeded where Arsenal had failed 24 hours earlier, advancing into the Champions League quarter-finals. After Arsenal's elimination in Barcelona, Tottenham's 0-0 home draw against Milan on Wednesday served to prolong their heady adventure in their debut Champions League campaign.
It is generally a mistake, though, to second-guess Gallas, who can often resemble the last word on steely professionalism. Asked what he felt about Arsenal not making the quarter-finals, his response was curt. "Nothing, because now I play for Spurs and I think only about the future. The past is the past. I don't think about Arsenal. Everything is behind me."
Gallas was at odds with the general mood around the club, which gloried in the belief that Tottenham had finally proved their calibre, ahead of their hated rivals. Several Tottenham players spoke about the delight that they felt together with the club's supporters at outlasting Arsenal, while there was an element of tub-thumping about what they could achieve in the competition.
"Why can't we get to the final?" asked the striker Peter Crouch. "I can't give you one reason why not. Barça are fantastic but we have match winners too and we have shown that we can be resilient."
Even some of Milan's dejected players talked up Tottenham's chances. "They have got the quality to go far and yes, they can win it," said Kevin-Prince Boateng, a former White Hart Lane midfielder. Clarence Seedorf acknowledged Tottenham's status of "outsiders" but said: "We have seen some outsiders go all the way, so who knows?"
Gallas's reality checks felt jarring although they did echo the comments of the Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, who is always keen to keep a lid on expectations. Gallas said that Arsenal had paid a heavy price for their failure to top their group and he said Barcelona were "the best team in the world."
"After what we saw [against Arsenal] on Tuesday night, nobody wants Barcelona," said the Frenchman, who was outstanding in the draw with Milan. In the grand sweep of the north London rivalry, it is also worth remembering that Arsenal still have a fighting chance to finish the season as the Premier League champions and/or the FA Cup winners.
Gallas's experience – his worldliness – is vital to the Tottenham squad and motivation continues to bubble inside of him. "When I signed for Tottenham," he said, "I just wanted to play football and show everyone who I am. Everyone judged me because I didn't have a good World Cup [with France] and I was injured last year.
"I had a lot of criticism but in football, it is like this. Now I am very happy to show people who I am. If I left Arsenal, it was for some reason. I will say at the end of the season."
Tottenham's supporters are excited to discover the identity of their Champions League quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday of next week but Gallas's focus will not be deflected from the attempt to qualify for next season's edition of the tournament.
The importance of a top-four finish is paramount and he suggested that it would hold the key to whether he remains at White Hart Lane next season. Fears have already been raised about whether the club's star players, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, would stay on without the promise of Champions League football.
"We are fifth in the Premier League and our target is to qualify for the Champions League," he said. "Tottenham has to be big. I play with big players. I don't know yet [about next season]. I'm happy to be here and we'll try to see if I can stay for the next season. We'll see. It will be very important to be in the Champions League next season. Like I say, Tottenham has to be big."
The club has revelled in the bold strides that it has taken this season. But as far as Gallas is concerned they have achieved nothing yet.
Now his Tottenham Hotspur team had succeeded where Arsenal had failed 24 hours earlier, advancing into the Champions League quarter-finals. After Arsenal's elimination in Barcelona, Tottenham's 0-0 home draw against Milan on Wednesday served to prolong their heady adventure in their debut Champions League campaign.
It is generally a mistake, though, to second-guess Gallas, who can often resemble the last word on steely professionalism. Asked what he felt about Arsenal not making the quarter-finals, his response was curt. "Nothing, because now I play for Spurs and I think only about the future. The past is the past. I don't think about Arsenal. Everything is behind me."
Gallas was at odds with the general mood around the club, which gloried in the belief that Tottenham had finally proved their calibre, ahead of their hated rivals. Several Tottenham players spoke about the delight that they felt together with the club's supporters at outlasting Arsenal, while there was an element of tub-thumping about what they could achieve in the competition.
"Why can't we get to the final?" asked the striker Peter Crouch. "I can't give you one reason why not. Barça are fantastic but we have match winners too and we have shown that we can be resilient."
Even some of Milan's dejected players talked up Tottenham's chances. "They have got the quality to go far and yes, they can win it," said Kevin-Prince Boateng, a former White Hart Lane midfielder. Clarence Seedorf acknowledged Tottenham's status of "outsiders" but said: "We have seen some outsiders go all the way, so who knows?"
Gallas's reality checks felt jarring although they did echo the comments of the Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, who is always keen to keep a lid on expectations. Gallas said that Arsenal had paid a heavy price for their failure to top their group and he said Barcelona were "the best team in the world."
"After what we saw [against Arsenal] on Tuesday night, nobody wants Barcelona," said the Frenchman, who was outstanding in the draw with Milan. In the grand sweep of the north London rivalry, it is also worth remembering that Arsenal still have a fighting chance to finish the season as the Premier League champions and/or the FA Cup winners.
Gallas's experience – his worldliness – is vital to the Tottenham squad and motivation continues to bubble inside of him. "When I signed for Tottenham," he said, "I just wanted to play football and show everyone who I am. Everyone judged me because I didn't have a good World Cup [with France] and I was injured last year.
"I had a lot of criticism but in football, it is like this. Now I am very happy to show people who I am. If I left Arsenal, it was for some reason. I will say at the end of the season."
