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Arsenal recorded a 6-0 win over RC Lens to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages in style.
The Gunners made a return to the competition for the first time in seven years and have advanced to second round with a game to spare after breezing past Lens at the Emirates Stadium.
Kai Havertz gave Arsenal the lead with a close range finish from Jesus’ pass in the 13th minute.
Saka set up Jesus for the second goal after a powerful run to leave Lens defenders at his wake.
Saka went from provider to score two minutes later to make it 3-0.
Martinelli added the fourth goal bottom corner finish from the left to continue the scoring spree.
Odegaard scored the fifth goal with a volley from a Tomiyasu’s pass to end the first half 5-0.
The Gunners became the first team to have five different scorers in the first half of a Champions League match.
Jorginho put the icing on the cake from the spot after Abduqodir Khusanov handled the ball in the 18-yard box to make it 6-0.
In the other Group B match, PSV defeated Sevilla 3-2.
Arsenal are on top of Group B with 12 points from five games, PSV are guaranteed a second-place finish with 8 points from four games with a game to spare.
•Sports Minister summons Portuguese coach
Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, told the Nigeria Football Federation Technical Committee not to teach him his job but rather pay him and his team their outstanding allowances, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Peseiro allegedly said this while reacting to the NFF Technical Committee Chairman, Shariff Ahlan’s comment in the wake of his future as Eagles coach, stating that the Eagles job is bigger than the Portuguese.
Ahlan told Peseiro in a meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in October that the Eagles had been struggling due to his poor technical abilities.
“You’re busy to pay me my allowances but not busy to tell me what I will do,” Peseiro replied Ahlan when he was told that he would defend his squad list for subsequent games.
Despite guiding Nigeria to qualification for the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, Peseiro’s uninspiring side trails Rwanda and South Africa in their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on the back of two 1-1 draws against Lesotho and Zimbabwe.
In 15 games in charge of the Eagles, Peseiro has won six and lost six with the three-time African champions scoring 31 times – with 10 coming in one game against Sao Tome and Principe – and conceded 21 goals.
“Henceforth, if I remain in the technical committee, if he submits a professional list he would come and justify the list in front of the committee explaining why he invited each player based on their statistics and club performance.
“From our side, we’ve said Peseiro can’t do the job, if you look at how he runs the affairs of the team it seems the Nigeria national team is bigger than him honestly.”
Meanwhile, Sports Minister, John Enoh, has summoned Peseiro over the poor performance of the Eagles in the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Enoh made this known during a media parley with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “I am happy to report that I had a meeting with the NFF president, secretary and the Technical Department of NFF regarding the Super Eagles.
“What we came out of that is that I’ve had to request that the coach (Peseiro) be summoned and I think at some point next week there’s going to be an engagement with him.
“All of that is trying to respond to the outcome of these matches, especially the World Cup qualifying games.
While reacting to the call from some football stakeholders that the Portuguese should be sacked over poor results, Enoh said that despite the emotions and passions of Nigerians over football, the decision to sack a coach is not taken due to emotions.
“As a minister, I am concerned that the Nigeria national team is not delivering, not meeting up with our expectations. The Africa Cup of Nations is so close that we need to be careful in what decisions we make but the next qualification rounds for the World Cup, the next match is in June, so it gives us more time to take decisions going forward.
“AFCON is going to start January 13, are we going to request to fire the coach (Peseiro), I mean the answer is as good as mine.
“I have found out that in this sector, there are passions and emotions. Where you are seated and where I am providing leadership, you don’t respond, you know you are not driven by passions and emotions.”
[Punch]
Napoli have reportedly reached a decision over an asking price for Victor Osimhen.
Since arriving in Naples in 2020, the forward has proceeded to enjoy a legendary stint.
He has scored 65 goals and contributed 16 assists from 112 appearances in all competitions.
A large chunk of those strikes came during Napoli’s Serie A title-winning campaign in 2022-23, ending a wait of more than three decades to lift the trophy.
However, with a different manager at the helm and already eight points adrift of leaders Inter Milan in the standings, there is a different mood at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona this season.
That includes the situation involving Osimhen who, while still making an impact, has faced constant speculation regarding his future and was on the receiving end of two offensive posts from the club’s social media team in recent times.
With just over 19 months remaining on his contract, a decision will soon need to be made regarding everyone’s next move, there seemingly being an impasse over any progression.
