FIFA rankings: Nigeria move up

Nigeria moved one place up from 34 to 33 in the latest FIFA rankings released on Wednesday for the month of November.

The new rankings place the country in fourth place in Africa while African champions Egypt, who did not qualify for the 2010 World Cup, climbed from 11th to 10th position to remain as Africa‘s best football nation.

World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana maintained their 17th spot to remain second ahead of Cote d‘Ivoire who are ranked 19th in the world and third on the continent. Algeria in 34th position are Africa‘s fifth best team.

World champions, Spain still leads the overall standing followed by the Netherlands and Brazil in third position.

Germany, which placed third at the World Cup are fourth while Argentina (fifth), England (sixth), Uruguay (seventh) Portugal (eighth) and Croatia (ninth) fill up the top 10 positions in the rankings.

FIFA says 34 new ‘A‘ international matches were factored into the current edition of the world ranking, bringing the total number of matches taken into account this year to 673.
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Falcons coach targets African record

Falcons of Nigeria coach , Eucheria Uche did not play in the women world cup, despite being a  pioneer of women football in Nigeria.

However, she is aiming to be the first African woman to win the African Women Championship as a player and a coach. And also the first African woman to lead a team to the FIFA Women World Cup.
After making a bright start with Mali on Monday and then consolidating with South Africa yesterday, Uche is hoping to win the trophy and make a statement for woman coaches in Nigeria.
“I’m hoping to win this trophy to become the first African woman to achieve it as a player and a coach.
“We have a good team and they have been so outstanding so far in the tournament.
“We did not play well at the 2008 CAN. We have renewed our team and we have worked hard with younger players. In this team, there are only four players that took part in the last CAN. Our girls are ready to confront any team in this competition,” said Uche Nigeria’s last group match will be against Tanzania on Sunday.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/falcons-coach-targets-african-record/ Read more...

Why we picked Siasia , Chukwu

Samson Siasia has finally emerged as the new coach of Nigeria as the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation okayed his application for the job after a celebrated interview.
A member of the technical committee and former coach of the national team, Christian Chukwu told Sports Vanguard yesterday that, “we interviewed the two of them”, confronted them with the same questions and it was really close. However, at the end we found Siasia to have an edge over Keshi so we went for him.”
Chukwu would not be dragged into predicting whether Siasia’s tenure would bring a turn-around in the fortunes of Nigerian football. Ït is not my place to say whether he can do the job or not, but we interviewed him and found him capable for the job. Whether or not he will succeed remains a matter for the future,”the former captain of the national team said.
Siasia who won the heart of Nigerians after winning silver in both the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2007 and another silver at the 2008 Olympics was said to have presented a more comprehensive programme which the NFF technical committee found irresistible.
Reacting to the appointment, Coach Paul Hamilton said, “like I told you before, the two of them are good but now that Siasia has been given the job, the NFF should give him all the support he needs. Money should not be an issue.
I congratulate him and his colleague, Stephen Keshi. As a senior member of the Nigerian football fraternity, I assure him of my cooperation. For Keshi, this does not mean the end of the world.”

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/why-we-picked-siasia-chukwu/ Read more...

Siasia to earn N5m monthly

 Samson Siasia

ABUJA – Samson Siasia has been appointed as the Super Eagles’ new chief Coach, and he would pocket the sum of N5 million as monthly salary just as he is free to pick two of his assistants. The Nigeria Football Federation would be responsible for their salary.
The Executive Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation rose from its emergency meeting last night after receiving the result of the interview conducted by the NFF Technical Committee on the recruitment of a new coach for the Super Eagles to announce Siasia as the new coach.
Both Siasia and Stephen Keshi were short_listed for the interview by the NFF Technical Committee headed by Chris Green.
While announcing Siasia as the Eagles’ new Chief Coach, Green said the NFF executive committee after a careful and painstaking deliberation, accepted the recommendation of the Technical committee that Siasia be appointed as the head coach of the Super Eagles.
Green  however stated that the comprehensive contract package would be unfolded next Wednesday, but added that the NFF would attach its coach to Siasia for exposure. “We don’t want to get hard and dry in case of any eventuality, which was why we have decided to attach a coach to Siasia”, Chris Green said.
But it was understood that while Siasia pockets the sum of N5m; his assistants would receive N3 million monthly.

