International Football
NIGERIA’S CHRISTIAN EMERUWA ASSUMES DUTIES AS CAF HEAD OF SAFETY AND SECURITY
A staff member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Christian Emeruwa, has assumed office in Cairo, Egypt as Head of Safety and Security of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Emeruwa, who has served as special assistant to three successive NFF General Secretaries, is on a two –year leave of absence at the CAF Headquarters in 6th October City, near Cairo.
Holder of a doctorate degree in health education and human kinetics from the University of Ibadan, Emeruwa took up appointment with the Nigeria Football Federation in 2007 and has, over the years, brilliantly coordinated safety and security matters at venues of major international and domestic games round the country.
He is also a FIFA Security Officer.
Before taking up appointment at CAF, Emeruwa had coordinated safety and security issues at a number of matches and competitions for CAF and world footballing –governing body, FIFA on invitation.
He becomes the second Nigerian to take up a high –profile appointment at CAF headquarters since the election of NFF President, Amaju Pinnick into the CAF Executive Committee less than 22 months ago.
The first was Samson Adamu, who is CAF’s Director of Competitions.
Apart from the duo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, A. U Mustapha, is the President of CAF Appeal Board, with so many other Nigerians on several committees of the continental body as well as FIFA.
While Pinnick has been elevated to the 1st Vice President of CAF and is also President of the AFCON Organizing Committee, NFF 1st Vice President, Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi, 2nd Vice President, Mallam Shehu Dikko, Executive Committee members Ibrahim Gusau and Yusuf Ahmed, as well as Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, Mrs Chisom Ezeoke, Dr. Peter Singabele and Senator Obinna Ogba are on various panels.
At the level of FIFA, where Pinnick is a respected Member of the Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions, he has been able to get the former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Ayotunde Philips and NFF 2nd Vice President Dikko into committees. While Justice Philips is the only African on the FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber), Dikko is a Member of the FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee.
“I am delighted with the number of Nigerians we have been able to get into key positions and committees in FIFA and CAF, but we are just starting. I have always been saying that Nigeria is a big country globally and we can no longer remain a silent voice in international football politics. The work is ongoing to ensure more Nigerians come to the fore at global and continental levels,” Pinnick said on Tuesday.
NIGERIANS IN FIFA
. Mr. Amaju Pinnick – Member, Organizing Committee for FIFA Competitions
. Justice Ayotunde Philips – Member, FIFA Ethics Committee (Adjudicatory Chamber)
. Mallam Shehu Dikko – Member, FIFA Football Stakeholders Committee
NIGERIANS WORKING IN CAF
. Mr. Samson Adamu – Director of Competitions
. Dr. Christian Emeruwa – Head of Safety and Security
NIGERIANS IN CAF COMMITTEES
. Mr. Amaju Pinnick – 1st Vice President/Member, Emergency Committee/President, AFCON
. Barr. Seyi Akinwunmi – Member, Youth Competitions Committee
. Mallam Shehu Dikko – Member, Inter-Clubs and Club Licensing System Committee
. Alh. Ibrahim Gusau – Member, Organizing Committee for CHAN
. Alh. Yusuf Ahmed – Member, Technical and Development Committee
. Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah – Member, Organizing Committee for AFCON
. Mrs Chisom Ezeoke – Member, Women Football Committee
. Dr. Peter Singabele – Member, Committee on Sports Medicine
. Senator Obinna Ogba – Member, Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee
International Football
Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
International Football
Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach
After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.
But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.
Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.
He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.
“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.
FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.
Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.
He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.
He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.
The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.
International Football
Why FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o
Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.
The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and female, across all age groups.
“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.
This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.
During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.
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