AFCON
NFF chieftain assures Coca-Cola on rights protection
In the wake of incidences of blatant ambush marketing and intentional deceptive advertising by some businesses, targeted at illegitimately identifying with the Super Eagles and the team’s campaign at the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations ongoing in Cameroon, the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday assured Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited of full protection of its partnership rights.
President of the NFF and FIFA Council Member, Mr Amaju Melvin Pinnick flew out of Cameroon to Lagos to deliver the words of assurance to the soft drinks behemoth, reiterating that the Federation would not hesitate to drag businesses infringing on the rights of Coca-Cola, and indeed any of NFF’s partners and sponsors, to the law courts.
“We are unhappy with the behaviour of these companies that went to town in a bid to intentionally identify with the Super Eagles when they have no such right or leeway. It is most condemnable. The NFF is up to the task of protecting the rights and privileges of its partners and sponsors and will not hesitate to take legal action against these infractions,” Pinnick told Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited’s top hierarchy that included the Managing Director, Mr Alfred Olajide at the company’s headquarters in Lagos.
“The NFF cherishes the relationship we have with Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, and indeed all our partners and sponsors, and this informed my movement to Lagos to give assurance to the company as a result of the ambush marketing and intentional deceptive advertising by one company with which we have no relationship whatsoever.”
On Sunday, the NFF had issued a statement condemning the instances of ambush marketing and intentional deceptive advertising by some businesses, in which they used the photographs of the Super Eagles and the team’s participation at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in newspaper advertisements.
At the meeting with Pinnick on Tuesday were Managing Director of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited, Afred Olajide; Public Affairs and Communications Director, Amaka Onyemelukwe; Frontline Marketing Director, Bunmi Adeniba and; Frontline Marketing Portfolio Activation Senior Manager, Soji Omoigui.
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.
This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.
Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.
His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.
Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.
The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.
According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.
He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.
According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,
After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.
Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.
Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.
“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.
He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”
Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.
“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
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