Nigerian Football
Continental football coaching body upbeat after an exciting 2021
The leadership of the Football Coaches Association of African Nations (FCAAN) has expressed satisfaction with the body’s output for the year 2021 and has declared that it has great expectations for the coming year, which promises to be highly exciting with the Africa Cup of Nations for both men and women, global youth women tournaments and the FIFA World Cup finals for men.
Speaking from his base in the United States of America, FCAAN President, Dr Terry Babatunde Eguaoje averred that organizing six courses of different grades across the federation in the outgoing year was a huge improvement on the state of paralysis imposed by the novel coronavirus pandemic in the year 2020.
“During the year 2020, we had to see what we could do through online services as the ban on public and social gatherings made seminars and workshops impossible. Based off that fact, we have to be grateful for what have been able to achieve this year, even as we are confident of doing better in year 2022.
“Our focus next year would be on higher-grade courses as we focus hard on our vision of building a large population of coaches who have sound, correct education and are attuned to modern methods and techniques, which will help to improve the standard of the game in Nigeria and Africa as a whole,” said Eguaoje, who is also Consultant on Coaching and Development to the Nigeria Football Federation.
FCAAN’s resolve and commitment to its vision ensured that it explored and exploited online training possibilities and opportunities even during the lockdowns and restrictions of the pandemic period.
“We kept going by doing online programmes and we thank our able resource persons for their quick adaption and flexibility. Much knowledge was imparted during the period. It helped us to keep the momentum of several years and go full throttle when the restrictions were lifted.”
Eguaoje added: “This year, we had one D course, one E course and two F courses in Lagos, one F course in Port Harcourt and one C course in Akure. A total of six courses in all.
“All these could not have been possible without the active support and endorsement of the Nigeria Football Federation. We are grateful for the NFF President and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick, the entire NFF Board and the General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi. We aim to do even better in the year 2022 with their support and understanding.”
At the end of the D course in Lagos, Coach of Nigeria Women Premier League side FC Robo Queens, Emmanuel Osahon said: “I thought I knew so much about coaching, but attending the course showed me that I have so much ground to cover. I just can’t wait for the C course.”
After the C course in Akure, Head Coach of Nigeria Professional Football League side, Wikki Tourists FC, Kabiru Dogo had this to say: “I have been a top-flight coach for a long time but what I have learnt here shows that FCAAN has so much to offer.”
First Vice President of the NFF, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi, who as Chairman of the Lagos State Football Association has played host to four different FCAAN programmes within the year, stated: “What FCAAN is doing will help us build our football identity again.”
On his part, Eguaoje is full of praises for both established and upcoming coaches who have seen reason to enhance capacity through quality education in modern methods and techniques. “The future of our football will be assured if coaches don’t shy away from regular courses and are ready to apply the knowledge gained to improve the standard of the game.”
The miserable run of Akwa United and Ikorodu City came to an end after six games in the Nigerian Premier League this season. Both teams were initially glued at the bottom of the league table.
They now got respite as Akwa United beat Kano Pillar by 2-0 while Ikorodu City even did what could be considered an upset, beating Bendel Insurance 3-0.
Remo Stars bounced back to the top of the log after a 3-0 defeat of Nasarawa United. Shooting Stars are yet to get their rhythm this season, playing a barren draw with Enyimba in Ibadan.
Kwara United who got their first full points of the season last week after a 1-0 defeat of Remo Stars could not consolidate as they were beaten 1-0 by Abia Warriors.
Heartland under Emmanuel Amuneke are gradually recovering as they got a valuable away draw against El-Kanemi Warriors.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
It is 75 years since Nigeria’s national football team first played an international match. That was on 8 October 1949 when the first set of Nigeria’s assembly on their return voyage stopped over in Freetown and engaged Sierra Leone in an international football match. Nigeria won 2-0, setting a chain of positive results on 8 October.
The country never lost any competitive duel on that date. More significantly, the Super Eagles first qualified for the World Cup on an 8 October date.
That was in 1993 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Algeria in the quest for USA ‘94 World Cup.
Nigeria became the first English-speaking African country to qualify for the World Cup. Another significance of the October 8 match at the July 5 Stadium, Algiers is that Nigeria were unbeaten for the first time by Algeria at home.
The only deviation from the 8 October Magic was in 2015 when Nigeria lost 2-0 to Congo in a friendly match.
Twenty-six years after Nigeria’s debut international match, one of Africa’s biggest football nations, Egypt fell to the October 8 magic, losing 4-0 to Nigeria in the last stage of the triangular World Cup qualifying series for Argentina ’78.
Up till October 15, 2013, when Ghana beat Egypt 6-1 in Kumasi, the October 8, 1977 duel with Nigeria remained Egypt’s biggest loss in a World Cup qualifying match.
Before the 1977 duel, Nigeria in 1963 played a friendly match with Liberia in Monrovia. The October 8 magic was active, even in an away match. Nigeria drew 2-2 in their very first encounter with Liberia. It was shortly after the team had, through a protest, upturned a victory by Guinea to pick Nigeria’s very first African Nations’ Cup ticket.
Little wonder then that when FIFA suspended Nigeria in 2010, the world governing body provisionally lifted the ban on October 8!
Nigeria on 8 October
- 1949 – Freetown (Friendly) Sierra Leone 0-2 Nigeria
- 1963 – Monrovia (Friendly) Liberia 2-2 Nigeria
- 1977 – Lagos (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 4-0 Egypt
- 1993 – Algiers (World Cup qualifier) Algeria 1-1 Nigeria… qualify for USA ‘94.
- 2005 – Abuja (World Cup qualifier) Nigeria 5-1 Zimbabwe
- 2010 – FIFA, in apparent respect to the 8 October magic, provisionally lifted a ban imposed on Nigeria.
- 2011 – Abuja (African Nations Cup qualifier) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea. Although undefeated, Nigeria failed to make it to the 2012 African Nations Cup.
- 2015 – D.R. Congo beat Nigeria 2-0 in Visé, Belgium. The ‘October 8 Magic’ is finally broken.
Rivers United have launched themselves to the top of the log at the end of the match day 5 of the Nigeria Premier League. The Port Harcourt side beat Akwa United 2-1 to go afloat after initial leaders, Remo Stars crumbled to a 1-0 defeat at Kwara United in Ilorin on Sunday.
It was Remo Stars’ first defeat in the season. Rivers United are now with 13 points. Stephen Mayo put Rivers United ahead after 31 minutes. But it turned a temporary lead as Akwa United bounced back almost at the blast of the referee’s whistle for the second half.
Friday Apollos levelled up for Akwa United before Ndifreke Effiong Udo scored the winner in the 85th minute.
Sunday Results
- Kwara United 1-0 Remo Stars
- Rangers International 1-0 Abia Warriors
- Heartland FC 2-0 Niger Tornadoes
- Kano Pillars 2-0 Sunshine Stars
- Plateau United 1-0 Ikorodu City
- Rivers United 2-1 Akwa United
- Enyimba 3-0 Katsina United* Suspended
- Nasarawa 0-0 Bayelsa United
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON5 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!
-
AFCON1 day ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode