Bunmi Blair Sports Blog

"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...

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has revealed that it has several coaching vacancies which it hopes to fill in the next few months. The senior women National team, the Super Falcons is without a substantive coach, the women U-20 and U-17 teams have also ended their assignments. Also, the National male U-23, U-20, and U-17 teams have also ended their competitions and the faiths of their coaches are hanging on a balance. “All those positions where the coach’s contracts have come to an end will be advertised. As a matter of fact, the advertisement process is on the way and we have employed the services of a private firm that will conduct the screening and interview. NFF General Secretary Sanusi Mohammed reveals on 95.1 Nigeria Info FM, Abuja. He urged Nigerians to be patient with the NFF as the advertisements for the vacancies will soon be out. The Super Falcons was led by Coach Chris Danjuma who also doubled as the coach of the women U-20 team. The women U-17 ...

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has revealed the identity of the individuals that will determine the faith of embattled Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr. Rohr will in few days enter the last six months of his contract with the NFF and will be free to talk to prospective employers besides Nigeria. The Franco-German says he is ready to continue his work with Nigeria, but the NFF are yet to offer him a contract extension beyond June 2020.  In fact, the coach was recently publicly warned by the NFF to desist from discussing his contractual issues in the media. There have also been debates on whether the former Olympic Lyon manager deserves a contract extension having failed to win the 2019 AFCON and crashed out of the 2018 world cup at the group stage. NFF’s General Secretary Sanusi Mohammed says Rohrs faith lies in the hands of NFF’s technical committee members. “The issue of appointment and sacking of coaches is the responsibility of the technical department...

Former African of footballer of the year, Emmanuel Amunike, who is now the head coach of the Taifa Stars of Tanzania, recently named Under-17 striker, Kelvin John in his provisional squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Kelvin caught the eyes of major clubs around the world with his all-round performance for the Serengeti Boys at the just concluded CAF Under-17 Cup of Nations and he is said to be on his way to Old Trafford. Super Eagles of Nigeria's head coach, Gernot Rohr also made similar promise when he visited the Nigeria Under-17 team before the CAF Under-17 Cup of Nations in April.   It is also on record that Rohr made and fulfilled similar commitment to the Nigeria Under-20 team, the Flying Eagles when he eventually invited Valentine Ozornwafor for the Super Eagles' games against Egypt and Seychelles in March. But it remains to be seen who the Franco-German will call up from this Manu Garba led Golden Eaglets team, which came fourth in the just con...

By Bunmi Blair. Football today has become a veritable tool, used to drive social change. Football has given life to the lifeless, help promote world peace and contribute to happiness. In Africa, it’s becoming a viable economic tool and contributing to infrastructural development. In essence, football can become what you project it to be.  Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi is a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation and chairman Lagos State Football Association, belonging to the ‘digital age” of Nigeria Football, which breaks from the norm of rig idity found in the conventional way of doing things. Akinwunmi’s life as a philanthropist is well documented. He has contributed in no small measure to various charities aimed at the development and improvement of children. He is devoted to the promotion of human welfare and social reforms. His stellar works include his involvement with the Parents Against Autism Initiative (PAAI); ...