Source: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/siasia-to-earn-n50m-monthly/ Read more...

Siasia takes over Super Eagles

Former Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games silver-winning coach Samson Siasia was on Thursday in Abuja named as the new coach of the Super Eagles by the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation.

The former Flying Eagles coach was grilled along with another ex-international, Stephen Keshi, for the top job by the NFF‘s technical committee, but the Bayelsa-born Siasia emerged tops after the interview.

The NFF after the interview said, ”After careful deliberation, the Nigeria Football Federation has accepted the recommendation of the Technical Committee that Mr. Samson Siasia be appointed as head coach of the Super Eagles subject to a contract to be executed in a couple of days.”

Siasia said immediately after the announcement that his focus was on developing the country‘s football.

He said, ”The job has started already and my focus is on development, which we have lacked in our football for a long time. My emphasis will be on grooming players for the national team.”

Siasia had before the interview expressed fears that the process would be stage managed to pick Keshi and said he was not going to work with or under Keshi, who was his captain in during their playing days in the Eagles.

But he was however happy with the interview process that now brought him on board.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101105152414 Read more...

Eagles coach: Ike confused, Oliha backs Keshi

Former Super Eagles captain
Former internationals – Ike Shorunmu and Thompson Oliha have bared their minds on who should be appointed the next coach of the Super Eagles.

Former internationals Steven Keshi and teammate Samson Siasia have been shortlisted for the job.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, while Oliha favours Keshi for the job, Shorunmu is undecided on the issue.

Former Eagles goalkeeper Shorunmu admitted that both coaches were the best Nigerian coaches at the moment.

He refused to stick his neck out on who of the pair should be the next Eagles coach.

He added, “I will not want to stick my neck out on this dicey issue because both of them are close to me.

“Ideally, I would have preferred having the two of them working together to tinker our national team, but this combination has its own drawback.

“At the end of the day, our football stands to benefit from this long awaited appointment of the chief coach.”

Oliha said Keshi was his man for the job.

He said, “Without mincing words, I feel the job should be given to Keshi because of his overwhelming experience as a player and coach.”



“Siasia is also a good coach but Keshi is my preferred candidate for the job

“Please leave me out of this debate, I have nothing to say on this matter,‘‘ he said.

Joseph Dosu, goalkeeper of the Atlanta Olympics gold medal winning squad, told NAN either of them was capable of doing the job if given the nod by the NFA.

“I believe that the best candidate should be given the job of the chief coach of the Super Eagles.”

Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011035165896 Read more...

Etim rejects Keshi, backs Siasia

ETIM ESIN
Ex-international Etim Esin is backing the choice of former Flying Eagles coach Samson Siasia for the Super Eagles ahead of Stephen Keshi.

Etim told our correspondent on the telephone of Sunday that both coaches shortlisted by the Nigerian Football Federation are good, considering their different experiences. But he would prefer Siasia because of his record in age-grade competitions with Nigeria.

Esin said, ”Though we were teammates back then in Belgium and of course in the national team but I prefer Siasia because I believe he is more grounded in Nigerian football than Keshi.

”Siasia can help develop our football even from the grass roots and we have seen him with both the U-23 and U-20 teams. I hope they can give him the chance to transform the Eagles the same way.

He added, ”Unlike what some people are suggesting, I doubt if Keshi and Siasia can work together. They both have ego and are confident in their jobs.”

Esin commended the Nigeria Football Federation for changing its decision to throw open the job, saying it would not allow confusion to set in.

Coach Austin Eguavoen is currently the stand-in coach for the Eagles but the new coach is expected to assume duties on December 1.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011035212881 Read more...

I’ve lots of respect for Keshi – Siasia

Former Flying Eagles coach, Samson Siasia
Former Flying Eagles manager Samson Siasia has said he has a lot of respect for his former teammate Stephen Keshi as both coaches prepare to face the Nigeria Football Federation technical committee for the vacant Super Eagles job on Thursday.

Siasia, who denied criticising the composition of the committee, told our correspondenta on the telephone on Tuesday that he was confident of getting the post.

