Nigerian Football
FRANK LAMPARD HAILS HIS RETURNING HEROES AS CHELSEA HAMMER EVERTON 4-0
Chelsea coach Frank Lampard turned a selection crisis into a golden opportunity for half a dozen players who have struggled to make Premier League appearances this season but starred in the 4-0 thrashing of Everton on Sunday (March 8).
Lining up at kick-off were three veterans who have failed to even make the substitutes’ bench at times recently – Spaniards Pedro and Marcos Alonso and France striker Olivier Giroud.
They were joined by midfielder Ross Barkley and goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who have recently languished on the sidelines after struggling to live up to their big-money moves to Chelsea.
Giroud, standing in for injured first-choice striker Tammy Abraham, scored Chelsea’s fourth goal while Barkley provided passes for two other strikes.
Lampard also gave a first Premier League start to 18-year-old anchor Billy Gilmour in the absence of experienced midfielders N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic, who were both injured, and Jorginho who was suspended.
Two more teenagers who joined Chelsea as youngsters – Faustino Anjorin and Armando Broja – came on in the second half to make their league debuts, following on the heels of other young prospects who have broken into the team this season.
But Lampard paid particular tribute to the returning former stalwarts who had endured frustrations earlier in the season.
“That is what we need. That’s football, whether you’re four months from the end of your contract, no matter if you were out of the team for a month,” he said.
“You have to train every day, full pelt. You have to be a brilliant team-mate and when you come in, you have to try and contribute.”
The Chelsea coach praised 33-year-old Giroud for focusing on the job even when a move away from Stamford Bridge was blocked by Chelsea’s failure to sign another striker in January.
“I’ve got complete respect for him for that and now he’s playing really well on the pitch,” he said.
Lampard added that he was not getting carried away by Chelsea’s recent return to form, including a 2-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round on Tuesday which featured many of the players involved in Sunday’s thumping of Everton.
He warned his players that the battle for the fourth Champions League spot – which Chelsea currently occupy – remained alive.
“I don’t think we are there yet,” he said. “To think that we are there and to think that we are over the issues that we have had here at home… would be over-confident.”
-Reuters
Nigerian Football
NSC, Edo FA Back Ikhana Football Academy, Set to Adopt Model for Youth Development
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, and the Edo State Football Association have pledged strong institutional support for the newly launched Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy (KIFA), describing it as a model for grassroots football development in Nigeria.
The commitment was made during the official unveiling of the academy in Auchi, Edo State, on Saturday, where stakeholders praised the initiative of former Nigerian international, Kadiri Ikhana.
Represented at the event by his aide, Ebidowei Oweife, Olopade commended Ikhana for establishing an academy that integrates football training with formal education, noting that the Commission intends to nurture and replicate the model across the country.
“We are happy that a person of the calibre of Coach Kadiri Ikhana has taken this initiative. He is not only a member of the historic 1980 Green Eagles squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations but also the first Nigerian coach to win the CAF Champions League with Enyimba,” Olopade said.
Declaring the project a priority, the NSC boss added, “The academy is our baby, and we shall adopt it. We are particularly impressed that it combines football with schooling. We want the students to take their education seriously alongside their football careers. The NSC will definitely support this project.”
Also throwing its weight behind the initiative, the Edo State Football Association described the academy as a significant step toward youth empowerment and football development in the state.
Chairman of the association, Fred Newton, who was represented at the ceremony, praised Ikhana for investing his experience and knowledge in grooming the next generation of players.
“We are delighted that you have chosen to give back by shaping young talents in Edo State. This initiative will have a lasting impact not only in Edo North but across the entire state. We are fully behind you and will support you in achieving your goals,” Newton stated.
The Kadiri Ikhana Football Academy is expected to serve as a hub for nurturing young football talents while ensuring their academic growth, aligning with broader efforts to create a more structured and sustainable pathway for sports development in Nigeria.
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By Kunle Solaja.
For the fourth time, the elective congress of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, will be held in September. It is a pattern that evolved in Warri in 2014 when Amaju Pinnick was elected on 30 September.
Four years later in Katsina, another elective congress was held in Katsina on September 20. Four years ago in Benin, the 30 September election brought in Ibrahim Musa Gusau.
Another September fever is in the offing as the NFF will hold its next Elective Congress on Saturday, September 26, 2026, in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State.
The decision was ratified by the NFF Extraordinary General Assembly at its meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, as part of resolutions aimed at setting the stage for the federation’s next leadership cycle.
The Elective Congress will determine the composition of the NFF Executive Committee, including the election of a president and other key officials to steer the affairs of Nigerian football for the next term.
By fixing both the date and venue several months in advance, the federation is expected to provide ample time for electoral preparations, including the nomination of candidates, screening processes and compliance with provisions of the NFF Statutes and Electoral Code.
The choice of Lafia underscores the NFF’s continued rotation of major football events across different parts of the country, while also aligning with efforts to ensure a transparent and orderly electoral process.
Further details regarding the election timetable and guidelines are expected to be released by the NFF Electoral Committee in the coming months.
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Nigerian Football
NFF Congress Approves Statutes Amendments, Electoral Committees Ahead of 2026 Elections
The Extraordinary General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has approved sweeping reforms to its governing framework, including amendments to its statutes and electoral processes, as preparations intensify for the federation’s 2026 elections.
At the meeting held in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Congress unanimously endorsed proposals from the NFF Executive Committee to amend the NFF Statutes (March 2026 Edition), the Electoral Code and the Standing Orders of the General Assembly.
In a major step toward the next electoral cycle, Congress also ratified the composition of both the NFF Electoral Committee and the Electoral Appeals Committee. The decision followed nominations by leaders of the country’s six geopolitical zones, with 12 individuals selected to serve across the two bodies.
Those appointed include Matthew Burkala (SAN) and Emmanuel Dada Obafemi (North Central); Alhaji Babagoni Grema and Barrister Benjamin Sak (North East); Bature Musa and Professor Abdulmalik Awwal (North West); Justice C.J. Aneke and Arinze Azubuike Anughere (South East); Akogun Olugbenga Omole and Abayomi Akin Omoyimi (South West); as well as Ayibaye Peter Great Temedie (Esq.) and Ayi Ekpo Ukpayam (South South).
The members are scheduled to be inaugurated in Abuja on March 25, 2026, where they will constitute the two committees and elect their respective chairmen. In line with the Electoral Code, the Electoral Committee will comprise five full members and two alternates, while the Appeals Committee will have three full members and two alternates.
Congress further approved the appointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the new independent auditor of the federation for an initial four-year term, following what was described as a rigorous selection process involving seven firms. The Assembly commended outgoing auditors PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for their nine years of service.
Looking ahead, the Congress fixed September 26, 2026, for the NFF Elective Congress, which will take place in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
In addition, members passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the NFF Executive Committee led by President Ibrahim Musa Gusau, praising its efforts in promoting and developing football across Nigeria.
The communiqué was drafted by a committee chaired by Mohammed Nasir Saidu, with Hajji Gafaar Liameed, Davidson Owumi, Yakubu Salma, Coach Ladan Bosso and Dr Ademola Olajire serving as members.
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