SPORTS

Updated November 18, 2008

SUPER EAGLES SQUAD

Nigeria’s Super Eagles Coach Shuaibu Amodu has said he is disappointed that several of his top players have opted out of friendly against Colombia, suggesting that some of the players would be brought to book. Shuaibu described their absence as a big challenge and said they must face it squarely.
Amodu was particularly unhappy with Everton defender Joseph Yobo who played the full game for his club against Middlesbrough at the weekend only to claim he is nursing a calf injury which needed to be rested.

The Super Eagles will be without several stars including Yobo, Osaze Odemwingie, Chidi Odiah, Chinedu Ogbuke, Seyi Olofinjana, Vincent Enyeama and Aiyenugba could not get visas to Colombia in time for the match. However, skipper nwankwo Kanu, Danny Shittu, Taye Taiwo and Obinna Nsofor are available for the friendly. Nigeria is using the friendly to prepare for next year’s World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament where they are grouped with Kenya, Mozambique and Tunisia.

AMODU NAME UNKNOWN PLAYER

Super Eagles head Coach Amodu Shuaibu has been forced to call up virtually unknown Nigerian goalkeeper, Obi Evans Ngemba, who plays for German Bundesliga side S.V Heimstettun for Wednesday’s International Friendly with Colombia in the Cali. It is the first time that Nigerians are hearing the name of Obi Ngemba and he has come in to provide cover for the France based Austine Ejide. Situation report from the camp in Cali mon Monday evening revealed that team captain Nwankwo Kanu, Obi Ngemba and Italy based striker Obinna Nsofor are already in the camp.

However, head coach Amodu Shuaibu is reported to have boarded a flight with a number of players to land in Bogota. On the flight were Amodu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Ejide, Sani Kaita, Kalu Uche, Solomon Okoronkwo, Joseph Akpala, Dele Adeleye, Oluwafemi Ajilore, Chritian Obodo, Ikechuku Uche and Obina Nwaneri. A news release issued by NFF’s chief media officer said defenders Taye Taiwo and danny Shittu have been in Cali since Sunday.

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS

Al-Ahly manager Manuel Jose has hailed his team’s achievement in winning the sixth African Champions league title. The Egyptians clinched the title after playing a two all draw with Coton sport of Cameroon in the second leg of the final in garoua after their two nil victory in the first leg in Cairo earning them a four two aggregate win and a third African title in four years.

Al-Ahly who will play the winner of the confederation cup in the super cup in February is the only club ever to win six champions League titles.
Meanwhile Al-Ahly face a bigger challenge as they attempt to improve on their last showing at the FIFA World Club Trophy in Japan.

MARADONA STILL ARGENTINA'S COACH

New Coach of Argentina’s National Team Diego Maradona has denied speculations that he planned to resign over a disagreement with his assistants. Maradona told journalists in Mardel Plata, where he was visiting the Argentine tennis team preparing for next week’s Daviscup final against Spain, that things are ok between him and the assistant coaches.

The football Legend had reportedly said he would quit before or after his first match in charge next Wednesday. The 1986 World cup wining Captain for Argentina has been furious at the Argentina Football Association President Julio Grondona for not allowing him to freely appoint the remaining members of his coaching crew.

NFF TO SIGN MULTI-BILLION NAIRA SPONSORSHIP DEAL SOON

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said in Abuja that it would soon sign sponsorship agreements with two leading business organizations. ``Our aggressive marketing drive will, in the next few days, yield fruits when we sign agreements with FinBank and Etisalat, because discussions have reached advanced stages.

``Etisalat is coming in for the sponsorship of the Women’s League, while FinBank will become the Official Bank of the NFF, all within the next two weeks,’’ Dr Bolaji Ojo-Oba, NFF General Secretary, said. Ojo-Oba said the Federation was happy that talks with the two institutions had gone very well and stated that NFF was expecting all agreements to be signed in a couple of weeks.  

``There has been mutual respect and understanding in the discussions and the deals will help the growth of Nigerian football substantially,” he said.  FinBank would be putting in over N1 billion as the official Bank of the NFF.  Etisalat is expected to start its contribution to Nigerian football with about N500 million as the Official Telecom Company of the Nigerian women league. Ojo–Oba said Etisalat’s gesture would come in handy for the women’s game that had been so much in need of support. “Women’s football needs immense support and we’re happy to have people come in to identify with the game,” he said.