Tottenham's supporters are excited to discover the identity of their Champions League quarter-final opponents when the draw is made on Friday of next week but Gallas's focus will not be deflected from the attempt to qualify for next season's edition of the tournament.
The importance of a top-four finish is paramount and he suggested that it would hold the key to whether he remains at White Hart Lane next season. Fears have already been raised about whether the club's star players, Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, would stay on without the promise of Champions League football.
"We are fifth in the Premier League and our target is to qualify for the Champions League," he said. "Tottenham has to be big. I play with big players. I don't know yet [about next season]. I'm happy to be here and we'll try to see if I can stay for the next season. We'll see. It will be very important to be in the Champions League next season. Like I say, Tottenham has to be big."
The club has revelled in the bold strides that it has taken this season. But as far as Gallas is concerned they have achieved nothing yet.
We have done nothing wrong - Wenger
Arsene Wenger will launch a stern defence when he faces up to a UEFA disciplinary charge next week but could be facing heavier sanctions after blasting Europe's governing body as arrogant and a "dictatorship".
The Gunners manager and midfielder Samir Nasri have been charged for "inappropriate language" towards Swiss referee Massimo Busacca after the final whistle at the Nou Camp, where Arsenal lost 3-1 to Barcelona and crashed out of the Champions League after having striker Robin van Persie controversially sent off on Tuesday.
Wenger responded by saying: "The only thing that people remember is that the sending off killed the game. A bit more humility would do UEFA some good. To apologise for what happened would be much better than charge people who have done nothing wrong."
Busacca caused uproar by showing Van Persie a second yellow card for shooting at goal just one second after he had blown the whistle for offside - the Holland forward claimed he had not heard it due to the noise of the 95,000-plus crowd. Wenger confronted the Swiss official after the final whistle over the sending-off and angry exchanges continued inside the tunnel.
UEFA, who could yet take further action following Wenger's latest blast, will hear the disciplinary case on March 17.
The whole incident has overshadowed what was a fine performance by Barcelona, who dominated possession as Arsenal failed to muster a single shot on goal.
There have been suggestions Wenger swore at Busacca, who is reported to have not held back either. The Arsenal boss, though, would not divulge any firm details of the alleged exchanges.
"I will keep that for UEFA if they really want to know because I will have some interesting statements to make about some statements made by people who were not supposed to say what they said," he said.
"You can check any statement I made on television after the game. If I have done anything wrong I am ready to be charged.
"As for what is said in the tunnel, if you can get just one [time] where I have come out on what has been said against me or against the referee [in a tunnel] during my 15 years in England, I will pay for you to have a big holiday."
The Gunners manager and midfielder Samir Nasri have been charged for "inappropriate language" towards Swiss referee Massimo Busacca after the final whistle at the Nou Camp, where Arsenal lost 3-1 to Barcelona and crashed out of the Champions League after having striker Robin van Persie controversially sent off on Tuesday.
Wenger responded by saying: "The only thing that people remember is that the sending off killed the game. A bit more humility would do UEFA some good. To apologise for what happened would be much better than charge people who have done nothing wrong."
Busacca caused uproar by showing Van Persie a second yellow card for shooting at goal just one second after he had blown the whistle for offside - the Holland forward claimed he had not heard it due to the noise of the 95,000-plus crowd. Wenger confronted the Swiss official after the final whistle over the sending-off and angry exchanges continued inside the tunnel.
UEFA, who could yet take further action following Wenger's latest blast, will hear the disciplinary case on March 17.
The whole incident has overshadowed what was a fine performance by Barcelona, who dominated possession as Arsenal failed to muster a single shot on goal.
There have been suggestions Wenger swore at Busacca, who is reported to have not held back either. The Arsenal boss, though, would not divulge any firm details of the alleged exchanges.
"I will keep that for UEFA if they really want to know because I will have some interesting statements to make about some statements made by people who were not supposed to say what they said," he said.
"You can check any statement I made on television after the game. If I have done anything wrong I am ready to be charged.
"As for what is said in the tunnel, if you can get just one [time] where I have come out on what has been said against me or against the referee [in a tunnel] during my 15 years in England, I will pay for you to have a big holiday."
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Anichebe picked ahead of ‘Obagoal’
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have picked Everton striker Victor Anichebe ahead of Obafemi Martins as a direct replacement for injured Turkey-based striker Emmanuel Emenike for a forthcoming Nations Cup qualifier versus Ethiopia.
MTNFootball.com exclusively gathered that Birmingham City cup hero Martins was pencilled to replace Emenike before the team’s selectors finally settled for Anichebe.
“The choice was between Martins and Anichebe to replace Emenike, who is injured. In the end, Anichebe got the nod,” a top team source told MTNFootball.com
Anichebe, who featured for Siasia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, has returned to action after a long-term injury.
He received a late invitation for last month’s friendly against Sierra Leone in Lagos, but stayed away.
The squad coach Samson Siasia will name Thursday in Abuja will also have only two goalkeepers, Vincent Enyeama and Dele Aiyenugba, meaning no shot stopper from the Nigeria Premier League would be involved for the crucial Ethiopia clash.
However, several other NPL stars like Ekigho Ehiosun (Warri Wolves) and Osas Okoro, Chibuzor Okonkwo (Heartland) will be part of the Eagles latest squad.
Overall, Siasia will stick to the squad for the Sierra Leone friendly.
In continuation of the qualifying series for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria will host Ethiopia in Abuja on March 27.
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