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The bonus galore will see each player bag at least $65,000 extra should they win the trophy but the Super Eagles must first take care of Ivory Coast in one of two West African derbies that promise to generate fireworks on Sunday.  

Having already each received $30,000 for making the knock-out stages of the competition, the Super Eagles will each receive $15,000 if they beat Cote d’Ivoire and qualify for the semi-final of the 2013 AFCON on Sunday. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed that each player will earn $20,000 if they triumph in the semi-final. For victory in the finals on February 10 at the National Stadium in Johannesburg, each player will pocket another $30,000.

Guinness, the official sponsor of the Super Eagles has also made a financial commitment for goals scored at the AFCON 2013, while the Eagles are also expecting Nigeria’s richest man; billionaire business magnate, Alhadji Aliko Dangote to reach into his deep pockets after they reached the last eight. Each player received about $80,000 when Nigeria finished third at the 2010 Nations Cup in Angola.

The game against Ivory Coast will be tough, but the Super Eagles must rise up to the challenge and take their chances which will be few against an Ivorian side bookmakers consider the tournament favorites featuring an armada of stars like Didier Drogba, Gervinho, Yaya Toure, amongst others.

The quarter-finals which begin on Saturday features eight teams; seven from West Africa – Nigeria, Ivory Coast; Burkina Faso, Togo; Ghana, Cape Verde and Mali; signaling a profound domination of the 2013 edition of the tournament by West Africa. After sending the North and East Africans packing, the only outsider is the host, South Africa who play Mali in the quarter-finals. Should the Bafana Bafana lose, the semi-finals and finals will be an all-West African affair.

Ahead of Sunday’s crucial match-up, the inability to finish off teams is something Keshi has to work on in the locker room. The Eagles failed to close out their first two games from a winning position; snatching a draw from the jaws of victory against Burkina Faso who equalized with the last kick of the game to rescue a point in their opening group match. Even if the Eagles take the lead, the Ivorians will always feel there is the opportunity for a late equalizer or winner, since Nigeria has conceded late goals toward the end of their first two games.

It’s important that the Super Eagles take their opportunities, especially when facing the 1992 African champions; unarguably the dream team of the tournament. Coach Stephen Keshi needs to encourage a free-scoring tendency especially from dead ball situations like spot kicks and corner kicks because the midfield is going to be very tight in open play, so the Ivorians will be hoping to catch the Eagles napping and hit them at the break with a counter-attack.

The Elephants played to a 2-2 draw against Algeria in their last group match on Wednesday night, a match which proved to be a tough test for the Group D winners as they had to come back from being two goals down. That should tell Keshi something about the character of the Ivorian team who came back twice to beat Senegal (4-2) in the final round of qualifying matches.

Victor Moses was the hero of the day when the Eagles booked their place in the quarter-finals as he won and converted the two penalties that won the game. But that should not make him the choice penalty taker in the team. Keshi should work this out during training sessions to be ready for the eventuality of a penalty shoot-out which is mentally and psychologically draining.

However, regardless of the decision by the Egyptian referee following the controversial penalty call that gave Zambia the late equalizer against Nigeria in their second group match, the fact remains that the referee didn’t make John Obi Mikel miss the penalty, which his body language showed that he was ill-prepared to take the shot.

It was a tactical error for Mikel, who has never scored in 261 Premier League appearances for Chelsea, stepping up to take the spot kick. He hasn’t been the best option for Nigeria in this tournament, and he was obviously the wrong choice for the task. Keshi ought to have known better!

Against the Elephants of Ivory Coast, has to prove that they can dominate a game, not just put in a patchy performance and expect to win as they did against Ethiopia. Obi Mikel, despite his problems finding the net, should be shore up the midfield and control possession through the middle.

Cote d’Ivoire will be looking for its third straight win over Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations after beating the Super Eagles (1-0) in 2006, with Didier Drogba scoring the only goal, while Salomon Kalou secured another (1-0) win two years later.

On Sunday afternoon at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, the Eagles face 1992 champions Ivory Coast. The winners of this match-up will clash with the winners of the quarter-final between hosts South Africa and Mali; less fancied opponents which gives the Eagles a better shot at the finals should they overcome the Ivorians who will be a hard nut to crack.

 

 

The Super Eagles of Nigeria who began their last group match against Ethiopia as favorites clinched their quarter-final berth with a (2-0) defeat of a resilient Ethiopian side which ended the match with ten men following the expulsion of their goalkeeper, Biancha for a foul against Victor Moses who scored Nigeria’s two goals from the penalty spot.