NIGERIA 2009: LOC RE-POSITIONS FOR FG DIRECTIVES

The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Championship, is in the process of re-positioning to meet the demands of the Federal Government, the committee’s Chief Executive Officer, Mainasara Illo,said today. Illo, who is the LOC First Vice-Chairman said in Abuja that this was in the wake of events that led to government rescinding its decision on not hosting the competition. ``We are re-positioning in line with the government directive that followed the re-consideration of the original decision not to host the championship,’’ he said. 

The LOC had been kept in place after the earlier ministerial order that it should wind up its activities. The order by the then Sports Minister/Chairman National Sports Commission (NSC), Mr Abdulrahman Gimba, was in the wake of government’s decision in October, not to host the event. Illo said government’s rescinding of the decision, had now given the LOC a new lease of life.` `Originally, we were reporting to the government through the NSC, but now we report to the Vice-President, and this reflects the upgrading of the reporting line of the LOC.

“That means the LOC and by extension, the championship, has moved up on the government priority list,’’ the LOC head said. Illo said that the new dispensation was the subject of the LOC board meeting of today, where the process of re-positioning the committee was deliberated upon. ``We met today to review events and prepare in line with what we have ahead, especially the first meeting we are going to have tomorrow with the Vice-President,'' he said.

FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP: NIGERIANS APPLAUD DECISION TO HOST

The voice of the people is the voice of God. The decision by President Umar Musa Yar’Adua to rescind an earlier position forwarded to FIFA, that Nigeria will not host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup has been applauded by Nigerians across the length and breadth of the country.

Reations have continued to greet the recent decision by the Federal Government to host the 13th Edition of the FIFA Under-17 World-Cup in Nigeria. This follows an earlier pronouncement by Government to channel the resources meant to stage the tournament to other use.

Investigations revealed that Nigerians are full of gratitude to the President for lending his ears to the voice of the people. From the West, North, East and South of the country, the message is clear: President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua is a listening leader who aggregates the feeling of Nigerians in reading decisions.

Nigerians are one with the President that the future of the country is in the hands of the youth and it is proper to allow them to channel their energies towards the right direction. Together, Nigerians can do it. They will do it!
03.11.08

WITHDRAWAL FROM NIGERIA 2009 UNDER—17 WORLD CUP, HEIGHT OF POOR JUDGMENT --CNPP

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has cricised the decision of President Umaru Musa Yaradua regime to withdraw the hosting right of the under—17 FIFA World Cup, by Nigeria; as the height of poor judgment, an assault on the integrity and image of the country.

In press statement signed by the national publicity secretary of the organization, Osita Okechukwu, CNPP disclosed that it is appalled with the regime’s statement, credited to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ojo Madekwe to the effect that,’ the seven-point-agenda was drawn up to contain matters of national interest and priority, which, sports does not happen to be among’.

On the contrary, CNPP said it rates sports, especially football, as one of the most precious assets of the country. In both image promotion and revenue generation. Football has promoted Nigeria’s image better than the diplomatic shuttle, and remittances from our soccer ambassadors, which is second only to oil windfall.

The organisation says it has always queried the motive of ex-president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in imposing President Yar’adua on Nigerians; as on each turn we are confronted with unpresidential decisions that are at variance with the peace, prosperity and welfare of Nigerians

. Where do we start from to enumerate the inertia template and inconsistency, that characterise the uncertainty of  President Yar’adua’ 7-Point-Agenda , is it the incapacity to execute the last lap of 2007 Budget and 2008 Budget or the confusion added by the 2008 Supplementary Budget, when 30% of the main Budget has not been implemented in October?

 “ a president that rushed to ratify the illegal Bakassi Treaty on the pretext that he does not want to vitiate the International Court judgment, is now vitiating the hosting rights of FIFA Under—17 Cup duly approved by Nigeria? Does the pull out not undermine Nigeria’s integrity and make us a laughing stock in the comity of nations?”

Yar’adua has demonstrated lack of knowledge of the commitment and devotion of FIFA President, Sepp Blater to develop football in Africa. He has also failed to neither appreciate nor mobilize for the development of the six cities hosts of the tournament. Is better to save than to spend; however CNPP disagrees that sport is not a priority to the Nigerian State, to spend $30m out of trillions in our kitty. This becomes imperative when we carefully evaluate the multiplier effect of hosting the tournament: namely updating our youths and decayed infrastructure, opening up our market to investors and energising petty traders.

For a regime that recovered over 400 billion naira unspent Budget funds, we pose the question, can Nigerians afford to face double jeopardy of none execution of vital projects and failure to trace where the money is?CNPP is of the candid view that the only way to move our economy forward is to invest on projects as no economy can advance without stimulus economic package.

Nigeria must host the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2009.