At a time when Osimhen is said to have little interest in a renewal, Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis is prepared to play hardball over a sale, insistent on making a profit on the €80m that they shelled out more than three years ago.
The likes of Chelsea and Arsenal – alleged admirers of the 24-year-old – have always been conscious that it would take in excess of that fee to sign Osimhen in January or next summer.
Nevertheless, according to Il Mattino, De Laurentiis is currently insisting on receiving €150m (£130.06m) for his star man.
How any of his suitors react to that stance remains to be seen with it having recently been alleged that Chelsea plan to make a move in January.
Co-owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are not in a position where they can afford that fee due to their FFP restrictions, unless they make a number of sales to offset that figure.
From Arsenal’s perspective, that stance would automatically rule them out, and it has already been suggested that they are priortising other positions at the start of 2024.
Despite De Laurentiis reportedly wanting to demand what would be one of the biggest fees in world transfer history, Napoli’s position will significantly weaken if they reach next summer without Osimhen penning a renewal.
[EagleOnline]
The 2023-2024 UEFA Champions League matchday five produced some stunning results which amplified why the UCL is the elite club football competition in the world.
In the matchday five games that went down on Tuesday night, November 28, virtually every match venue across Europe recorded nail-biting actions. But the most enthralling encounter took place at the Etihad Stadium between Manchester City and RB Leipzig.
During the game, RB Leipzig led the reigning UEFA Champions League winners 2-0 in the first 33 minutes and City had to wait until the 54th minute before they started fighting back courtesy of a goal from Erling Haaland. Phil Foden and Julián Álvarez helped City to complete the comeback as Pep Guardiola’s men won 3-2 to reaffirm their place in the next round and their first spot in Group G.
Another venue that almost produced a spectacular result was the Parc des Princes where Newcastle United enjoyed the lead from the 24th minute of the game courtsey of a strike from Alexander Isak.
It was not until the injury time of the second half that Paris Saint Germain scored the equalizer via a penalty taken by Kylian Mbappe in the 98th minute.
The draw dropped Newcastle to the third spot in Group F with 5 points in 5 games, two points below second-placed PSG and five points below first-placed Borussia Dortmund.
At San Siro, Nigeria’s winger, Samuel Chukwueze scored his first Champions League goal for AC Milan but that wasn’t enough to stop Borussia Dortmund from beating them 3-1 in front of their fans as they dropped to the bottom of Group F with five points in five games.
This means that the group is still open for Milan, Newcastle, and PSG as they are all left with just a game to push for qualification to the next round.
At the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, FC Barcelona gave themselves a very strong advantage heading to the last game of the Group stage with a 2-1 win over Porto.
The win left them at the top of Group H with 12 points in five games, three points above second-placed Porto and third-placed Shakhtar Donetsk. This means that a draw is enough for Barca to seal their place in the next round.
Below are all the results of the Champions League games played on Tuesday, November 28:
SS Lazio v Celtic (2-0)
Shakhtar Donetsk v Antwerp (1-0)
Feyenoord v Atlético Madrid (1-3)
Paris Saint-Germain v Newcastle United (1-1)
AC Milan v Borussia Dortmund (1-3)
Manchester City v RB Leipzig (3-2)
BSC Young Boys v Crvena Zvezda (2-0)
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FC Barcelona v FC Porto (2-1)
Nigerian former professional football striker and the former head coach of the Nigeria national team, Samson Siasia, has said that the Super Eagles cannot triumph in the forthcoming 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON), considering the results of their recent friendly matches.
In order to have a shot at competing for the title at the 2023 AFCON tournament, Siasia emphasizes the need for the players to enhance their performance.
Naija News reports that the recent matches against Lesotho and Zimbabwe have been far from impressive for the Super Eagles. The development has raised concerns among patriotic citizens as the Nigerian team hopes to secure a fourth title in Cote d’Ivoire.
As a former member of the Super Eagles squad that triumphed in the 1994 AFCON in Tunisia, Siasia firmly believes that both the players and the technical staff must step up their game if they wish to make a significant impact at the upcoming AFCON.
“Like the majority of Nigerians, I am worried about the Eagles’ lacklustre performances so far. Struggling against countries like Lesotho and Zimbabwe is not a good sign of a team ready to win the Africa Cup of Nations as well as qualify for the 2026 World Cup,” the former striker stated in an interview with Channels Television.