Nigeria went into the game chasing their first win, while Ethiopia were bottom of the group with a point. The Super Eagles had their backs to the wall after drawing their first two matches against Burkina Faso and defending champions Zambia. They finished in second place in Group C with five points behind Burkina Faso with a better goal difference, having beaten Ethiopia (4-0).

Ikechukwu Uche started the match while team captain Joseph Yobo, who faced a late fitness test started from the bench and was introduced towards the end of the match.

Victor Moses scored two penalties at the 79th and 90th minutes but he scored the second with an Ethiopian player in the goal after their goalkeeper was sent off for two bookable offences. Ethiopia had already made three substitutions, so one player had to take the goalkeeper’s jersey and enter the goalposts.

When the teams last clashed, in Addis Ababa two years ago in a 2012 Nations Cup qualifying match, it ended 2-2 with Nigeria needing a last-gasp equalizer. Nigeria had won the first meeting (4-0) in Abuja.

Nigeria and Ethiopia entered the final group game knowing they both needed to find their first win in the competition to have any chance of qualifying for the knockout stage. Nigeria were one of the favorites before the competition but, having conceded late equalizers in their first two games, stand third in the table behind reigning champions Zambia, and surprise package Burkina Faso.The Super Eagles have not failed to reach the last eight since 1982 in Libya, where they finished third in a group including Ethiopia and Zambia

The Super Eagles will like face tournament favorites, Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals in a match bookmakers have predicted will be a hard nut to crack for Stephen Keshi and his boys who have to up their game if they intend to make it to the semi-finals.

 

 

 

While the fate of the Super Eagles hangs on the balance, Ivory Coast, South Africa and (wait a minute), Cape Verde have booked their tickets for the knock-out stages.

With two points and two goals from two games played so far, Coach Stephen Keshi’s “Plan

A” of topping the group to play a quarterfinal game at Nelspruit seems to have become a luxurious desire as Keshi comes under increasing pressure for his technical and tactical options, while his selection of some players has been called into question.

Keshi however remains upbeat about the Eagle’s chances of making the round of sixteen on Tuesday in their last group game against Ethiopia; arguably the whipping boys of the group.

 

Ethiopia tops the group from the bottom having been whitewashed (0-4) by Burkina Faso in their second game. Burkina Faso needs just a draw in their last game against reigning champions Zambia who have two points and just one goal scored in their first two matches.

All the permutations show the odds are against the Super Eagles who must beat Ethiopia to ensure qualification. Since Nigeria played a (1-1) tie with both Burkina Faso and Zambia, its goal differential with the two countries is (0). Should Zambia beat Burkina Faso in their final group match and Nigeria beats Ethiopia, Zambia and Nigeria will qualify from the group with five points each. Meanwhile, if Burkina Faso beats Zambia; Nigeria will need just a draw against Ethiopia to make the knock-out stages but Ethiopia will qualify with four points by beating Nigeria.

 

In the unlikely scenario of a (0-0) tie amongst all the four teams, Burkina Faso will top the group with five points and Nigeria will still be able to sneak into the round of 16 with three points from three draws. But if Zambia plays a (2-2) tie with Burkina Faso, Nigeria is out on goal difference.

 

Ahead of Tuesday’s crucial game, the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has urged the Super Eagles to redouble their efforts to qualify for the quarter finals, warning that failure to make it to the next round of the competition would be an embarrassment to the nation. “It will be a shame to the whole country if we fail to pick a quarter final ticket,” the National League’s Ahmed Kawu said in an interview.

 

Before their second match, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi gave the players $100,000 and promised more as they progress, a motivation the players could not build on. The Federal Government had released over N700 million for the team’s preparation and participation in the tournament but as the team struggled to grab another draw against Zambia, soccer aficionados have been questioning Keshi’s technical and tactical options, including the caliber of players he assembled for the tournament.

 

Although consensus opinion agrees the team is a work in progress, of particular worry is the fitness level of some of the players for the competition, whose performance have become the source of controversy and anger. For example, team captain Joseph Yobo has been facing some fitness issues in his club and was definitely not 100% fit for this competition, yet Keshi included him.

 

Yobo, who said he was making his last appearance at the Nations Cup for Nigeria was on the bench throughout the game against Zambia. Since injury did not allow Yobo to play in some of the qualifying games, Yobo ought not to have made the final 23. It is believed Keshi included him in the squad to offer him a befitting exit from the Eagles and to recognize his services rendered to the nation.

