Nigerian Football

Hammer Falls on Chukwu, Nigeria’s Former Skipper and Coach

Published

7 years ago

July 21, 2017

The League Management Company, which organizes the Nigerian elite professional football league on Friday, announced the suspension of the General Manager of Enugu Rangers, Christian Chukwu.
The suspended football official was the captain of the Nigerian team in the 1970s till March 1980 when the team won the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. He was also a former coach of the Nigerian and Kenyan national teams.
The organizers of the Nigerian league announced through their official twitter handle that Christian Chukwu had been suspended from all its activities with immediate effect.
It added that the suspension will hold pending Chukwu’s appearance before the Ethics Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
The LMC added that the referral was in pursuant to the provisions of Rule C17.5 of the NPFL (Nigeria Professional Football League) Framework and Rules.
The LMC had referred to the NFF Ethics Committee the matter of Chukwu’s conduct in the dispute resolution proceedings between Enugu Rangers and their former coach, Imama Amapakabo who was sacked following the club’s elimination by Egypt’s Zamalek SC from the 2017 CAF Champions League.
Earlier, Rangers and the club secretary, Joseph Onwukwe had been charged with infractions of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) Rules and Framework in the course of mediation proceedings in the dispute between the club and its former coach, Imama Amapakabo.
The LMC subsequently levied sanctions on the club and the official with Rangers fined N5million ($5,000) and Onwukwe banned from all NPFL activities for a period of one year.
The LMC also directed Rangers to pay the sacked coach various sums including N14, 560,000 representing his salaries for April to October 2017 and compensation for wrongful termination, N1, 600,000 representing his salary for November and December 2016, N600, 000 which represents arrears of allowances and bonuses and $725 which is international travel allowance owed Amapakabo.
Onwukwe was charged for breaches of Appendix E1.5, Appendix E1.4 (Code of Conduct for Club Officials), C28 and C1 of the Framework and Rules.
The first charge read, “you are in breach of Appendix E1.5 (Code of Conduct for Club Officials of the NPFL Framework and Rules in that on Wednesday, 19th July, 2017, in your capacity as an official and representative of Rangers International Football Club in the course of dispute resolution proceedings involving Coach Imama Amapakabo and Rangers International Football Club, you issued threats, including: “that the coach is an individual whereas the Club is an apparatus of the government and that he must stop giving the Club problems”; thereby failing to show due respect to others involved in the game.
Onwukwe was also charged for breach of Appendix E1.4 (Code of Conduct for Club Officials) of the Framework and Rules, “in that on or about Wednesday, 19th July, 2017, in your capacity as an official and representative of Rangers International Football Club in the course of dispute resolution proceedings involving Coach Imama Amapakabo and Rangers International Football Club, your words and conduct, including the issuance of threats, switching off your mobile phone in a bid to refuse to disclose and to evade requested information, constitute attempts to game the system”.
The Rangers official was further charged for refusal to assist in the mediation proceedings when requested to do so, thereby violating Rule C28.
On the fourth count, Onwukwe was charged for issuing threats, failure to provide assistance in the course of inquiry, failure to behave with the utmost good faith, failure to act in the best interest of the game, failure to comply with the directives, requirement, rules and or regulations governing the League and acting in a manner capable of bringing the game into disrepute, which constitutes misconduct contrary to Rule C1.
Rangers International FC was charged for inappropriate handling of official correspondence with the LMC as well as failing to act with utmost good faith in the claim over a vehicle which formed part of the matter in the dispute contrary to Rule 5.5.1.

Nigerian Football

Nigerian women coaches conclude first module of CAF C-License course

Published

5 days ago

July 22, 2024

Kunle Solaja

NFF President Gusau and GS Sanusi with NFF Management and the coach educators and participants at the commencement of the course on Monday last week.

A total of 30 women coaches have concluded the first of a three-module CAF C-License program in the Federal Capital, Abuja and are expected to commence a two-week internship with different teams in a few days.

Peopled largely by former Nigerian internationals and other serving coaches, the group was taken through a full week of rigorous classroom and practical sessions by a team of coach educators and resource persons, in a baptism of what the next two modules are likely to entail,

NFF Technical Director, Coach Augustine Eguavoen, told thenff.com that the first module has shown that the women coaches are actually desirous of learning.

“I am very much impressed with their attitude, mannerisms and conduct through the first module. They impressed everyone, and the coach educators also told me they were impressed, and are looking forward to having them back for the second and concluding modules.

“We are grateful for the leadership of the NFF for the support and encouragement for coach-education programmes all the time.”

The participants will return to Abuja for the second module that is scheduled for 12^th – 20^th August, after which they will go on another two-week internship, 23^rd August – 4^th September. The third module, which comes with examinations for the participants, will take place 9^th – 19^th September.

Dr. Terry Babatunde Eguaoje, NFF’s Head of Education, is among the coach educators’ team, which also includes Coaches Isah Ladan Bosso, Wemimo Olanrewaju and Lanrence Ndaks.

Among the 30 participants are former Super Falcons’ stars Precious Dede, Joy Jegede, Esther Michael, Maureen Eke, Otas Ogbonmwan, Vera Okolo, Cecilia Nku, Taiwo Ajobiewe, Gloria Ofoegbu and Amenze Aighewi. There are also Barr. Victoria Nlemigbo and retired FIFA referee Folusho Ajayi.

Nigerian Football

Osimhen’s outburst was a moment of madness, says Amaju

Published

1 week ago

July 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President and a FIFA Council member, Amaju Pinnick has expressed shock at last month’s outburst by Super Eagles’ striker, Victor Osimhen against Finidi George.

“It is very unfortunate”, Amaju Pinnick remarked on an Arise Television programme. The former NFF president said he had put a call to Osimhen who was very remorseful while the telephone conversation lasted.

“I told him he has to apologise, and I am sure he will if he has not yet done so.” Amaju remarked that he could not comprehend what went wrong as Osimhen was the most cool-headed player in the national team.

He went on to remark that Finidi George was not a personality to be disregarded like that. He has won virtually every honour available during his playing days and was a member of the Super Eagles at their peak when Nigeria ranked fifth in the world.

“I believe players should learn to respect their coaches”, said the former NFF boss.

Nigerian Football

I prefer a foreign coach for the Super Eagles, says Amaju

Published

1 week ago

July 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Nigeria’s FIFA Council member, Amaju Pinnick has told the world that he has always been an advocate of foreign coaches for the Super Eagles. He spoke on Arise Television while fielding questions with Reuben Abati, Rufai Oseni and Ayo Mairo-Ese.

His reason for being averse to indigenous coaches stemmed from lack of respect for them by the players.

“Yes, the Nigerian coaches have the requisite knowledge and the technical ability, but modern football is beyond that in managing players.

“Will the national team players respect the coach? The sad thing is that they don’t”, said Amaju Pinnick.

He however revealed that he supported the appointment of Finidi George owing to the circumstances that the NFF found itself after the exit of Jose Peseiro.

The NFF, he revealed, had no money to hire a foreign coach. The body therefore went for the most available option, Finidi to ensure a smooth transition.

“Finidi was part of the coaching crew of Peseiro and it was therefore logical to ask him to continue.