Nigerian Football
Nigerians Take to the Field as UEFA Leagues Enter Group Stage
As the 2017/2018 UEFA Champions League and Europa League gather momentum across Europe from this Tuesday, Sports Village Square presents the Nigerians who will be showcasing their skills across the various fields in Europe.
Victor Moses, Chelsea
Leading the pack of Nigeria’s ambassadors to the most followed continental league in the world is the mercurial Victor Moses. He is expected to take the splendid form he exhibited at the back-to-back World Cup encounters with Cameroon to the Group C UEFA Champions League home tie with Qarabag of Azerbaijan.
It is the first ever encounter that Chelsea will be having with the Azerbaijan opponents. It is also Qarabag’s debut in the UEFA Champions’ League Group stage while Chelsea is having its 15th entry.
Aaron Samuel Olanere, CSKA Moscow
Aaron Samuel Olanere, the 23 year old Super Eagles player may not have had ample playing time with Nigeria recently since his scoring debut against Sudan on October 15, 2014, this Tuesday will enable him display his talents when his CSKA Moscow side take on Portugal’s Benfica in Lisbon.
He was called up as an unused last minute replacement for injured Alex Iwobi of Arsenal for the recent Nigerian World Cup qualifying matches with Cameroon.
Sports Village Square gathered from UEFA that Olanere took full part in the training by the Russian side and therefore in contention to start the league duel with Benfica.
If featured, he will be wearing the unfamiliar shirt number 99. He will not be the first Nigerian in the CSKA UEFA Champions League side as Olanere will be treading the path earlier taken by Ahmed Musa.
Henry Onyekuru, Anderlecht
Sports Village Square recalls that Henry Onyekuru will be walking the path previously taken by the late Nigerian former captain and coach, Stephen Keshi as he laces his boots for Belgium’s Anderlecht in UEFA Champions’ League Group B away clash with Germany’s Bayern Munich.
Onyekuru took full part in the training by the Belgian side and therefore in contention to start the match at Fußball Arena München.
It is the first time that Onyekuru’s club will be in the group stage since the 2014/15 Season.
Nura Abdullahi, AS Roma
Unlike Victor Moses and Onyekuru who will likely play key roles for their clubs in the Champions’ League opening games, Abdullahi is almost a confirmed absentee. The Rio 2016 Nigerian footballer did not take part in the most recent training sessions for his Italian club, AS Roma which will be hosts to Atletico Madrid in Group C.
In fact, he is yet to feature in the two-week old Serie A matches.
Sunny Omoregie, N.K Maribor, Slovenia
In the same situation with Abdullahi is Sunny Omoregie of Maribor which faces Spartak in Group E on Wednesday. The Nigerian is not listed in the club’s squad for this season’s Champions League.
Theophilus Solomon, FK Partizan
Partizan Belgrade forward, Theophilus Solomon who joined the Serbian giant on August 12 2017 on a long season loan deal with the option of permanent transfer at the end of the season.
May likely feature when the club takes on Young Boys of Switzerland on Thursday. Sports Village Square gathered that the Nigerian who will be putting on jersey number 77 took part in all training session ahead of the game and is in contention to start the game.
Alex Iwobi, Arsenal
Arsenal has found a new domain in the less European league, the Europa Cup. But it will be without Alex Iwobi who appears not registered for the competition. In a similar situation is another player of Nigerian origin, Tolaji Bola whose name, like that of Iwobi is asterisked as belonging to the Arsenal FC Academy.
Imoh Ezekiel, Konyaspor, Turkey
But when Turkey’s Konyaspor take on Marseille on Thursday, Nigeria’s Imoh Ezekiel will likely be listed. Sports Village Square gathered from UEFA that Ezekiel participated in all training sessions ahead of the Europa Cup encounter.
His club however has a huge mountain to climb in Marseille as Konyaspor is yet to win a match in six outings in the continent. In previous outings, the Turkish side lost five and drew one.
Segun James Adeniyi, KF Skënderbeu
Segun Adeniyi is another Nigerian to watch out for when Albanian club, KF Skënderbeu take on Dynamos Kiev on Thursday in the Europa Cup Group B tie. If featured, he will wear shirt number 78. Sports Village Square can confirm that the Nigerian who scored 23 goals last season took paprt in all training session leading to the match.
Adeniyi will lock horns with fellow Nigeria, Theophilus Solomon when the Ueropa league Group B battle begins.
Samuel Adeniyi Adegbenro, Rosenborg F.C
Samuel Adegbenro is expected to feature for Rosenborg BK of Norway when the club face Real Sociedad in a Group L Europa Cup duel on Thursday. The native of Osogbo plays as centre forwaed and had score three goals in two outings or the club
Nigerian Football
African Schools Football Championship: NFF, UBEC commit to fruitful collaboration in win-win scenario
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Gusau-Bobboyi.jpg)
The Nigeria Football Federation and the Universal Basic Education Commission have agreed to a meaningful and fruitful collaboration that will see Nigeria challenging strongly for honours in the annual African Schools Football Championship and also compel sporting infrastructure renewal in Nigeria’s pre-tertiary educational institutions.
During a courtesy call on the Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Hamid Bobboyi on Monday, President of NFF Ibrahim Musa Gusau explained that the annual competition can spur infrastructural upgrade in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools, lead to discovery of talents even beyond the imaginable and assure Nigeria’s football future.