Besides Yobo, even Gabriel Reuben was injured, yet Keshi still included his name on the list.

 

It is also hard to understand Keshi’s preference for Ahmed Musa who has not been at his best, while a player like Ikechukwu Uche has started all the first two matches from the bench. Keshi has introduced Uche late in the two games despite his good run of form, suggesting there might be some locker room issues between the coach and the player. Also, questions have arisen as to the presence of Fegor Ogude in the team, with speculations rising that Keshi like his counterparts before him, has adopted a mercantilist quid pro quo attitude of using the Nations Cup as platform to expose players and later sell them to foreign clubs for a kickback.

 

Eyebrows have also been raised over the performance of John Mikel Obi who has been anything but convincing in the midfield. Mikel Obi has not been inspiring and creative and he compounded his poor performance by losing a penalty against Zambia.

“If he had scored that goal, perhaps we could have gone two goals ahead before Zambia got their goal and in that case Nigeria would still have won. When did Mikel suddenly become a penalty player for the Eagles? He clearly showed the keeper the direction he was kicking the ball. He did the same in our last qualifier against Liberia in Calabar though he scored. Mikel is not inspiring in the midfield and he needs to up his game,” an angry supporter told Huhuonline.com at the end of the match.

Meanwhile, host country, South Africa, debutants, tiny Cape Verde and tournament favorites, Ivory Coast, have booked their tickets in the knock-out stages. After edging a gutsy Togolese side (2-1) in their first game, the Ivorians defeated Tunisia (3-0) in their second game and have Algeria, already eliminated in their third group match. Togo battles Tunisia in another make or break match for second place.

Debutants Cape Verde qualified for the last eight after coming from behind to beat Angola 2-1 in Port Elizabeth. The Angolans took the lead through an own goal from Cape Verde defender Neves. The Blue Sharks equalized with nine minutes left, after defender Fernando Varela headed in from close range.  Substitute Heldon snatched the winner in the 90th minute to secure second place in Group A behind South Africa which played a pulsating (2-2) tie with Morocco.

Arsenal forward, Theo Walcott has signed a new three-and-a-half year deal worth £100,000 a week with the London club.

The deal ends weeks of speculation about the future of the 23-year-old who is the club’s top scorer yet this season, after he turned down a £75,000-a-week offer last August.

Earlier in the season, Wenger had secured new contracts for Jack Wilshere, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Aaron Ramsey, Kieran Gibbs and Carl Jenkinson. Joining Walcott to the list gives him a lot of happiness.

“We are all delighted that Theo has signed a new contract,” he said. “He joined us as a 16-year-old, and since then has developed very well to become an extremely important player for both Arsenal Football Club and England.

He described Walcott has a strong player and also a great person, saying the combination of his ability and pace makes him such a valuable asset either from the flanks or down the middle.

“Theo’s contract extension now gives us a strong nucleus of ambitious young players who have committed to the club and want to be successful with us as a group,” he added.

Walcott himself expressed happiness at extending his Arsenal career despite reported interest from the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.

"I am very happy to have signed a new contract here,” he said. “Thanks to everyone for their continued support — the manager, everyone at the club and, most importantly, the fans.

“I have made it clear from the start that I wanted to stay at Arsenal, so I am pleased we have agreed a deal that everyone is happy with. What’s important now is for the team to realise its potential and win trophies.”

 

The 36 year old Egyptian referee, who officiated the match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Chipolopo of Zambia on Friday January 25th, has been dismissed from the on-going 2013 Africa Cup of Nations as a result of poor officiating.

Ghead Grisha awarded a controversial penalty to Zambia in the 85th minute which enabled them draw level in the group C match. Grisha awarded the spot kick against Onazi Ogenyi for a supposed foul on Emmanuel Mayuka. However, television replays of the tackle on the stadium scoreboard showed clearly that the offence was clearly outside the box, yet the referee went ahead to award a penalty.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF immediately sent a protest letter to the Confederation of African Football, CAF, asking the football governing body to look into the questionable call by Grisha. After reviewing the action, CAF decided that it was a bad call. “Grisha has been sent home. He will have no further action at this Cup of Nations. His decisions did not tally with best practices of the refereeing profession and we would not allow anyone to start re-writing the rules of the game here.”

“He was sent home because of his mishandling of the match. Isa Hayatou, CAF President, admitted that the penalty call by the referee was wrong. If there was a foul, it was definitely outside the 18-yard-box, and not a penalty. Referees are not allowed to re-write the rule of the game,” Hayatou was quoted to have told the Nigerian delegation.