“Let us not deceive ourselves, we cannot be the best in Africa with this disorganised team. Our players must be made to understand what it means to wear the green and white jersey of the nation while the coach also needs to improve on the tactical approach,” Siasia added in his comment on Jose Peseiro’s team.
Naija News reports that the Super Eagles will open their campaign at the 2023 AFCON against Equatorial Guinea on January 14 at the Alhassan Quattara Stadium, Ebimpe.
They will face hosts Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau on January 18 and 22, respectively.
Super Falcons’ striker, Asisat Oshoala, Goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie, and Coach, Randy Waldrum, are among contenders in the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) final shortlist for the 2023 Awards.
Also in the shortlist are the duo of Esther Ajakaye and Deborah Abiodun, who are in contention for the Young Player of the Year award.
Oshoala will battle with Nnadozie, Zambia’s Barbara Babanda, and South Africa’s trio of Andile Dlamini, Hilda Magaia and Thembi Kgatlana for the Player of the Year Award.
Others in that category are Cameroon’s Ajara Njoya and Anissa Lahmari, Fatima Tagnaout, and Ghizalaine Chebbak, all of Morocco.
Nnadozie is also listed for the Goalkeeper of the Year Award, in which she would contend with the Moroccan duo of Imane Abdelahad and Khadija Er-Rmichi and South Africa’s Andile Dlamini and Kaylin Swart.
Ajakaye and Abiodun will face Ghana’s Comfort Yeboah, Morocco’s Nesryne El Chad and South Africa’s Thubelihle Shamase in the Young Player of the Year award.
Coach Waldrum, who took Nigeria to the second round of the New Zealand/Australia 2023 Women’s World Cup, is pitted against Mehdi El Qaichouri (SC Casablanca), Reynald Pedros (Morocco), Desiree Ellis (South Africa) and Jerry Tshabalala (Mamelodi Sundowns) for the Coach of the Year award.
Nigeria is listed in the National Team of the Year Award alongside Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, and Zambia.
CAF said in a statement that the winners of each category would be determined after the votes of a panel comprising members of its technical commission, media professionals from member associations, head coaches and captains of member associations, including clubs involved in the group stages of interclub competitions.
The awards ceremony will hold on December 11, 2023, at the Palais des Congres Movenpickin Morocco.
[Guardian]
SUPER Eagles striker Umar Sadiq produced a sensational strike to help Real Sociedad to victory in Spain, while his international teammate Terem Moffi also scored for Nice in France last night.
It took Sadiq his 14th appearance in all competitions to open his goals account this season but it was well worth the wait.
The 26-year-old Nigeria international picked the ball up in midfield and glided past two defenders before firing a rising shot from about 30 yards out that gave the Sevilla goalkeeper Marko Dmitrovic no chance.
The sensational strike was in the 22nd second minute and Real Sociedad’s second goal following Dmitrovic’s third minute own goal.
Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri pulled one back for Sevilla on the hour mark but Sociedad held on to claim a tight victory.
Sadiq, who was making only his fourth LaLiga start of 12 appearances this season, was taken off to huge applause in the 75th minute, 13 minutes before Sevilla veterans Sergio Ramos and Jesus Navas were both sent off.
With the victory, Real Sociedad moved up to fifth in the LaLiga table while Sevilla are 15th.
In France, Super Eagles striker Moffi scored the only goal of the encounter as Nice defeated Toulouse 1-0.
Moffi struck in the 54th minute to take his Ligue 1 tally to four goals and two assists in 13 matches this season as Nice moved to within one point of leaders Paris Saint-Germain.
Also in France, Nigeria winger Moses Simon played the full game as Nice were held to a 0-0 draw by Le Havre, while Super Eagles defender Kevin Akpoguma was brought on at the start of the second half in Hoffenheim’s 1-1 draw at home to Mainz in the German Bundesliga.
PHOTO: Umar Sadiq celebrating his goal.
[NaijaTImes]
Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes, has explained why he let Marcus Rashford take a penalty in their 3-0 victory over Everton on Sunday.
The England international forward hit a personal-best 30 goals for the Red Devils last season, but headed to Goodison Park in 2023-24 with just one effort to his name. He was able to double that tally from the spot on Merseyside, with club captain Fernandes stepping aside after a VAR review presented United with an opportunity to score their second goal of the game from 12 yards – following a spectacular overhead kick opener from Alejandro Garnacho.
