Bunmi Blair Sports Blog

  By Bunmi Blair Former Super Eagles goalkeeper Emmanuel Babayaro, says Nigeria should never worry about the availability of any of the Super Eagles players, ahead of world cup qualifier against Cape Verde. The Atlanta 1996 gold-winning goalkeeper, believes it is an opportunity for other players to prove themselves. English Premier League clubs had announced they will not release players for international matches played in so-called covid-19 “red-list” countries, because players travelling to red-list countries would have to follow UK COVID regulations upon their return, ruling them out of some club matches. Babayaro, while speaking on 95.1 Nigeria Info FM, Abuja, says this could be a blessing in disguise for Nigeria:  "I believe in every situation it creates another and even better opportunity.  If someone will not play, somebody else we play." "With all due respect, by now the Nigerian national team,  we should have two to three standby teams that people can walk in an

  By Bunmi Blair. 2013 FIFA U17 world cup winning team coach, Manu Garba, has hailed the goal scoring exploits of Union Berlin of Germany striker Taiwo Awoniyi. Awoniyi, who moved from Liverpool to the German side this summer, scored again over the weekend, as Union Berlin beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-1 in the German Bundesliga. He now has five goals in six games for the club in the new season. Manu Garba, a two time FIFA U17 world cup winner, could not hide his excitement at Taiwo's newly discovered goal scoring form. He also went down memory lane to recall how Awoniyi began his rise to stardom from the slums of Ilorin, a city in Kwara State, Nigeria. "That's a great goal from a great player that has a great future in the game. He wasn't part of the U17 screening process in Abuja and was drinking Garri at home in Ilorin and I called him to come and join us in Calabar and fight for a place in the FIFA U17 world cup winning team." Manu said. Awoniyi scored four

   A short story of Dennis' rise to fame... By Bunmi Haruna   Dennis Bonaventure Another Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, academy product Denis Emmanuel Bonaventure shines on his English Premier League, EPL debut. Dennis is the third graduate from the prestigious NFF academy, now known as the Future Eagles to sign for an EPL club in seven years.   Brought in as a skinny U15 boy in 2012, Dennis was just one of the many hugely talented young players scouted through the NFF's yearly U13/U15 tournament held across a country with over 200 million population.   But unlike another academy graduate, Kelechi Iheanacho, who won many man-of-the-match awards, Dennis was more of an exciting talent whose potentials were hidden in his many "leg-over" tricks. Most times used as a sub by the team handlers because he likes to hang on to the ball.   "Dennis Bonaventure was invited into the U15 program I think in the year 2012 if I'm not mistaken. NFF's Assistant Director,

     By Bunmi Blair Bought for €70m plus another €10m in bonuses in the summer of 2020, he has managed to score just 2 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions so far. Critics are beginning to find their voices and will surely find more time to analyze Victor Osimhen's situation if things don't start to change for the better. It is an understatement that the Nigerian-born striker is finding it difficult to settle down in his first season in the Italian Serie A.   Who is Osimhen?   Osimhen is a predator that thrives on counter-attacking football. He is at his best when isolated with one or two defenders with a lot of space to run into. His pace, quick change of direction on those incredibly long legs, ability to shoot without prior warning, are his weaponry.   Most times, defenders resort to fowling him when they realize he is got space because they know they will come out second best on a foot race with FIFA 2015 U17 golden boot winner. Even when he is not

Is it beyond the game? By Bunmi Blair Enyimba of Aba will on St Valentine's day battle Rivers United of PortHarcourt in the first leg playoffs round of the this season's CAF confederation cup. What exactly is at stake? It is more than a game. It is Biafra vs Niger Delta aka war on the coast! I was surprised with the way my core Igbo tribe colleagues have taken this game. Was trying to convince a few of them that Rivers United are as experienced as Enyimba when it comes to continental football. They wouldn't have any of it, rather they told me the story of my life, even reminded me how I was born. Hahahaha! Up till now, it is a generally accepted secrete in the NPFL that Enyimba are the richest club in the land. But their billionaire status is being challenged. Wike's money(Beat Enyimba get 20million naira) even makes things more interesting, there is a new billionaire in town. Coupled with the perceived injustice melted out to Rivers with PPG thing... Tactically, it is

"What is a foreign coach coming here to do?" Former AWCON MVP backs Nigerian coaches. Says CAF women champions league is better than ... Despite the cancellation of the Africa Women Cup of Nation, AWCON 2020, former Super Falcons’ midfielder, Stella Mbachu has urged the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to go ahead and hire a coach for the Nigerian women senior national team. Mbachu, one of Africa’s most revered midfielders, says there is need for 10 times African champions, the Super Falcons to continue to develop before their next major championship. The South Africa 2010 most valuable player, MVP, also wants NFF to consider local coaches for the Super Falcons’ head coach position. “Must we wait for the AWCON before we have a coach? We need to have a coach, whether foreign or local. Organize camps for the players for one or two weeks then they go back to their clubs." "And this idea of going for a foreign coach, what is a foreign coach coming here to do? Me

Former African footballer of the year, Emmanuel Amunike highlights the danger that lies ahead of the Super Eagles … Former Tanzania national team coach, Emmanuel Amunike has warned the Nigeria Super Eagles of impending danger that lies ahead of them in the group C of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Nigeria share group C in the group stage of the African section of FIFA World Cup qualification, Qatar 2022, alongside Liberia, The Central Africa Republic and Cape Verde. And only one team will make it into the final round of qualifier. Though soccer followers across the continent believe the Super Eagles should easily make it through the group, but Amunike, who featured at the 1994 FIFA world cup and scored against Bulgaria and Argentina, warns that danger lies ahead for the three times African champions. “I think the last AFCON has shown that when it comes to African football, a lot of teams have improved. They now have a lot of players playing at top levels

LMC boss Shehu Dikko opens up on the finances, TV rights, Katsina UTD vs Kano Pillars… in this interview with Bunmi Blair   NPFL First Round Thank you very much sir for the privilege to talk with you. The league is almost halfway looking at how the league started, what will you say has been the high point for you so far? I can say so far so good, there are so many aspects of the league that you have to look at. Technically the results have been very good, security-wise, we can say it's been good. We didn't have anyone major issue to deal with until recently. So, security-wise it has been good. Commercially we are putting out strategies to see that we get to where we should be. Everybody is doing his own bit. The fans are turning out in numbers, especially down the northern part, which shows there are people who believe in what we are doing. The media too have shown interest, the reports have been very good, though we can do more. At least, it