The was jubilation in Super Eagles camp Monday afternoon as news filtered in that the Egyptian referee who awarded the dubious penalty to allow Zambia equalize has been sent home by CAF. But a top NFF official however insisted that the damage has been done and the sending away of the referee means little as it will not change the result of the match.

 

Well, Nigeria's team at the ongoing Africa Nations Cup met stiff challenges so far and the country can only hope for better days ahead (I genuinely believe so). While some people find it easy to make a case for strong criticism, others simply recycled vague allegations and to make matters worse Patrick Ekeji, the Director General of NSC was making legal threats to anyone who criticise NSC. He said and I quote, “ …that the time had come for the NSC to use all legal instrument at its disposal to protect its image from the utterances and activities of people who he said have turned the act of disparaging the NSC into a pastime as well as a means of livelihood...insisted that the criticisms were baseless.. The decision to include elite athletes in the National Sports Festival & sack Secretary-General of Federations were met with criticism. “

 Preamble

Firstly, Nigeria is in democracy and the government are led by people representatives and those individuals must act within established laws of the land as enacted by the legislative branch. However, there comes time when those laws failed to meet the current needs of the people where it becomes useless and hindrance to development. As a result, the people representatives in the legislative arms of the country leadership are empowered to amend and create new laws.

 Nitty Gritty (koko in Yoruba slang)

If people are fed up with useless policies and rules then they must be heard by all reasonable legitimate means (I think that is one of democratic principles). For example, if a house of representative individual failed to follow up on constituents’ grievance, then, the question, whether it is reasonable to approach the media and if so, what is disparaging about it? Again here, Nigeria Sports development policy turned out to be a piece of cotton candy where with one bite the whole policy melted as noticed in the Olympics Games and God forbid at the ongoing Nations Cup. Is it time for people to use the same media NSC, the House of Assembly and the Presidency used to take up their positions and make announcements? I think so.

 Ekeji Threat (alleged)

NSC was established by a federal legislative act and nowhere in such act that NSC was required to (or) becomes a corporate body under Company and Allied Matters Acts (Chapter 54 of Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) to be able to bring an action in civil court to repair its corporate image (if any). Based on NSC act, the entity is a commission within the executive branch of the federal government and its’ actions (Policies) are reviewable by the legislatures and the Presidency.

 It will be surprising however, in private law, whether NSC can bring action directly in a civil court because a Commission generally is at the convenience of a seating government to partake a highly technical aspect of governance, as such it has no image of its own (to protect), rather it is the Attorney General that can bring action on behalf of the federal government for any alleged tarnished Federal Government (via NSC) image if practicable (I doubt it will prevail).

 To do otherwise mean NSC is above public scrutiny and I doubt sincerely whether Ekeji threat can ever materialise into any legal victory. Imagine, the seating government telling opposition that they lacked any right to criticise. Is Nigeria in dictatorship?  Frankly, this threat suggests that NSC really need a competent legal adviser as soon as possible because going forward with establishing new rules for federation require this need as a necessity.

 Going forward

Clearly, Nigerians whatever their motives as suggested by Ekeji are within their democratic right of dissent to disagree with policies that affects them and the onus is on the federal government to mitigate such disenchantment with meaningful policies to meets current needs of the populace.

 

Go Eagles fly high.

 I rest.

 Dr. Rashid A. Balogun, CPA, LLB(Hons.), LLM(London)

 

 

Former Barcelona FC coach, Josep Guardiola has been appointed the coach of Bayern Munich Fc of Germany, beginning from the 2013/2014 season. Guardiola departed Camp Nou in 2012 after winning a total of 14 trophies in a space of just four seasons.

At the bundesliga club where he has signed a four-year deal until 2016, he succeeds Jupp Heynckes, who ascended the position in 2011 but confirmed late last that he would be relinquishing the post at the end of the current season.

A host of top European clubs, including last year’s Champions League winners, Chelsea, and Manchester United had been linked to the Spaniard but he opted for Munich in the end. “We are very pleased that we have succeeded [in appointing] the football expert Pep Guardiola, who was courted by many famous clubs and contacts,” said Bayern CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. “Guardiola is one of the most successful coaches in the world and we are sure that he can [help] not just Bayern, but German football, shine.”

He also praised outgoing coach, saying, “As a club and as Jupp Heynckes' friends, we have to show understanding for this decision. We have to accept it and we have to respect it. “During personal talks with Jupp Heynckes, we assured each other that we will do anything we can, and now even more, to have a successful second half of the season, in which we want to get the title to Munich.”

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