Quizzed on why he passed the ball to Rashford, Fernandes – who is the Red Devils’ go-to option on penalty duty – told Sky Sports: “Because I felt that Marcus needed a bit of confidence, needed goals. Marcus is an excellent penalty-taker too. I’m 100 per cent sure that he could score the penalty. It’s not about who takes it, it’s about scoring the penalty and Marcus did it perfectly.”
Rashford has faced plenty of uncomfortable questions this season, on the back of signing a lucrative new contract at Old Trafford, but Fernandes says none of the 26-year-old’s team-mates have ever doubted his quality. He said when asked if Rashford’s confidence has dipped: “Obviously strikers, wingers, they want to score goals, they need to score goals, that’s part of their game and it gives you a boost. After the penalty, Marcus was unstoppable – he could take on everyone. I think sometimes you need this chance, this opportunity to get confidence back. But Marcus has been great for us. Obviously last season he was amazing, so everyone’s expectations for this season were higher. It’s just about getting his goals back and everyone will stay say that he is world-class again.”
United boss Erik ten Hag added to BBC Match of the Day when asked how much Rashford needed his goal: “A lot. You see also how great captain Bruno is. He assessed his team-mate needed that goal. He has the confidence in Rashy, who is a good penalty taker. As a team you need that leadership that you back each other. We have to go step by step. This is one step.”
[Leadership]
‘You’ll be killed if you come to Cameroon’ – Ambazonian fighters warn Okocha, Amokachi against Eto’o’s invitation
AdminNigeria’s football stars invited by the President of Cameroonian Football Association, Samuel Eto’o for a ceremonial tournament holding in Victoria City, Cameroon, on Thursday 30 November 2023 will be killed if they honour the invitation, a separatist group has warned.
The warning was issued in a voice message sent to DAILY POST’s correspondent by one Comrade Chris Anon who claimed to be head of the Ambazonia Interim Government based in the United States of America.
Eto’o invited international football stars including those in Nigeria to the tournament to promote relationships and football development in Cameroon.
The Restoration Fighters of the Ambazonia Interim Government, who are agitating for the independence of Southwest Cameroon, warned Nigeria’s former national football skipper, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi and other ex-Super Eagles stars not to honour Eto’o’s invitation.
They emphasized that their security will not be guaranteed if they ignore the warning.
Anon described the tournament as a mockery of the Ambazonian people.
The separatist group has ordered a total lockdown on Victoria City and entire Fago County on the said Thursday 30 November 2023.
The group warned residents to stay indoors, stressing that violation of the order would be met with death.
Parts of the voice message stated, “The Restoration Fighters of Ambazonia Control Victoria and entire county and are committed to ensuring the lockdown. Our determination to safeguarding the integrity of Ambazonia independence struggle will not be deterred. We show no mercy for any persons who attempt to disregard the lockdown.
“It is essential to emphasise the severity of the situation and to caution against actions that could be misconstrued as aligning with any forms of propaganda.
“The football match proposed by Samuel Eto’o is very controversial; it is a misguided and insensitive initiative.
“That decision to involve international players from Nigeria is deeply troubling.
“The timing and location of the tournament give rise to suspicions.
“We seriously and strongly caution Jay Jay Okocha, Daniel Amokachi and others who are promoting and preparing to participate in the tournament to reconsider their involvement as their participation may unintentionally result in bloodshed.
“We cannot help but question Samuel Eto’o’s decision to organize this tournament in Victoria, an Ambazonia territory that has been marred by war for over seven years, for which 30,000 Ambazonians have been killed.
“It raises legitimate concerns about potential exploitation of the situation for purposes that are not in the best interests of Victoria and Ambazonia in general.”
[DailyPost]
Terry Venables was saluted as an “innovative” and “charming” manager after the charismatic former England, Tottenham and Barcelona boss died aged 80 on Sunday.
Venables guided England to the Euro 96 semi-finals, led Barcelona to the 1986 European Cup final and won the 1991 FA Cup with Tottenham during a managerial career that made him one of English football’s most admired coaches.
“We are totally devastated by the loss of a wonderful husband and father who passed away peacefully yesterday after a long illness,” Venables’ family said in a statement.