”There‘s no way I‘d have criticised anyone for a job they‘re yet to do,” the Heartland coach said.

“I respect Keshi a lot, right from our playing days and I believe whoever the committee decides to take eventually deserves the job.

”Nigerian football needs transformation and dynamism and that‘s what I intend to bring when I take over the team.”

The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday and has since commenced profiling the two coaches ahead of the interview Chris Green, Adegboye Onigbinde, Christian Chukwu and Austin Okocha are some of the members.

Meanwhile, Siasia has said he is concentrating on Heartland‘s opening game against Gombe United on Sunday, adding that he had strengthened the team with new players.

”I‘m prepared to manage the Eagles but I‘m not losing focus on what I want to achieve with Heartland,” he said.

”We‘ve signed young players that are capable of winning the league.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101103575012 Read more...

Adamu faces ethics panel on Wednesday

Dr. Amos Adamu
FIFA executive committee member Dr. Amos Adamu will face the football body‘s ethics committee on Wednesday, following the allegations in The Sunday Times that he and Oceania Football Confederation President Reynald Temarii plan to sell their votes in the bid for the 2018 World Cup.

Adamu arrived in Zurich on Sunday to meet with FIFA President Sepp Blatter on the matter but it was learnt that the ethics committee would only welcome the WAFU President and Temarii after conducting its investigations. Blatter had promised an ”in-depth investigation” into the allegations.

Our correspondent learnt that Adamu had informed FIFA about the meeting with the undercover journalists before they met, and he also reported the outcome of the meeting to the football body.

Temarii told AP on Sunday that he made a mistake talking to undercover reporters, but defended his integrity.

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FIFA Bans Nigeria, As Eagles’ Nations Cup Qualifiers Hit The Rocks

 

The new NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari (middle) with his associates after the controversial elections held in Abuja in August this year. Photos: Femi Ipaye, Abuja.

Soccer loving Nigerians received an unlikely 50th independence anniversary gift from the Federation of International Football Association, FIFA, this evening when the body banned the country from all international football competitions.
The FIFA Emergency Committee took the action this evening, 4 October 2010, to suspend the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, with immediate effect on account of government interference.
This decision follows the latest events linked to the NFF, such as the court actions against elected members of the NFF Executive Committee, preventing them from exercising their functions and duties.
Also, FIFA frowns at the stepping down of the acting NFF General Secretary on the instructions of the National Sports Commission, NSC, the decision of the Minister of Sports, Ibrahim Bio to have the Nigerian League start without relegating any team from the previous season, and the fact that the NFF Executive Committee cannot work properly due to the interference.
According to a press release on FIFA website, “the suspension will be maintained until the court actions have ceased and the duly elected NFF Executive Committee is able to work without any interference”.
During the period of suspension, FIFA says all the Nigerian teams, the Golden Eaglets, Flying Eagles, U-23 Dream Team, Super Eagles and their female counterparts; the Flamingoes, Falconets and Super Falcons will not be able to feature in any regional, continental or international competitions, including at club level, and also in friendly matches.
In addition, the FIFA statement reads: “Neither the NFF nor any of its members or officials can benefit from any development programme, course, or training from FIFA or CAF while the federation remains suspended.”
Meanwhile, the first casualities of FIFA’s ban are the Super Eagles and the Super Falcons. The Eagles, who are already in Abuja camp preparing to travel to Guinea for this weekend’s African Cup of Nations qualifying match against the Syli Nationale would no longer go for the match.
Also, the Super Falcons, who are currently in camp preparing for the female edition of the Cup of Nations, the African Women Championship, AWC, slated for South Africa between 30 October through 14 November 2010 in South Africa may be decamped immediately.
The last time that FIFA and CAF banned Nigeria was in the mid 90s, when the country’s former Military leader, General Sani
Abacha withdrawn the Super Eagles from taking part in the 1996 African Cup of Nations held in South Africa and when the Nigerian youth teams were caught in age falsification.
In another development, the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos today discharged a FIFA Executive member, Dr. Amos Adamu and all the NFF officials from contempt charges over the recently held elections into the board of the body.

Source:http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/10/04/fifa-bans-nigeria-as-eagles%E2%80%99-nations-cup-qualifiers-hit-the-rocks/

 

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