You must fear no foe, Maigari tells Eagles

President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has told players of the Super Eagles Team B to fear no foe and believe in themselves as they confront their Ivorian counterparts in Abidjan on Saturday afternoon.

The Eagles landed in Abidjan on Thursday morning, with a handy 4-1 lead from the first leg, and Maigari immediately charged the boys to go and conquer, and forget whatever antics the Ivorians have up their sleeves.

[caption id="attachment_377957" align="alignnone" width="412"] Maigari and Keshi[/caption]

“You should be pre-occupied with your own strategies and tactics to conquer, and not bother your heads about what pranks the opponents would play.

“It is also important to approach the match as if you have no advantage from the first leg here in Nigeria. If you start thinking that you have a handsome credit, that would be a poor approach and the

Ivorians will gain strength from that.

“The NFF believes in you and this is why we have given Coach Stephen Keshi all the support in his rebuilding plan, which has involved giving the home boys equal opportunities in the main team, alongside the overseas-based professionals.”

Maigari insisted that a professional approach to the game would be key to delivering the ticket that would see Nigeria playing in the African Nations Championship for the first time.

“Go in there with the mentality of a winning team and you would get the ticket. Nigerians are looking forward to your coming back with the ticket that will set the tone for another triumph for our country in South Africa early next year,” said the NFF President.

Saturday’s clash at the fabled Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny in the heart of Cote d’Ivoire’s commercial and economic capital will start at 3.30pm Ivorian team (4.30pm Nigeria time).

History, as President Jonathan opens NFF Headquarters

A new chapter is crafted in Nigeria football history as President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) will on Thursday inaugurate the brand-new Football House, headquarters of the Nigeria Football Federation.

The ceremony at the gorgeous facility inside the Package B of the National Stadium, Abuja will mark the first time that the Nigeria Football Federation, founded in 1945 as Nigeria Football Association, will be having a permanent home.

[caption id="attachment_338267" align="alignleft" width="175"] President Goodluck Jonathan[/caption]

The football-governing body had operated from various structures both in Lagos and Abuja over the decades, but never before now a permanent home of its own.

Football-loving President Jonathan will be joined at the epoch occasion by Honourable Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and a number of other cabinet ministers, with NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and some of his Executive Committee members and management to receive  them.

Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi performed the sod-turning ceremony for the Football House on February 21, 2012, and the supervising architects have boldly proclaimed that the project has been successfully completed without any variation in specification or budget.

The 27-room facility also boasts a penthouse which is to serve as the NFF President’s Office, as well as several meeting rooms. It sits majestically beside the FIFA Technical Centre and the FIFA Football Turf.

NFF President Aminu Maigari said on Tuesday: “We are looking forward very much to receiving His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GCFR) at the inauguration of the NFF Headquarters.

This epoch-making event once again underscores our President’s keen love for, and interest in football and the Nigeria youth, which he has always demonstrated.

”The NFF and the entire Nigeria football is grateful to His Excellency for approving the project, and we also commend the Honourable Minister of Sports for his tremendous support to ensure the completion of the project.”

Fantasy Football Scores: Jail ‘em now before it spreads like cancer - Chukwu

By Tony Ubani
It’s not every day that two football matches produce a cricket-like score of 146 goals.

As Nigeria Football Federation continues its investigation to unravel the culprits behind the 79 – 0 and 76 – 0 scorelines respectively recorded by  Plateau United Feeders and Police Machine FC, former Green Eagles Captain and later coach of the Super Eagles, Chairman Christian Chukwu has asked the soccer-ruling body to prosecute the offenders before they spill into the Nigerian Premier League.

[caption id="attachment_154233" align="alignright" width="300"] League action[/caption]

“I”ve never seen or heard of such outrageous scorelines in my life. It is unheard of and unimaginable that such things we hear or see on foreign news is happening before us.

The NFF should act fast to prosecute the offenders and send out warning signals to their likes. If not, negative things  that will bring our football to disrepute will spread like cancer”, Chukwu who captained Rangers  to the Cup Winners Cup  triumph in 1977 said.

“They should save this beautiful game for us. Bad people and politicians are infiltrating it. It is only when bad people enter into football system that you begin to hear of such mind-boggling scorelines”, Chukwu bemoaned.