“We would ask that privacy be given at this incredibly sad time to allow us to mourn the loss of this lovely man who we were so lucky to have had in our lives.”
Venables’ vibrant personality and love of attacking football established him as a firm favourite with players and fans alike.
Gary Lineker, signed by Venables for Barcelona in 1986 and then Tottenham in 1989, encapsulated the feelings of the football world as he paid a heartfelt tribute to his trail-blazing former manager.
“Devastated to hear that Terry Venables has died. The best, most innovative coach that I had the privilege and pleasure of playing for,” he wrote on social media.
“He was much more, though, than just a great manager, he was vibrant, he was charming, he was witty, he was a friend.
“He’ll be hugely missed. RIP Terry.”
Tottenham paid tribute to Venables’ by holding a minute’s applause ahead of their Premier League fixture with Aston Villa on Sunday.
Both teams wore black armbands, while an image of Venables was displayed on two big screens in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Venables masterminded England’s run to the last four of Euro 96 on home soil at Wembley, with the highlights including a stunning 4-1 rout of the Netherlands and a memorable 2-0 victory over Scotland.
They fell agonisingly short in the semi-finals, losing on penalties to eventual winners Germany, bringing an end to his reign after two years.
England’s current boss Gareth Southgate, who infamously missed a crucial penalty in that shoot-out against Germany, praised Venables’ empathy, as well as his tactical acumen.
A brilliant man
“Tactically excellent, he had a wonderful manner, capable of handling everyone from the youngest player to the biggest star,” he said.
“He was open-minded, forward-thinking, enjoyed life to the full and created a brilliant environment with England that allowed his players to flourish and have one of the most memorable tournaments in England history.
“A brilliant man, who made people feel special, I’m very sad to hear of his passing and my thoughts are with Yvette and all of his family.”
Nicknamed ‘El Tel’, Venables led Barca to the La Liga title in 1985, their first since 1974, and the following season’s European Cup final, where they lost to Steaua Bucharest on penalties.
He was sacked by Barca in 1987 and moved to Tottenham, enjoying success with a side that included Paul Gascoigne and lifted the FA Cup in 1991.
Venables endured an acrimonious end to his spell as manager of the north Londoners after falling out with then owner Alan Sugar.
He won two England caps and made more than 500 club appearances between 1960 and 1975, largely for Chelsea, QPR and Tottenham, where he won the FA Cup in 1967.
Venables also had spells in charge of QPR — taking them to the 1982 FA Cup final — and Crystal Palace, who were labelled the ‘Team of the 80s’ after being promoted with a dashing young side, and the Australian national team.
Hailing Venables’ impact, Tottenham’s current manager Ange Postecoglou said: “If you are asking about a person who embodies everything this football club has always wanted to be, it is Terry.
“It wasn’t just about the way he managed or coached, it was the person he was.
“The biggest testament is that anyone who I have ever come across that has worked with him will say he is by far the best coach, manager and tactician they have come across.”
[Vanguard]
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Nigerians have been doing well in all sporting activities in recent times, including boxing, with Anthony Joshua emerging as one of the richest boxers in the world according to their net worth.
In January 2022, we saw a record-breaking purse bid of £31 million from Frank Warren’s Queensbury Promotions to stage Tyson Fury vs Dillian Whyte.
In boxing, the roar of the crowds and the knockout punches often translate into multi-million dollar paychecks, propelling fighters into the upper echelons of wealth.
A report done by PUNCH Sports Extra shows Joshua and others as the top ten richest boxers in the world and here is the full list:
1. Canelo Alvarez
Mexico’s Canelo Alvarez, the wealthiest active boxer worldwide, boasts an astronomical net worth of $180m.
Alvarez, 33 years old, has won multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight, including unified titles in three of those weight classes and lineal titles in two.
2. Anthony Joshua
34 years old Joshua’s meteoric ascent to the upper echelons of financial prowess parallels his ferocity within the squared circle. Renowned for his explosive punches and an impressive record of 26 victories in 29 bouts, with a staggering 23 of those triumphs ending by knockout, the Watford-born pugilist has showcased his dominance against renowned adversaries like Wladimir Klitschko, Dillian White and Charles Martin.