UNDER—17 WORLD CUP: CNPP CONDEMNS WITHDRAWAL OF HOSTING RIGHT BY NIGERIA

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties {CNPP}, has condemned the decision of President Umaru Musa Yar’adua’s government to withdraw the hosting right of the under—17 FIFA World Cup, by Nigeria, describing it as the height of poor judgment. 
In a press release signed by Osita Okechukwu,CNPP is appalled with the statement credited to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Maduekwe that the seven-point-agenda of President Yar’Adua’s government was drawn up to contain matters of national interest and priority, which sports does not happen to be among.

In contrary, CNPP rates sports, especially football as one of the most precious assets of the country in both image promotion and revenue generation.

 “In fact, football has promoted Nigeria’s image better than the diplomatic shuttle; and remittances from our soccer ambassadors is second only to oil windfall”, the statement said. 
The statement talked about what it called “inconsistencies in  President Yaradua’ 7-Point-Agenda”. “ Is it the incapacity to execute the last lap of 2007 Budget and 2008 Budget or the confusion added by the 2008 Supplementary Budget, when 30% of the main Budget has not been implemented in October?

“We are confounded that a president that rushed to ratify the illegal Bakassi Treaty on the pretext that he does not want to vitiate the International Court judgment, is now vitiating the hosting rights of FIFA Under—17 Cup duly approved by Nigeria? Does the pull out not undermine Nigeria’s integrity and make us a laughing stock in the comity of nations?

“Yar’adua has demonstrated lack of knowledge of the commitment and devotion of FIFA  President, Sepp Blater to develop football in Africa . He has also failed to neither appreciate nor mobilize for the development of the six cities hosts of the tournament.

“Whereas we admit that it is better to save than to spend; however we disagree that sports is not a priority to the Nigerian State, to spend $30m out of trillions in our kitty. This becomes imperative when we carefully evaluate the multiplier effect of hosting the tournament: namely updating our youths and decayed infrastructure, opening up our market to investors and energizing petty traders.

The CNPP asked if it would not amount to double jeopardy for Nigerians, despite government’s claim of recovering over 400 billion naira unspent Budget funds, to face non- execution of vital projects and failure to trace where the money is?

While insisting that Nigeria must, as a matter of necessity, host the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2009, CNPP is of the candid view that the only way to move our economy forward is to invest on projects as no economy can advance without stimulus economic package.

UNDER 17 WORLD CUP HOSTING: NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT BLAMES GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISES FOR WITHDRAWAL OF INTEREST

The hosting of the 2009 FIFA under 17 world cup was granted to Nigeria about three years ago. The local organizing committee set up by Government to organize the tournament presented a bill running into several billions of Naira.

The Nigerian Government on Wednesday confirmed speculations in the Media that it will no longer fund the Hosting of the World Cup, citing the need to priotize spending as a result of the Global financial crisis as reason.

The Global Financial crisis has seen the continuous fall of the price of crude oil, the mainstay of the Nigerian Economy. This has forced Government to reduce expenditure in the proposed 2009 budget. The information and communications minister, John Odey also told newsmen that the Budget estimates will get to the National Assembly before the end of the week

The Nigerian Government, in a bid to improve Aviation safety in the country has awarded a contract of about 16 Billion Naira for installation of special weather Readier Equipment, Doppler radar, in six of its international Airports in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Maiduguri and Ilorin

A 1.3 Billion Naira contract for the purchase of operational vehicles for the Federal Road Safety Commission was also approved.

NWOSU'S ARDUOUS TASK AS GOLDEN EAGLETS' COACH

Former Green Eagles midfielder, Henry Nwosu, was recently appointed chief coach of the Golden Eaglets in place of Alphonsus Dike, who was fired shortly after the team's unceremonious exit from the African Under-17 Championship. Understandably, no one shed tears for Dike, who, failed to deliver in his first national assignment, following the team's inability to scale the preliminaries for next year's African championship billed for Algeria.

Nigeria was rankled by the team's inglorious exit from the competition, in which they are not only the African champions, but also holders of the World Under-17 World Cup. The Eaglets had won the first-leg encounter at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, by 2-0 but lost 0-3 to Benin in the second-leg match played at the Stade de L'Amitie` in Cotonou on September 14.   

The Junior Squirrels of Republic of Benin were so excited by the victory, that they proclaimed themselves the ''real'' world champions over the Nigerians.
Dike, a seasoned coach, who had a successful career handling clubs in the country, accepted blame for the defeat in Cotonou and simply waited for the sledge hammer of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Nigerian soccer fans had been uncomfortable with the 2-0 first leg win in Port Harcourt and were apprehensive of the second leg outcome.
The loss in Cotonou did not come as a surprise because the boys assembled by Dike failed to impress in the two previous legs.
The boys were selected after a much publicised process which the former Iwuanyanwu National coach carried out in the various geo-political zones of the country.

