Nigerian Football
WILFRED NDIDI’S EFFORTS ASSIST LEICESTER’S VARDY TO AIM AS PREMIERSHIP TOP SCORER
With 17 goals in 18 matches, Jamie Vardy of Leicester is at the moment Premiership League’s highest scorer.
He has scored in all but one of his last nine league games. But unknown to many, Super Eagles’ Wilfred Ndidi has been the support that Vardy needed.
According to Daily Mail, both Vardy and Ndidi have been working together to make the former a lethal striker.
Vardy is only three short of 100 Premier League goals and needs seven more to match his tally from Leicester’s title-winning season four years ago.
But he is not concerned only with his own finishing. The 32-year-old striker has been passing on tips during training sessions, with midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in particular grateful for the lessons.
Vardy has been schooling his team-mates on when to shoot first-time, when to take a touch, when to hit the ball with power and when to use precision.
‘He’s not just doing it for himself, he’s doing it for the team,’ said Ndidi. ‘Before the game he’s always there to tell me how to hit the ball.
‘Because he’s a goalscorer, he gives this advice to me and some other players. So he’s just there to guide us. He used to tell me ‘don’t strike!’ but now he tells me ‘don’t strike just pass it!’
Vardy’s own performances this year prove his advice is worth following.
The decision to work smart, rather than simply working hard, has been key to Vardy’s evolution.
A vivid memory of Leicester’s unforgettable 2015-16 campaign is Vardy constantly on the move: chasing balls over the top; closing down defenders or sprinting into space in anticipation of a lofted pass from Danny Drinkwater.
Vardy is still diligent — but smarter. He is the trigger for Leicester’s counter-pressing game: when he moves towards the man on the ball, the rest of the team move with him but he knows he must save his legs for when it really matters.
He still thrives on needle from opposition fans, too. Fielders used to be wary of sledging the great West Indies batsman Brian Lara in case it made him more determined. Rival clubs’ fans would do well to follow a similar rule with Vardy.
‘He’s so honest that he’d press the entire back four if he could,’ said Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.
‘He plays an aggressive game that suits him with tactical ideas that allow him to conserve his energy.
‘How we play, being aggressive and playing quickly obviously suits him. But his finishing ability, how clinical he is, is absolutely phenomenal. That’s a big testament to his concentration. When the opportunities come he’s always ready.’
Rodgers says Vardy ‘never misses a training session’ and even though he is well over 30, his numbers in pre-season were particularly impressive.
They were 21 per cent better than in 2012, his first year at Leicester, with his body fat measuring 7.5 per cent and sprints that registered 9.3 metres per second on the GPS monitor.
He has little appetite for gym work, preferring to stay lean and mean, and has maintained a pre-match routine that includes omelettes, Red Bulls and espressos.
Vardy’s decision to retire from international football in 2018 has benefited him, too. Instead of following a different training regime with England, Vardy can do exactly what is required to keep himself in peak shape.
‘I retired because I needed to rest up, I needed to keep the legs fresh,’ he told Amazon recently. ‘I had seven weeks off to prepare for the new season.’
While his former England colleagues were securing qualification for Euro 2020, Vardy was spending parts of international breaks in Dubai with his family to rest for the challenges ahead.
‘He’s thinking all the time,’ Rodgers added. ‘Jamie looks after his body and when you get to his age, recovery is critical.’
Vardy played in the European Championship four years ago, as well as at the 2018 World Cup, and may have a decision to make this summer if the call comes from Gareth Southgate.
Either way, he looks a solid bet to end the season as the oldest winner of the Premier League’s Golden Boot.
Rivers United head coach and technical manager, Finidi George, has praised young defender Ochiobi Elias following his outstanding performance in the club’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Niger Tornadoes in a rescheduled Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) fixture on Wednesday at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt.
The left-back, who played the full 90 minutes, was instrumental in helping Rivers United maintain a clean sheet, marking one of his most confident outings since his promotion to the senior squad.
Finidi, visibly impressed after the match, revealed that his decision to give Elias a full game was driven by trust in the player’s potential, despite his limited minutes earlier in the season.
“I think he did well. Normally, we should have been bringing him in gradually — maybe 15 minutes before giving him a 90-minute match,” Finidi said. “But I trust him, and I’ve spoken to him. He should be relaxed, calm down, and play his football.”
The coach also highlighted a near-miss moment when Elias came close to scoring late in the game, a chance Finidi felt could have crowned his stellar performance.
“I think today he would have scored a goal at the last moment, but he still wanted to square the ball, look for somebody,” Finidi added. “I’m quite happy with his performance, and we will keep encouraging him to do better. I am very, very pleased.”