3. Tyson Fury
The British heavyweight maestro, Tyson Fury, 35, stands tall in third place with a net worth of $65m. With 33 victories in 34 bouts, including 24 knockouts, Fury’s showdowns against Wilder and Derek Chisora have added luster to his illustrious career.
4. Oleksandr Usyk
Ukrainian sensation, Oleksandr Usyk, 36, has accumulated a net worth of $50m and is fourth in the list. Renowned for his speed and ring craft, Usyk has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the unified heavyweight titles in 2021, and the Ring magazine title since 2022.
5. Deontay Wilder
Coming up in fifth place on the list is Alabama-born Deontay Wilder, 36, commanding a net worth of $30m. Wilder has fought against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Tyson Fury and Luis Ortiz. He has won 42 of his 45 fights, with 41 of those wins coming by knockout.
Wilder is known for his powerful right hand which has earned the former WBC heavyweight champion a reputation as a knockout specialist.
6. Gennady Golovkin
Golovkin from Kazakhstan in sixth place with a net worth of $30m, Sonny Bill Williams in seventh with a net worth of $25m, and former world champion Andy Ruiz Jr. in 8th place worth $10m.
7. Sonny Williams
Williams is in seventh with a net worth of $25m.
8. Andy Ruiz Jr.
Former world champion Ruiz is in 8th place and is worth $10m. Ruiz famously shocked Joshua in 2019 by stripping him of the world titles with a technical knockout at the Madison Square Garden.
9. Sergio Martinez
Argentine pugilist Martinez, aged 48 and the oldest on the list, holds a net worth of $10m in joint eighth position with Ruiz. Martinez has held multiple world championships in two weight classes, including the unified middleweight titles from 2010 to 2014.
10. Ryan Garcia
25-year-old Garcia is the youngest boxer on this list and worth $10m. Garcia has fought against some of the biggest names in boxing, including Luke Campbell and Francisco Fonseca. He has won 22 of his 23 professional fights, with 18 of those wins coming by knockout.
[Punch]
After an eventful 1-1 draw against Manchester City, Liverpool will cough up £8.5m to Benfica for striker Darwin Nunez who made his 60th appearance for the club.
The Uruguayan striker joined Klopp’s side for a transfer worth £85m, of which £64m was fixed and £21m in add-ons, of which £8.5m had to be paid when the striker played 60 games for his new club.
The former Almeria striker has scored 22 goals and provided 10 assists in 60 official appearances for Liverpoool, 36 of them starts.
It’s been a strong start for the former Benfica man this season, having registered 12 goals and seven assists in 16 starts for club and country so far.
Liverpool managed to snatch a point from Manchester City in a thrilling Premier League match after Alexander-Arnold’s late goal cancelled out Erling Haaland’s record-breaking opener
Napoli manager, Walter Mazzarri hopes Victor Osimhen returns to his best as soon as possible after the Nigerian inspired a 2-1 away win at Atalanta on Saturday night.
Osimhen stepped up from the bench to teed up Elf Elmas for the winning goal at the Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo.
It was the striker’s first goal for the Serie A champions since he sustained a hamstring injury on international duty last month.
Mazzarri, who took charge of the Serie A champions last week has kind words for the talismanic striker.
“I didn’t need to be the Napoli coach to know that Osimhen is an excellent striker, I had watched him play!
“Fortunately he is back, I hope he gets his form back as soon as possible,” he said.
The 24-year-old has scored six goals in nine appearances for Napoli this season.
[DailyPost]
A friend, a foremost sports journalist, called me up last week from Abuja to inform me that he was racing to the office of the Minister of Sports to inform him of his decision to lead a national campaign to sack Jose Paseiro, the Portuguese coach of the Super Eagles. He wanted my urgent opinion.
Of course, I do not take decisions in a hurry, nor in a panic mode. I also do not swim with the tide of opinion based on emotional or sentimental outbursts, or be part of a mob action baying for the blood of a foreign or local coach, when everything around is skewed against any form of success.
I politely told him I had no opinion yet on the matter and would make it public when I do. That’s what I am doing now.
A new star is born!
I have traversed a similar path in the past, and got burnt by the power of narrower interests and personalities that have run and ruined Nigerian football for many years.
The core of the matter is that the Super Eagles are not winning their matches. Even easy ones. As far as the people are concerned, these last two drawn matches are ‘failures’ and someone must pay for them.