Nwosu's task now is to inject life into a demoralised and dejected side shocked by the 'minnows' from Benin Republic. But for the provisional 2009 hosting of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup which the world soccer body gave to Nigeria, the September 14 defeat would have meant the end for the country in the competition won by the eaglets in Korea in September 2007.

Next year's competition in Nigeria has given the country a glimmer of hope to redeem its image dented by that defeat in Cotonou. Observers agree that Nwosu's job is not an enviable one.

He came to national prominence as a youthful player from his days at the famous St. Finbarr's College, Akoka, Lagos, and was the youngest member of the 1980 Green Eagles team that won the African Nations Cup for the first time.His last national duty before his present appointment was his assignment as assistant to Samson Siasia at the Beijing Olympics, where the Under-23 team finished second behind the gold-winning Argentine team.

He now has a chance to carve a niche for himself, and should be able to use his wealth of experience garnered from his training at the National Institute for Sports. As coach of various clubs and assistant to other coaches.Nwosu has already assured the players he is inheriting from Dike that he will not drop them provided they meet his expectations. But only the former Eagles and New Nigeria Bank FC midfielder knows what he expects from the players to make the grade.

Nwosu faces an arduous task in his new job, observers say. With the team's exit from the continental competition, the Eaglets' progress cannot be gauged as friendlies are not a true measure of the strength of teams. Nigerians have come to expect the Golden Eaglets to continue the dominance of under-17 soccer, having won the world title three times and finished runners-up two times.

Some of the products of the team at that level have graduated to the senior national team, notably the current skipper of the Super Eagles, Nwankwo Kanu, a member of the team that clinched the 1993 world title in Japan.

But experts question Nigeria's quest for victory and participation in every competition. For Kasimawo Laloko, a former Technical Director of the NFA, Dike should have announced his resignation immediately after the Olympic Games.

Laloko, however, deplores Nigeria’s penchant for participation in competitions without any adequate development programme.

Laloko, a pioneer in soccer academy and proprietor of an Ogun-based football college, says what the country requires now is a serious and well focused development programme for the game.Nwosu faces an uphill task as he is expected to fashion out a winning team within the shortest possible time.

Last year, the late Yemi Tella set a benchmark with which other coaches will be measured in youth soccer with the players he took to Korea, the majority of who are now in the Flying Eagles. Former national coach Paul Hamilton believes Nwosu will succeed provided he gets the support and cooperation of the NFF.

Hamilton, who handled the female national team, Flying and Super Eagles, says Nwosu's experience garnered from assisting Siasia at the Olympics and at the club level will stand him in good stead.

THE ORIGIN OF SOCCER AND ITS CONTROVERSIES

While it is undisputed that the origins of modern soccer, or football, originated in Britain, there is a great deal of evidence that points to this beloved game as having an older history.

Where did the game of soccer really begin, and how old is it? To understand how many different varieties of 'soccer' there are, you need to understand a bit about the older versions of the game and how they have evolved.

A list of the predominant cultures that had a variety of soccer, and how each one differs from what we play today is listed below.
Chinese Soccer History
Japanese Soccer History
Egyptian Soccer History
Greek/Roman Soccer History
British Soccer History

Chinese Soccer History
To many, this is the oldest version of soccer to exist. However, there is quite a lot of controversy of whether or not this is the oldest, or Japan's version is the elder. The Chinese version of the game, originally named 'Tsu Chu', involved players on a field that had to hit a leather ball stuffed with fur into a small hole. Like Soccer, no hands were permitted during the play of the game, and it was considered an honor to be a member of a team.

The Emperor of the Han Dynasty, when the game was developed, was an avid player and fan, and spread the popularity of this game all over China during his reign. This roughly dates back to 300 B.C., although there is controversy on the subject of dating, which could result in the origins of the game being as far back as 5000 B.C. Regardless, this version of Soccer is extremely old. Despite that, there is still a version of Tsu Chu played today. While the two games are similar, Tsu Chu has had no effect on the modern version of the game, as it was originally developed and created for play in Great Britain.

Japanese Soccer History
Kemari, the Japanese version of 'Soccer', is perhaps one of the most different forms of the sport, in comparison to modern soccer. Kemari was a game of 'Keep it up', much like modern hacky sacks, although used with a larger ball that was stuffed with saw dust. This version involves a 'pitch', or the field, designated by the selection of four trees, the cherry, maple, pine and willow. Many great houses in Japan would grow trees to have a permanent pitch, or field, established.