Elias, a product of the Rivers United youth team that won the NPFL Youth League in 2024, has been gradually integrated into the first team under Finidi’s guidance. His performance on Wednesday is seen as a major step forward in his development and a sign of his growing confidence.
The youngster is now expected to retain his place in the squad as Rivers United travel to Aba this Sunday for a crucial NPFL clash against Enyimba.
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Strategic partners of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on the President Federation Cup, GTI Group, have congratulated the football governing body on the successful hosting of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a press statement issued on Friday in Lagos, GTI’s Head of Media and Publicity, Andrew Ekejiuba, lauded the NFF Board under the leadership of Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau for the smooth conduct of the AGM and the significant progress made in Nigerian football development.
According to Ekejiuba, the Ibadan meeting reflected Gusau’s commitment to engaging stakeholders and strengthening unity across the football ecosystem.
“GTI Group congratulates the Nigeria Football Federation on the successful outcome of its Annual General Meeting held in Ibadan, which the President of NFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa Gusau, used the occasion to demonstrate his commitment to engaging positively with football stakeholders, including state football associations, clubs and fans,” he said.
“His interactions with the various groups at the AGM showcased his impactful leadership and dedication to promoting Nigerian football and fostering a collaborative environment.”
Ekejiuba also highlighted the Super Falcons’ recent achievements and the growth of domestic competitions, particularly the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), as key milestones recorded under Gusau’s leadership. GTI serves as a strategic partner of the NPFL, supporting its structural and commercial transformation.
The statement further expressed appreciation to Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for their hospitality and support during the AGM. Ekejiuba noted the governor’s commendation of the improved standard of refereeing in the NPFL under the administration of Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye.
However, GTI also used the opportunity to express disappointment over the early exit of Kwara United and Abia Warriors from the CAF Confederation Cup, urging Nigerian clubs to raise their competitive standards on the continental stage.
“It is unfortunate that both Kwara United and Abia Warriors crashed out at the preliminary phase of the CAF Confederation Cup last weekend. This clearly shows that Nigerian clubs must raise their game in order to compete favourably,” the statement read.
“The future remains bright, but that is why GTI has been calling on Corporate Nigeria to invest more in our football, just as is done in thriving leagues across the world.”
Ekejiuba also extended words of encouragement to Remo Stars and Rivers United, who are still flying Nigeria’s flag in the CAF Champions League.
“We encourage them to dig deep and remain focused to ensure successful campaigns. They should give Nigerian football fans something to cheer this season because we understand how demanding continental competitions can be,” he concluded.
GTI Group reaffirmed its continued commitment to working closely with the NFF to advance football development, promote professionalism, and attract sustainable investment into the Nigerian game.
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The Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) has queried Warri Wolves following reports of the suspension of their head coach, Aluma Napoleon, faulting the club’s failure to comply with established procedures for contracting and registering technical officials.
In a letter titled “Notarization and Registration of Contracts” and signed by the NPFL Chief Operating Officer, Davidson Owumi, the league body directed the Delta-based club to regularize all contractual documentation with its technical and management staff in line with NPFL regulations.
The NPFL’s letter stated:
“Information reaching us from the media space suggests that the Delta State Sports Commission has suspended your head coach, Mr. Aluma Napoleon, with immediate effect.”
Citing Sections B, Articles 6 and 11 of the NPFL 2025/26 Framework and Rules, the league reminded Warri Wolves that all clubs are required to submit notarized contracts of their officials for registration and record purposes.
“You are, however, in breach of these sections as Warri Wolves FC have not submitted the contracts of its officials to the League Board. You are hereby requested, within twenty-four hours of receiving this letter, to submit all relevant contracts of your technical team, including that of the assumed suspended head coach, Mr. Napoleon Aluma, to the NPFL Secretariat,” the letter warned.
The NPFL further cautioned that failure to comply could lead to sanctions, including restricting Warri Wolves’ technical crew from accessing the bench in subsequent league matches.
“Note that failure to comply with this instruction will lead to the restriction of your technical team from accessing the technical area in future NPFL matches,” the league stated.
In a related statement to NPFL Media, COO Davidson Owumi stressed that the Warri Wolves case was not isolated, adding that all clubs yet to register the contracts of their technical officials must do so without delay.
“I must admonish all coaches to get hold of their contracts and lodge a report with the NPFL when there is a violation of the terms. It is the responsibility of the aggrieved to petition the league at all times,” Owumi emphasized.
The NPFL has been tightening administrative controls in recent seasons to ensure transparency, professionalism, and adherence to contractual obligations across all participating clubs.
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