That person is Jose Paseiro. I won’t completely fall for such sentiments now. The Super Eagles should win AFCON 2023. They should also qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Let’s look at some of the issues that can truncate these goals.
Domestic Nigerian football.
There is no depth to the country’s domestic football. They were neglected for too long by successive football federation boards. The boards concentrated on the more personally ‘lucrative’ Super Eagles. They feasted on the fruits without properly feeding the roots. The tree eventually and inevitably weakened and withered, having been deprived of nutrients essential for development of players for a career in the domestic leagues – good nurseries, organisation, integrity, infrastructure, capacity building programs, adequate funding, great welfare packages, and so on. The only available ingredient has been the endless sea of young uncut diamonds in Nigerian players. Ironically, these players are doing everything to flee the country for greener pastures and better opportunities in other parts of the world, and not to strengthen the domestic leagues.
This uncontrolled migration has made nonsense of any attempt to build a serious national team of local players. The failure of the big clubs in the country to win any continental laurels confirms this. That is why all the recent foreign coaches employed don’t take the route of the domestic leagues to seek players for the national teams. The calibre of players is just not there.
So, Paseiro, like the others before him, concentrates on observing Nigerian players in the various leagues in Europe. He assembles the best of them that he finds to form the country’s Super Eagles. He also only has two days before most matches to work with the players before matches, making it impossible to build a team with any level of organised play, pattern and understanding. You do not build solid teams that way. They must have some time to train together, understand each other, be infused with a planned style and philosophy, and made to play several matches. That’s the only way a good team can emerge.
Under the present circumstances, the Super Eagles do not have such luxury. Coaches have been on this impossible mission for well over a decade.
AFCON and the World Cup are the only championships that provide a little time for the team to train together, to play some friendlies, to become a unit. The team uses the earlier group matches of the championship to get better.
That’s what happened during the transition between Gernot Rohr and Austin Eguavoen. A good team started to evolve during the group matches of AFCON 2021, only for the process to be disrupted by a difficult match and a costly error that saw the Eagles exit rather uncharacteristically ‘prematurely’. The baby and the bath water were thereafter thrown into the gully of history. The result is to begin-again.
That’s how Jose Paseiro came in to inherit an impossible and unchangeable situation. For as long as the present system is not changed, no coach in the world can change the fortunes of the Super Eagles. The best he can do is what Gernot Rohr and, now, Jose Paseiro have been doing – not wasting time on the local players from the domestic league (they are not good enough for the national team without additional exposure and training in Europe), scanning Europe for players of Nigerian descent, assembling the best of them for the short periods of time before matches that can NEVER make them a good team with organizational depth, and then going on their knees to pray for undeserved victories. They win some and lose most!
So, Nigerians are disappointed and angry, and bay for the blood of successive coaches.
Yet, deep down, the issues have roots in other issues. A proper study by proper experts is necessary.
Arm-chair critics masquerading as experts whose noise-making rises above the din of common sense and more careful interrogations blur proper and more meaningful conversations.
Meanwhile, the present Super Eagles are not strong in two major areas of the field – the mid-field and goalkeeping.
There is little that can be done about the team’s strength without the influence of a few players with exceptional skills and ability in certain areas of the team. Presently, there is a dearth of creative and attacking midfield players who can hold and distribute the balls well.
Goalkeeping has become a problem only because Paseiro refuses to see the difference between an efficient goalkeeper and one whose only qualification is his physical frame.
The last goal conceded against Zimbabwe, scored directly from a free kick 30 metres from his goal clearly exposed Uzoho’s weakness. It is an elementary goalkeeping error.
Finally, Nigeria should not panic and take decisions that will not impact anything, will not change the Super Eagles and will not provide guaranteed outcomes.
This is the time to be cool, calm and calculated.
Nigeria is blessed with a lot of good players presently. With a little bit of luck, more patience and the time shortly before AFCON 2023 used properly to build a stronger team, plus the return of one of the deadliest strikers on the planet, Victor Osimhen, in the team, Nigeria shall improve steadily into AFCON 2023.
In January, the team will use the group matches of the championship to get better, and possibly go on to win AFCON 2023. They will then gain the essential confidence to play more consistently and (at the end of AFCON) establish a stronger team that shall be able to go into the World Cup qualifying matches with more strength and purpose, and qualify for the World Cup as true champions of African football.