Niger Tornadoes Technical Adviser Abubakar Bala Mohammed has been appointed by the Nigeria Football Federation as assistant coach of the Super Eagles B team upon the recommendation of the Technical & Development Sub-Committee, a Committee headed by Comrade Ahmed Yusuf Fresh and saddled with the responsibility of scouting for National Team Coaches.

Bala’s appointment did not come as a surprise due to his fast rising coaching profile.

The Niger State Born Soccer Tactician had twice guided Niger Tornadoes to Aiteo Cup Final in recent memory (2017&2019) losing narrowly to Akwa United and Kano Pillars in the showpiece finales.

Another land mark achievement by the former Kwara United gaffer was guiding Niger Tornadoes to clinching the 2021 NNL Super 8 play off in Enugu, as the Ikon Allah Boys gained an instant return back to the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)

Recalled that Abubakar Bala Mohammed was once an assistant to Paul Aigbogun, former Coach of the National U20 team to 2018 FIFA World Cup in Poland.

Bala will assist Salisu Yusuf Head Coach of the Super Eagles B team alongaide Kennedy Boboye (Assistant Coach); Fatai Osho (Assistant Coach); Fidelis Ikechukwu (Assistant Coach); Eboboritse Uwejamomere (Match Analyst) and Ike Shorounmu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer) and Suleiman Shuaibu (Goalkeepers’ Trainer 2)

Alhassan Mohammed Kutigi
Media Officer,
Niger Tornadoes FC Minna.

The Super Falcons should provide a model for the Super Eagles and the NFF can work to make that model stronger

In the past 18 years, the Falconets and Flamingos have been the bedrock of the Super Falcons. They feed the senior team after each tournament and the coaches of the Falcons have helped with seamless progression of the girls

Since the U20 and U17 women’s world cup started, the youth teams have produced amazing talents for the Falcons and their progression has been smooth and have helped the Falcons to maintain dominance in Africa and rise to prominence in the world.

Let me start from 2010

In 2010, the Falconets got to the final of the world cup. In that team, we had Alaba Jonathan, Osinachi Ohale, Cecelia Nku, Glory Iroka, Desire Oparanozie, Helen Ukaonu, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Esther Sunday, Charity Adule, Ngozi Ebere, Ebere Orji, Josephine Chukwunonye and others. These girls moved to the Falcons and won the AWCON that same year and some played at the Senior World Cup in 2011. Oparanozie joined the Falcons after returning from the U20 world cup and scored 5 goals at AWCON

The Flamingoes played at the 2010 U17 World Cup and from there, Ngozi Okobi and Francisca Ordega joined the Falcons as 17 year olds and won the AWCON same year and Ordega even scored at AWCON as a 17 year old girl

Since then, the Falconets and Flamingoes have produced: Asisat Oshoala, Osarenoma Igbinovia, Uchenna Kanu, Joy Bokiri, Glory Ogbonna, Uchenna Kanu, Uchechi Sunday, Halimatu Ayinde, Ugo Njoku, Chiamaka Nnodozie, Monday Gift, Chinwendu Ihezuo, Rasheedat Ajibade, Vivian Ikechukwu, Chinaza Uchendu Chidinma Okeke, Peace Efih, Sarah Nnodim, etc

At the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, Chidinma Okeke provided a sublime assist to Asisat Oshoala. In 2018, she played at the junior world cup with Nnadozie and a year later, Okeke provided that assist for a goal that guaranteed Nigeria’s place in the round of 16 for the first time in 20 years while Asisat Oshoala, another product of the Falconets scored. In goal, Chiamaka Nnadozie made history as the youngest goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet at the World Cup. A year earlier in 2018, she was a Falconets player.

Time will probably not be enough to enumerate what the girls from the youth teams have done for the Falcons

These girls had played for the Falcons and won laurels with the team even before most of them turned 20 or 22

This model has sustained the Falcons for almost two decades and kept them relevant. This model can be replicated at the Eagles and the narratives could change

The NFF should also ensure that this model is not interrupted by the influx of Nigerian players born abroad into the national teams. This model has strengthened the league and the women’s team.

This is why attention must be given the Falconets and Flamingoes and thankfully, the NFF have shown their support and the Falconets have already qualified for another World Cup

The Flying Eagles and Golden Eaglets deserve this attention too, along with the U15 male team, the Future Eagles. This model can work to get our teams flying again.