Kemari was normally played with two to twelve players. Established in roughly 1004 B.C., it vies for position of the oldest game with China's Tsu Chu. In fact, China's Tsu Chu players and Japan's Kemari players were the first to have an 'International' game of their versions of Soccer, which is dated to have occurred in roughly 50 B.C., although a definite date of 611 A.D. is known. Regardless, this game stands with China as a sister sport to Soccer, while it never affected the modern version of the game.

Egyptian Soccer History
While not much is known about Egyptian Soccer, or other ball games, it is thought there was a version of a type of ball game played by young women during the age of Baqet III. On his tomb, images of this sport were depicted, although no one is certain how the game was played or whether or not it truly affected the outcome of modern soccer. Recordings of this game date as far back as 2500 B.C., although not much more is known asides the fact that it was played with a ball. The lack of information on the sport and how it was played has eliminated it from runnings as the first evidence of a game similar to soccer.
Greek/Roman Soccer History

Perhaps the closest relative to modern soccer are the games that were formed by the Greeks during the prime of their culture. They had numerous varieties of football style games, some of which required hands, some of which forbade hands. In the end, after the Roman conquering of Greece, the game Harpastum is what modern soccer would be based from. This game, probably a modified version of the Greek's 'Harpaston', which translates roughly to handball. While grossly misnamed, this game is what is considered to be one of the precursors to modern soccer.

British Soccer History
In Britain during the 8th century, soccer was created, not as a recreational sport, but as a war game. One of the stories of the original roots of the sport comes from when a Danish Prince was beheaded, and his head was used as a ball and was kicked around. Ever since this 'legendary' tale, villages and other communities would play a game where they would have to kick a ball to a specific goal. It was a violent game, where injury and death were not uncommon, but it was popular nevertheless. In fact, it was so violent, that in 1331, King Edward the III passed laws to try to stop the playing of the game. It did not work, however, and the sport continued on.

There are even stories of soccer games that involved hundreds upon hundreds of players. In these games, there were many deaths, some resulting in the hundreds. It wasn't until 1815 when Eton College set up a series of rules for the game that it became less violent and more of a true sport. At this time, other colleges and universities took up the banner and began to play under similar rules. Later, the rules were evaluated and judged, and the Cambridge rules were created as a result in 1848. In the Cambridge rules, shin-kicking, carrying the ball and tripping were all forbidden. Rugby rules allowed these aspects, and the two varieties of soccer, or football, split to form their own followings.

On October 26, 1863, London schools and sports club sent representatives to the Freemason's Tavern, where the Football Association was formed. Rugby supporters left this association to form the Rugby Association. This is where the birth of modern soccer began. In 1969, the Football Association finalized the modern game of soccer by forbidding the use of hands in the game.

The term 'Soccer' was coined when someone was asked if he was a Rugger, which is a Rugby player. The -er signified that the person participated in a particular sport. The individual, Charles Wreford Brown, replied with 'Soccer!', taking the phrase from Association, SOC, and adding the -er. The term stuck. While British individuals still call the game Football, Americans and other countries call it Soccer, especially if they have heavy support in American Football present. Ever since the foundation of the Association, 'Football' has risen in popularity, becoming one of the best loved games in the history of Earth. Now, hundreds of thousands play the sport, although it lacks the initial violence present at its creation.
01.09.08

BEIJING: NIGERIA'S MEDALISTS AT A GLANCE

At the end of the just concluded Olympic games in Beijing, Nigeria 18 silver medals won from the soccer event and 6 bronze medal from various other events. The 24 medalists at the end of the 29th Olympic Games include.

Silver Medalists ---- Men Football
Adefemi Olubayo
Adeleye Dele
Ajilore Ebenezer
Anichebe Victor
Apam Onyekachi
Ekpo Emmanuel
Ezenwa Okechukwu
Isaac Promise
James Monday
Kaita Sani
Obinna Nsofor
Odemwingie Peter
Oguke-Obasi Chinedu
Okonkwo Chibuzor
Okoronkwo Solomon
Olufemi Oladapo
Vanzekin Ambrose
Ambrose Efe
Bronze Medalists
Taekwondo +80kg
Chukwumerije Yagazie Chika
Long Jump
Blessing Okagbare 6.91 metres
4x100 metres women relay
Idoko Franca
Kemasuode Gloria
Ismaila Halimat
Osayomi Oludanmola
24.08.08