NIGERIA’s Super Eagles B have been drawn in Group D alongside Senegal, Congo, and Sudan for the 2025 African Nations Championship to be held in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda come August. The CHAN tourney which features 19 teams, with 17 already confirmed will see Nigeria try to emerge champions for the first time since its inception in 2009. The two final spots will be decided in a special qualifying round, the date of which is yet to be announced. The draw which was announced on Wednesday also sees the likes of the defending champions Senegal aiming to make it back-to-back…
Author: Peter Noah KC
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AS the Super Eagles begin a new era under Franco-Malian tactician Eric Chelle, a wealth of untapped talent of Nigerian descent continues to emerge across Europe’s top leagues, presenting potential options for the national team’s future. The story of Nigeria losing talented players of Nigerian descent to other countries has become all too familiar. From Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka choosing England over Nigeria to Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala opting for Germany despite his Nigerian roots, the list of ‘what could have been’ continues to grow. Other notable names include Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi, Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji, and Real Madrid’s David…
DESPITE the postponement of the 2024 African Nations Championship, the Confederation of African Football will go ahead with the draw of the tournament on Wednesday (today) as Nigeria’s home-based Eagles and 18 other countries know their opponents, The PUNCH reports. The Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya will host the draw for the championship which will now be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda in August 2024. The tournament was originally supposed to be held in 2024 but was moved to February 1-28, 2025 to allow the three hosts to prepare adequately in terms of facility. However, Africa’s football…
NEW Nigeria coach Eric Chelle promised on Monday that his team will score goals to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after the Super Eagles failed to reach the last edition of the tournament and started slowly in qualification this time around. The 47-year-old has signed a two-year contract that is based on qualifying the country for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Chelle promised at his official unveiling in Abuja that his team will play attacking football to reach next year’s World Cup. “I have always had a love for scoring goals. My teams are…
THE Nigeria Football Federation is set to officially unveil Mr Éric Sékou Chelle as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles on Monday (Today). The event will take place at the Media Conference Room of the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, at 11am. This was announced in a statement posted on the NFF website on Sunday. Chelle’s appointment was confirmed last Tuesday by the NFF Executive Committee, following a recommendation from its Technical and Development Committee. The 47-year-old Franco-Malian is stepping into one of the most scrutinised roles in world football, but NFF President, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau, expressed confidence…
IN a bid to improve the fortunes of Nigerian football and sports at all levels, the federal government has earmarked over N31.4 billion for the renovation and upgrade of critical sports facilities across the country. This initiative, under the National Sports Infrastructure Development Plan, is part of a broader strategy to rejuvenate the country’s sports sector, elevate athletic performance and restore Nigeria’s capacity to host international sporting events. At the heart of this ambitious project lies the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, alongside other iconic sports facilities, such as the National Stadium in Surulere in Lagos, Ahmadu Bello Stadium,…
THE National Sports Commission has redeployed 57 Secretaries-General and Sports officers to various National Sports Federations, strategically repositioning the sports sector. The Director, of the Federation of Elite Athletes of the NSC, Olumide Bamiduro, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja, stated that the 57 Secretaries-General and five officers had already been reassigned. He stated that the decision aligned with the vision of the NSC Chairman, Shehu Dikko, and the NSC Director-General, Bukola Olopade, which was aimed at revitalising the sector. “The mandate is clear. We are to undertake these changes to achieve the results and position…
DRAMA as new Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle expected to terminate his two-year contract with Algerian club MC Oran ahead of his anticipated move to Nigeria but the club won’t decide his fate yet, even while he is expected in Nigeria to formalise his contract. Chelle was announced as the new Super Eagles handler by the Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday, becoming the third man to be named for the role since the exit of Jose Peseiro in March 2024. According to reports, the 47-year-old is expected in Nigeria anytime soon for his unveiling but he will still be in…
FORMER Nigeria internationals and stakeholders have expressed divergent views over the appointment of Eric Chelle as Super Eagles coach, with some questioning the choice of the Malian tactician while others believe he deserves a chance. Azubuike Egwuekwe, 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, expressed disappointment over the Nigeria Football Federation’s decision to overlook indigenous coaches for the role. “When I saw his appointment, I was not really happy because I wanted us to turn to our own. Eguavoen has been doing well in the national team, it was just a matter of giving him the chance,” Egwuekwe told our correspondent.…
SUPER Eagles B stand-in coach Daniel Ogunmodede insists Remo Stars duo Sadiq Ismail and Jide Fatokun are both in line to feature for the country at the 2024 African Nations Championship, despite rumours of moves abroad surrounding both players. The 2025 CHAN will be played from February 1 to 28 in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda and the Super Eagles B have opened their training camp in Ikenne on Monday. Ismail has been linked with a move to Albanian side Fk Partizani while midfielder Fatokun is said to be joining Sudanese giants Al-Merrikh SC. While Ismail has flown to Albania for…