Bethel Kalu writes from Aba, Abia State

The Super Eagles nomadic sojourn in different cities will soon be over as soon rehabilitation work is completed at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja and the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

This assurance was made by the Minister of Youth and sports Development Mr Sunday when he visited the training camp of the Home- based Super Eagles in Abuja
According to him “The National team is the pride of the nation, no national team moves from one city to another. The Eagles deserve a permanent home ground to give them a sence of belonging and to maximize the benefits of playing at home in a regular venue. We are working with the companies rehabilitating the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Abuja and the National Stadium, Surulere to expedite action to complete on going rehabilitation.
Once the facilities are ready, we will get the NFF to get Fifa certify the stadiums so that our teams can have a Permanent playing ground”

The Minister asserted that his dream is to see the National teams have Permanent camp as was the case in the past instead of the adhoc arrangements of inviting players to train for only few days before matches.

The Super Eagles have been made to move from one venue to another due to the poor states of the two National Stadiums in Abuja and Lagos.

Signed

Media office of the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development

Team A defeated Team B, 1-0. Rangers winger Ibrahim Olawoyin scored the only goal of the practice game, assisted by Kwara Utd LB, Lawal Murtala.

Austin Eguavoen took charge of the training session alongside Paul Aigbogun with Gernot Rohr in attendance as an observer.

Eguavoen set up Team A with the likes of Nwabali, Olusesi, Lawal, Anaemena, Nwaeze, Shimaga, Nnoshiri, Olawoyin, Zulkifilu & Atshimene.

Team B had Ezenwa in goal, Sanusi, Ndah, Kazie, Tebo, Mayi, Uche, Stephen, Ali & Ezekwe.

Rivers Utd forward, Sunday Adetunji will join the team this evening.

Enyimba trio, John Noble, Dayo Ojo & Anayo Iwuala are expected in camp on Thursday.

The impressive ceremony held at the Umuahia Township Stadium, and was anchored by the Club Secretary Ebere Esiaba and Sporting Director Patrick Ngwaogu, saw the elated Coach expressing confidence on the ability of the Umuahia wardlords in making maximum impact in the league next season.

Imama who signed a two year contract with the Umuahia team, promised to work tirelessly with every Abians to lead the team to glory in the new season.

He said that the task of taking Abia Warriors Football Club to  the next level, is a collecting one.

He called for the support of all to ensure that the team achieve its heart desires.

It could be recalled that Imama Amapakabo  handled Rangers International of Enugu to its first League win in 2016 after 34 years.
 He was the Assistant Coach to the Super Eagles to the last 2018 Senior World cup in Russia.

A team of 21 players and six officials flew by Air Cote d’Ivoire early on Thursday morning from Abuja to Abidjan, and then connected the Senegalese capital by the same airline.

The updated fixtures show that Nigeria, silver medallists at the inaugural edition staged in Cape Coast, Ghana two years ago, will tango with the Sparrow Hawks of Togo in their first match of the competition at the Stade Lat Dior Thies on Sunday.

It is an opportunity come quickly for the Eagles to avenge their 4-1 lashing by the Hawks in a 2020 African Nations Championship qualifying match in Lome last Sunday.

Victory over the Sparrows in the first elimination round will take the Eagles to the second phase, before the semi finals and the final. The tournament ends on 13^th October.

All 16 participating teams will partake in the first elimination round, with host nation Senegal up against Guinea Bissau, Burkina Faso against Mauritania, Cote d’Ivoire against Cape Verde and Guinea against Benin Republic.

Sierra Leone, drafted in to replace Morocco that executed a late withdrawal, will be up against Liberia, while Mali takes on Niger Republic and Gambia will tackle Ghana.

21 EAGLES B FOR WAFU CUP

Goalkeepers: Adamu Abubakar (Wikki Tourists); Galadima Mohammed (Nasarawa United); Theophilus Afelokhai (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Olisa Ndah (Remo Stars); Stephen Manyo (Enyimba FC); Udochukwu Anumudu (Lobi Stars); Okon Nya (Akwa United); Ebube Duru (Lobi Stars); Etboy Akpan (Akwa United); John Lazarus (Lobi Stars);

Midfielders: Sikiru Alimi (Lobi Stars); Fatai Gbadamosi (Shooting Stars); Williams Ukeme (Wikki Tourists); Ndifreke Effiong (Akwa United); Chisom Orji (Collin Edwin Academy); Olatunji Oluwadamilare (Enyimba FC); Samuel Matthias (Akwa United)

Forwards: Sunusi Ibrahim (Nasarawa United); Seth Mayi (Remo Stars); Tosin Omoyele (Plateau United); Mfon Udoh (Akwa United)