Connect with us

International Football

I WARNED AGAINST FIELDING OKWARAJI ON THE DAY HE DIED, SAYS PAT EKEJI

blank

Published

on

BY KUNLE SOLAJA

Former Nigerian international who also coached the national team, Pat Ekeji, has revealed that he cautioned against the fielding of Samuel Okwaraji on the day he died in 1989.

The all-round sports personality whose featured in all aspects of football as a player, coach, teacher at the National Institute of Sports, sports writer and later administrator, informed www.sportsvillagesquare.com that the death of Okwaraji was unfortunate, but he cautioned against the fielding of the player on that fateful August 12, 1989 match.

Okwaraji would have been 55 last Sunday and his birthday was marked by Google search engine placing his image on its home page.

“I queried the wisdom of fielding Okwaraji in that match as he happened to have been, from what I gathered, on a visit home since the soccer season in Europe was on break.

Advertisement
blank
Samuel Okwaraji slumped on the field in the 80th minute

“Obviously his body was not yet tuned-in for sporadic movements to which he was introduced to under take in that match.

“It was either he was assigned the role of roving mid-field play without boundaries or he was sucked-in with the flow of the game that his cardiovascular function got over laboured because the system was yet in “holiday” phase.

“It was unlikely he had cardiovascular mal or sub-function as this would have been detected by his club’s medical team in Europe.”

Dr. Pat Ekeji who had handled the national team in 1985 and later rose to the pinnacle of Nigerian sports administration as Director General of the National Sports Commission recalled his earlier teachings. 

“I used to teach the subject of the science of high performance training at the NIS when I was there and it was a core and compulsory subject Student that coaches must pass in order to acquire the basic coaching certificate – then Grade 3 Certification.

“I do not know what teaching goes on there today but I think too that some coaches do not take advice from the medical team. I know this. There is need more education in this field for our coaches and this one reason I keep advocating for the return of the NSC.

Advertisement

“The NIS today is like a “motherless” child. I doubt if it gets any attention at all. That sector is one of the four pillars of our sport development.”

Samuel Okwaraji slumped and died on the field in the 81st minute of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying duel with Angola.

Unknown that he had died while he was stretched out of the field, Okwaraji was later substituted by Ademola Adesina.

blank
Last Card! It was a twist of fate

Sadly, the match at the Lagos National Stadium was Okwaraji’s first at the arena and it was the last time he lived. He was the only Nigerian player that got cautioned that day by Togolese referee Hounnake-Koussai. 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

International Football

Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

blank

Published

on

blank
Mateus Mane in England's colour

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.

Advertisement

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

Continue Reading

International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

blank

Published

on

blank

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.

Advertisement

“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.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

blank

Published

on

blank

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 femaleacross 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.

Advertisement

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.

Continue Reading

Most Viewed