AFCON 2017 qualifiers: Siasia invites 42 players for Egypt

Coach Samson Siasia has invited 22 home –based professionals and 20 overseas –based players for Nigeria’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-take against the Pharaohs of Egypt this month.

Siasia, who was named last week as Super Eagles’ Head Coach, passionately appealed to all Nigerians, including the sporting media, to rally round the team and show belief as the Eagles host the Egyptians in Kaduna on Friday, March 25 and play away in Alexandria on Tuesday, March 29.

The 22 home –boys are expected to hit camp at the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Sunday, March 6 before the overseas –based boys arrive as from Sunday, March 20.

Rio2016: Don't Blame me If Nigeria Fails to Qualify- Samson Siasia

Chief Coach of Nigeria’s U-23 national team, Samson Siasia says that he should not be blamed if Nigeria fails to qualify for the Rio Olympics next month because his team has been treated like “orphans”. According to him, the team has not been paid their allowances in the last 9 months and they have not been provided with training kits as well.

“Nigerians should know that we are not well prepared (for the championship) and I should not be held responsible for whatever happens. We are orphans. We have not been paid our bonuses, while the Super Eagles were paid full bonuses even when they drew in Burkina Faso. We have been without allowances for the past nine months.

Vincent Enyeama, Ahmed Musa make CAF Player of the Year list

Super Eagles’players, Ahmed Musa and Vincent Enyeama have made the Confederation of African Football (CAF) 2015 African Player of the Year Glo-CAF award list.

The list was released yesterday from the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt. Other players listed for the African Player of the Year Award includes England-based stars Riyad Mahrez from Algeria, Yannick Bolasie of DR Congo, Andre Ayew of Ghana, Mame Diouf from Senegal, Kenya’s Victor Wanyama and Gabon skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Reigning and African Player of the Year, Yaya Toure is also on a long list of nominees.

NFF Bans Super Eagles from Social Media Use in Camps

 The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has hinted that Super Eagles players will be restricted on their use of social media while on international duty following the face off between Sunday Oliseh and Vincent Enyeama last Tuesday.

 NFF supremo Amaju Pinnick made this known after a meeting in Belgium on Saturday with the main protagonists involved in the dispute.

 Lille numero uno Vincent Enyeama made headlines last week after he took to Instagram to express his disappointment on how he was mistreated by Sunday Oliseh.

Vincent Enyeama announces his retirement from Super Eagles

Eya. Super Eagles goal keeper Vincent Enyeama just took to his instagram page to announce his retirement from our team. Thank you very much Oliseh. You try! What Enyeama wrote below...

I have fought a good fight for more than 13years.I have finished my course,I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion.henceforth,there is laid for me a crown which only GOD can reward me for my 13years of national services.God bless Nigeria. From henceforth I am no more the captain of the Nigerian senior football team. I am no more the goalie of the team. I am out of the team. I am no more available for international duties. I want to say thank you to every Nigerian fan and supporter world wide.its been the most trying period of my life but I know that Nigerian are there for me and God is with me.God bless Nigeria. 

#Endofanera.

Sunday Oliseh makes Ahmed Musa Super Eagles captain

In an interview with Brilla FM this morning, Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh announced his decision to make Ahmed Musa the captain of Super Eagles. His announcement comes after he and goal keeper and Eagles captain Vincent Enyeama had a faceoff in their camp in Belgium yesterday.

"There is no captaincy tussles. For Nigeria going forward, I need a player who is regular in the team and it is Ahmed Musa, who did a great job in Tanzania under very difficult circumstances. He (Musa) is the captain of the team, not somebody who is thinking of retirement. A captain has to lead by example. We are not here to build stars. If you don’t conform to what I am trying to do, we will be friends, but we will be friends from afar. There has been a new government and the President has picked new ministers. And that is what I have also done." he said

'I’m not a magician' - Sunday Oliseh says

Following high expectations of his first outing at the Nigeria-Tanzania match which ended goalless this past weekend, newly appointed Coach of the Super Eagles Sunday Oliseh says he is not a magician and that patience will be needed to achieve the desired results from the Super Eagles.

He said this at a press conference at Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt ahead of Tuesday’s friendly with the Mena of Niger Republic.

You can’t play for Super Eagles anymore if you're not in first division - Oliseh

Coach Sunday Oliseh has fired a warning, stating that he will only consider players who feature in top leagues both home and abroad.

Stephen Keshi, however was known to call up players from the lower leagues overseas. Sunday Oliseh said he wants to make changes and not do the same thing Stephen Keshi did. He said:

“If you are not playing  in first division in anywhere in the world and in Nigeria, you cannot play for the Super Eagles henceforth,” 

Oliseh warned at a media presentation in Abuja on Wednesday. However players coming from the under-aged teams are the only exception to this rule.”

Oliseh said it is an honour to lead the Eagles now as a coach, but that he cannot turn around the footballing fortunes of the country by himself.

“It’s a great honour to be a coach of this nation,” he said.

Shuaibu Amodu replaces Keshi as Super Eagles coach

Nigeria Saturday night named Shuaibu Amodu as the interim coach of the national team the Super Eagles following the sacking of Stephen Keshi on Saturday night. 

One of Nigeria’s best-known coaching tacticians Amodu will be assisted by Keshi’s assistant Salisu Yusuf after his boss was sacked over his decision to apply for the vacant Ivory Coast coaching post. 

Amodu was appointed to manage the country’s national football team until a permanent replacement is found. 

Stephen Keshi sacked as Eagles coach

The Big Boss has been shown the exit door by the Nigeria Football Federation for lack of commitment to achieve the federation’s objectives. 

Stephen Keshi’s contract as head coach of the Super Eagles has been terminated, the Nigeria Football Federation has announced. 

The 53-year-old who was re-appointed as the country’s senior national team coach in April was kicked out on Saturday evening, with assistant Salisu Yusuf and the Technical Directorate of the NFF led by Amodu Shuaibu to take offer till a substantive handler is announced. 

“Having thoroughly reviewed the reports/findings of the NFF disciplinary committee and NFF Technical and Development Committee, as well as having reviewed the actions and inactions of Mr. Stephen Keshi, in the performance of his duties as Super Eagles’ head coach, which we found to lack the required commitment to achieve the ederation’s objectives as set out in the coach’s employment contract,” a statement by the NFF Executive Committee read. 

Enyeama To Face NFF Disciplinary Committee On Tuesday, As Onazi Is Fined $5000

Super Eagles and Lille goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama who said earlier this month that he will be retiring from Super Eagles after AFCON 2017 has been summoned by the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to appear before its disciplinary committee on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 or risk being sanctioned. Enyeama is expected to explain his remark against the NFF’s choice of Ahmadu Stadium, Kaduna, for Eagles Afcon qualifier against Chad played on June 13,2015.

Nigeria Vs Chad:AFCON Qualifier Today By 4pm

The Confederation of African Football has picked Nigerien official Assoumane Moussa Gnali as referee for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Nigeria and Chad, scheduled for the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna on Saturday 13th June.

Moussa Gnali, who became an International Referee only this year, will be accompanied by countrymen Sadissou Idi (Assistant Referee 1), Abdoul Aziz Moctar Saley (Assistant Referee 2) and Gomno Daouda (Reserve Referee).

Gnali is 26, while Idi is 24 and Moctar is also 26. Gomno, who became an international referee since 2013, is 37.

Also read: Keshi opens camp with 26 home based players

CAF has also picked G. Andy Quamie, from Liberia, as Match Commissioner.

The Super Eagles confront the Chadians in the opener to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series, with Egypt and Tanzania the other teams in Group G.