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of Éric Sékou Chelle as substantive Head Coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles. This was reached at its ”meeting held in Abuja on Thursday, 2nd January 2025, the NFF Technical and Development Sub-Committee had recommended the appointment of the former Coach of the senior men national team of Mali as the new Head Coach of the Super Eagles.” ”This recommendation was on Tuesday, 7th January endorsed by the NFF Executive Committee,” the federation’s website revealed. His appointment is with immediate effect, and he has the responsibility of guiding the Super Eagles to…
JOSEPH Atule scored twice as Nigerian club Enyimba finally clicked in the CAF Confederation Cup by hammering Mozambican visitors Black Bulls 4-1 on Sunday. The two-time African champions remain bottom of Group D despite the victory, but they are only one point behind second-placed Al Masry of Egypt with two matchdays remaining. Clubs finishing first and second in the four groups qualify for the knockout stage and Enyimba are hoping to become the first winners from Nigeria. Enyimba host Masry in southeastern city Uyo next Sunday, seeking to atone for a 2-0 loss in north Africa last November. A string…
STAND-IN Head Coach, Daniel Ogunmodede has called up captain Nduka Harrison Junior, goalkeeper Henry Ozoemena, defenders Sadiq Ismail and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, midfielder Saviour Isaac, and forward Sikiru Alimi among a list of 26 players to begin closed-camping exercise at the Remo Stars Sports Institute, Ikenne-Remo on Monday (Today) ahead of the 8th African Nations Championship finals. Goalkeeper Kayode Bankole, defenders Imo Obot and Stephen Manyo, midfielders Musa Zayyad, Rabiu Ali and Papa Daniel Mustapha, and forwards Adamu Abubakar and Emmanuel Ogbole have also been invited. The Super Eagles B, for the first time in the qualification series, bumped Ghana’s Black…
A FORMER president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick says the Super Eagles will get a substantive head coach “any moment from now”. Pinnick, a FIFA Council member, gave the hint on Friday. “Any moment from now, I am sure they would be announcing a coach, an enterprising coach at that,” he said during an interview on Channels Television’s Sports Tonight monitored by our correspondent. The Super Eagles have been without a coach since the departure of George Finidi in June 2024 after Jose Peseiro left the coach following the three-time African champions second-place finish at the Africa…
A FORMER president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick is confident of the Super Eagles’ chances of reaching the 2026 World Cup even though he admits it would be a “tough” road for the 2013 African champions. The Super Eagles who missed out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar are fifth in Group C of the qualification race to the competition, four points behind leaders Rwanda after four rounds of matches. Despite this, Pinnick a member of the FIFA Executive Committee is optimistic of Nigeria’s chances of making it to the USA, Mexico, and Canada next year.…
SOME elders in Rivers State, under the aegis of Concerned Elders of Rivers State have called for an unreserved apology from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike following his recent derogatory remarks against former Governor Peter Odili, a respected elder statesman and founder of PAMO University of Medical Sciences. The demand was issued in a strongly worded statement signed by prominent leaders of the state, including former Governor Celestine Omehia, Prince Uche Secondus, former Deputy Governor of the state, Tele Ikuru, former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Austin Opara, Senator Ngoji Denton West, former Minister of…
NEW Enyimba striker and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner, Brown Ideye, remains confident that the nine-time Nigerian champions still have their destiny in their hands despite their recent struggles in all competitions, PUNCH Sports Extra reports. The People’s Elephants are currently ninth in the Nigeria Premier Football League with 24 points, although with three games at hand and are on the brink of elimination in the CAF Confederation Cup, having secured just one draw in their first three group matches. The 36-year-old has just joined the club until the end of the 2024/25 season, making his return to the…
SUPER Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has lost his mother, months after the Chippa United safe hands announced the death of his father. Nwabali shared the sad news of his mother’s death on X Wednesday evening. “Rip mom,” he wrote, describing it as the “worst year of my life already “. Before that, Nwabali had posted, “A very very crazy world indeed”. The goalkeeper, did not, however, give details of how the mother died. He lost his father just over a month ago. This happened a few hours before the Super Eagles match against Rwanda in a 2025 Africa Cup of…
INTERIM Super Eagles B coach, Daniel Ogunmodede, said he was open to having more Nigeria Premier Football League stars compete for spots in the home-based squad for next year’s African Nations Championship, The PUNCH reports. The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from February 1 to 28, 2025. Ogunmodede and his Rangers International coach counterpart Fidelis Ilechukwu secured Nigeria’s qualification to the tournament for the first time in six years after beating Ghana 3-1 on aggregate in their final qualifying game. Nigeria and Ghana played a goalless draw in Accra during the first and finished the job…
NINE-TIME Nigerian champions, Enyimba, have announce the signing of 2013 AFCON winner, Brown Ideye, until the end of the current season. The Aba giants confirmed the new addition in a statement it posted on its X handle on Monday. “We are delighted to officially announce the addition of former Super Eagles Striker, Brown Ideye to our fold. “We are expectant of the experience & professionalism he will add to our game/quest in our remaining games, this season especially under the New Gaffer,” the statement read. Since leaving Kuwaiti side Al Yarmouk in 2022, the 36-year-old has been without a club…