“The African Schools Football Championship is for U13 and U15 pupils, and is organized by CAF. There are so many benefits for the winning school, with a prize money of $1million that will be used to provide football infrastructure for that school. I see no reason why our schools should not compete strongly, as triumph for one school in the country will have a multiplier effect on other schools.
“We have come to UBEC because this matter falls squarely within its purview. Last year, the NFF worked with the Nigeria School Sports Federation to produce representative schools in the male and female categories to fly Nigeria’s flag, in our debut in the competition. However, we believe we should expand the scope and get more schools involved, to have a very strong representation and stand the chance of winning both trophies,” Gusau said.
He also disclosed that the NSSF has concluded plans to kick off the state preliminaries of the male and female competitions this month, with the WAFU-B Tournament scheduled for Niger Republic in November, at which the WAFU-B flagbearers for the continental finals will emerge.
UBEC Executive Secretary, Dr. Bobboyi, praised the leadership of the NFF for the visit, and pledged the full co-operation of UBEC to the project. “Infrastructural deficit is a big challenge in our primary and junior secondary schools, and this project will definitely help to speed up our own efforts to restore the good old days of standard facilities and equipment in our schools.
“Since 2018, we have been making efforts to restore sporting infrastructure in our schools, by appealing to state governments and providing the equipment that we can. Many countries of the world specifically offer scholarships to athletes simply because of their sporting ability. Sports help children to develop physically and mentally, and we also must safeguard the future of sports by taking practical steps to unearth talents from the schools and the grassroots that can be nurtured for glory.”
Present as well at the occasion were NFF 1st Vice President, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu; General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; Engr. Sadiq Sa’ad (UBEC Director of Physical Planning); Ademola Olajire (NFF Director of Media & Communications; Okey Obi (NFF Director of Legal Services); Ruth David (NFF Director of Competitions); Dr. Funsho Usman (Secretary General, NSSF); Mrs Rose Medubi (Director, Academic Services); Mr. Osahon Igbinoba (Director, PRS); Alh. Adamu Misau (Director, Finance & Accounts); Mr. Paul Agi (Director, Admin & Supplies); Mr. Hashimu Ojah (Director, NSSF) and; Mrs Lydia Gbagyi (Desk Officer, Sports).
Nigerian Football
“My name is Clemens Johannes Hendrikus Westerhof”
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Westerhof-and-Kunle-1.jpg)
BY KUNLE SOLAJA, Arnhem, Netherlands.
Undoubtedly, the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) coach in Nigeria, Clemens Westerhof, has a coaching credential that no coach in Nigeria either before his tenure or since 30 years ago that he left, has been able to match.
He did not only qualify Nigeria for the World Cup for the first time, he is the only coach that took the national team to the podium thrice at the Africa Cup of Nation – winning in 1994 and making the first runners-up position in 1990 and third place in 1992.
At the peak of his career in Nigeria, he took the Super Eagles to their topmost height of fifth ranked in the world. Little wonder, his squad is being figuratively referred to as the ‘Golden Generation’ of the Nigeria national team.
Last month marked two milestones of his 1,787-day tenure in the Super Eagles.
First, 15 August marked the 35th anniversary of his being signed on by Nigeria and 27 August was the 35th anniversary of his debut.
Sports Village Square travelled by air, speed train – the Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Dutch Sprinter train) and the German Deutsche Bahn, to get to Arnhem, which is just 20 minute drive to Germany to get the now 84-year old football tactician who now lives quietly in his home town.
This book on Super Eagles is a delight to read, says Westerhof
In the course of narrating his tour of duty in Nigeria, he opened up on how he got the job, his relationship with football officials, the footballers, his trials and travails, his joy and sadness as well as how he introduced the concept of official kits to the Nigerian national team.
He spoke of how he discovered local talents and moulded the raw gold materials to 18-carat special metals. Westerhof spoke about the Nigerian players that he groomed and the relationship they still have with him.
Who is this man who is always passionately following all the football leagues of the world as his face is always glued to the television set.
His wife, Lillian remarked Westerhof followed, almost with religious devotion, the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 in which Nigeria got to the final against the hosts, Cote d’Ivoire.
Even Westerhof’s wife displayed an uncanny knowledge of Nigerian football, mentioning names and giving details.
She said she once considered taking courses in football coaching as she has a husband who will add value to her.
One may wish to know Westerhof in detail. He gave his full name which many may not have known. Clemens Johannes Hendrikus Westerhof tells his story to Sports Village Square, the way he never did to any other medium before now. Details later.
Nigerian Football
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Dele Aiyenugba returns to the classroom at NIS
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Dele.jpg)
Former Super Eagles and Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper Dele Aiyenugba has been co- opted to serve as a resource person at the coaches training program at the National Institute for Sports (NIS).
The programme is a collaborative venture of both the NIS and the Lagos State Football Association.
The training programme will start on 14 September 14th and run every Saturday for a month in the first module.
Aiyenugba, who last played for the Nigeria national team on 8 October 2011 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match that ended 2-2 with Guinea, is a product of the NIS.
He is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on the participants.
Aiyenugba will be speaking on Goalkeeping techniques, Goalkeeping training and Goalkeeping safety.
Over 2,000 coaches in Lagos State are expected to be trained over a two year period.
With the Lagos State FA Chairman Gafar Liameed affirming that NIS certification is now compulsory for any coach that want to ply their trade in Lagos State.
NIS Director General, Professor Olawale Moronkola is expected to declare the training opened.
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