The scores were the highest  in African football since Madagascar’s AS Adema won 149 -0 in a 2002 match where losing side, State Olympique Emyme scored numerous own goals in protest at a refereeing decision.

‘’We’ve reported the matter to Police as it is a criminal matter”, Chairman of the NFF Media and Publicity Committee, Chief Emeka Inyama told Sports Vanguard.

“They should follow it up. This is Nigeria. Before you know it, this case will be over without any punitive measure to the offenders”. Chukwu said.

Nigeria has been on the front burner of the world’s media since the goals glut as all attention waits on the NFF to come out with a decision on the perpetrators of this scandalous football scores.

146 goal scandal: It’s a terrorist attack on Nigerian football - Pa Ojidoh

Veteran football administrator, Pa John Ojidoh has described the 146 goal scandal as a terrorist attack on Nigerian football and called on relevant football authorities in the country to descend heavily on the culprits without further delay.

In a message to Sports Vanguard, the former defunct Bendel State FA Chairman called on the Nigeria Football Association to hand bans to the players and referees involved in both matches.

“Ban the referee and assistants for life, hand club officials to the State Security Service and court martial the police officers in charge of Police Machine FC,” Ojidoh said.

Continuing, the former referee said, “This is a terrorist attack on the image of association football.”

Imoke rescues cash-strapped NFF again

BY JACOB AJOM
Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State has again come to the rescue of cash-strapped Nigeria Football Federation as his government has agreed to foot the bills for the camping of the national U-17 football team, the Golden Eaglets ahead of the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup. As a result the Eaglets are expected to resume camping in Calabar immediately.

[caption id="attachment_78455" align="alignright" width="288"] Gov Imoke of Cross River[/caption]

An NFF delegation led by the first Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh met with Governor Imoke and the state Commissioner of Sports, Patrick Ugbe in Calabar on Thursday. At the meeting the governor consented to the idea of having the Eaglets camp in Calabar at the state government’s expense.

Confirming the development, Chief Umeh said, “I led a delegation to Calabar to congratulate the Governor on his birthday and to also decorate him with his silver medal which the Eaglets won in Morocco.

“We also asked the Governor for assistance in the camping of the Eaglets ahead of the U-17 World Cup which he graciously agreed and called for the immediate resumption of the boys called to camp.”

An evidently happy Umeh said, “the Governor said he has adopted the Eaglets as sons of Cross River State. The boys will move to camp immediately.”

O-U-T-R-A-G-E-O-U-S!: Soccer team wins 79 – 0, Another 67 – 0

By Tony Ubani
The Nigeria Football Federation was left red-eyed and livid with rage after two matches in amateur league games produced what ordinarily should have shattered the Guinness Book of World Records with 146 goals.

Plateau United Feeders produced a  mind-boggling  79-0 victory over Akurba FC while Police Machine FC demolished Babayaro FC 67-0. All teams were involved in promotion play-offs in which the winners would qualify to play in Nigeria Nationwide League Division 3.

The matches were going on simultaneously and Plateau and Police Machine were in contention for promotion.

The two winners were apparently monitoring their scores and kept recording the goals to outdo each other. The Nigeria Football Federation, alarmed by the scandal,  reacted swiftly by placing the four teams on indefinte suspension and dismissed the results as laughable.

[caption id="attachment_403029" align="alignnone" width="412"] DO OR DIE AFFAIR: A typical scene from the Nigerian league.[/caption]

“It is unacceptable. This is a scandal of huge proportions. The four teams involved are suspended immediately and indefinitely, pending further sanctions. We will investigate this matter thoroughly and get to the bottom of it,” Chief Mike Umeh who is the first Vice President of NFF said.

The highest number of goals scored in a single game by one team is also the largest margin of defeat by any team and it was the Game between Arbroath and Bon Accord in 1885 where the score was 36-0 . The goals glut if allowed by NFF, definitely, would have shot the teams into the history books.

Group Sports Editor, Onochie Anibeze was alarmed yesterday and asked repeatedly if the goals were scored with legs or hands. He said that match fixing was a criminal offence and that those involved should be investigated and prosecuted.

Also stunned by the massive scorelines, NFF’s Director of Competitions, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi assured that the Organising Committee would punish all persons and institutions indicted by the investigation.

“For now, all the match officials are suspended. The teams involved, their players and officials, coordinator and anyone found to have played some role in this despicable matter would be severely dealt with,” Sanusi angrily said.