Nigerian Football

NFF Adjusts AITEO Cup Format

Published

7 years ago

August 13, 2017

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Penalty Shoot-out which was initially ousted in the national preliminaries of the maiden edition of the AITEO Cup has been restored.
According to a press release by the media department of the NFF, stalemated matches in the Round of 64 and the following Round of 32 will be decided by penalty shoot-out instead a replay on the home ground of the designated Team B.
Even though no reason was given, it may be a way of avoiding possible fixture congestion.
But from Round of 16, stalemated matches will be replayed on the home ground of teams designated as B. Further stalemate at the replay will then be decided by penalty shootout.
The NFF also revealed that quarter final matches and those of the semi-finals will be played on home and away bases.
According to earlier media release, the quarter final matches will be played on September 20 and 23 meaning that the eight teams will play two matches within three days.
The semi finals are slated for September and October 4. With 18 of the current premier league football clubs in the race, at least five of them will be eliminated after Wednesday’s matches.
There are five fixtures featuring head-to-head clashes of top division sides. They are the Lobi Stars versus Katsina United in Makurdi; Niger Tornadoes hosting El Kanemi Warriors in Abuja; Nasarawa United hosting MFM in Lafia; Wikki Tourists versus Plateau United in Bauchi and ABS hosting Enyimba in Ilorin.
Two top division sides – Remo Stars and Gombe United – are not in the race.
Meanwhile, venues for the Round of 64 matches have been released. They run thus:

Round of 64 Matches & Venues

• Ngwa FC (Ebonyi) VS FC Galadima (Kebbi) – Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu (4pm)

• Heartland FC (Imo) VS Insurance FC (Edo) – Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri (4pm)

• Lobi Stars (Benue) VS Katsina United (Katsina) – Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi (4pm)

• Katsina United Feeders (Katsina) VS Aklosendi FC (Nasarawa) – Muhammadu Dikko Stadium, Katsina (4pm)

• AITEL FC (Taraba) VS Unicem Rovers (Cross River) – Jalingo Township Stadium (4pm)

• Mighty Jets FC (Plateau) VS Sunshine Stars (Ondo) – Rwang Pam Stadium (4pm)

• Bayelsa United (Bayelsa) VS FC Zamfara (Zamfara) – Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt (4pm)

• Adamawa United (Adamawa) VS Cynosure FC (Rivers) – Fufure Township Stadium (4pm)

• Ede United (Osun) VS Sakaba United FC (Kebbi) – Oshogbo Township Stadium (2pm)

• FC IfeanyiUbah Feeders (Anambra) VS Jigawa Golden Stars (Jigawa) – FC IfeanyiUbah Stadium, Nnewi-Ozubulu (4pm)

• Samba Kurna (Kano) VS Wikki Tourists Feeders (Bauchi) – Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano (4pm)

• Ekiti United (Ekiti) VS Dolphins FC (Kaduna) – Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado-Ekiti (4pm)

• Niger Tornadoes (Niger) VS El-Kanemi Warriors (Borno) – Area 3 Stadium, Abuja (4pm)

• Rivers United (Rivers) VS FC Atete (Delta) – Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Port Harcourt (4pm)

• Delta Warriors (Delta) VS Ayade Babes (Cross River) – Warri City Stadium (4pm)

• FC Yarma Light (Gombe) VS FC IfeanyiUbah (Anambra) – Patami Stadium, Gombe (4pm)

• Halfa FC (Jigawa) VS Akwa United FC (Akwa Ibom) – Dutse Township Stadium (4pm)

• Shooting Stars (Oyo) VS Dynamite FC (Edo) – Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan (4pm)

• Kogi United (Kogi) VS Rangers International (Enugu) – Confluence Stadium, Lokoja (4pm)

• Nasarawa United (Nasarawa) VS MFM FC (Lagos) – Lafia City Stadium (4pm)

• Niger Tornadoes Feeders (Niger) VS FC Abuja (FCT) – FIFA Goal Project, Abuja (4pm)

• Doma United (Gombe) VS Adamawa United (Adamawa) – Patami Stadium, Gombe (2pm)

• Osun United (Osun) VS Coal City Youths (Enugu) – Oshogbo Township Stadium (4pm)

• FC Lokoja (Kogi) VS El-Kanemi Babes (Borno) – Confluence Stadium, Lokoja (2pm)

• Kwara United (Kwara) VS Sokoto United (Sokoto) – Kwara Sports Stadium (2pm)

• Wikki Tourists (Bauchi) VS Plateau United (Plateau) – Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi (4pm)

• ABS FC (Kwara) VS Enyimba FC (Abia) – Kwara Sports Stadium (4pm)

• Yobe Desert Stars (Yobe) VS Kano Pillars (Kano) – Damaturu Township Stadium (4pm)

• Abia Warriors FC (Abia) VS Crown FC (Oyo) – Umuahia Township Stadium (4pm)

• FRSC FC (FCT) VS Potiskum Academy (Yobe) – Area 3 Stadium, Abuja (2pm)

• Almar (Ogun) VS Spartan FC (Lagos) – Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode (4pm)

• Moyero FC (Ondo) VS Akwa Starlets (Akwa Ibom) – Akure Township Stadium (4pm)

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.