By Igho Otomewo
FOLLOWING the scathing criticisms that have trailed the performance of the Super Eagles in their 0-0 draw against the Mambas of Mozambique, Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Joseph Dosu, has called on soccer loving Nigerians not to mount unnecessary pressure on the team.
He said the Nigerian team needed to be free from any burden of blames to enable it beat Kenya in their next game, assuring that the Eagles have what it takes to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Dosu told The Guardian recently that rather than worry about whether or not the team would qualify, the fans should be more concerned about how they can assist the team to put up good performances, win all the qualifying matches and do well at the mundial.
"Nigerians should not lose sleep over qualification because we have players who are talented. What we need is to motivate them to perform," he said. "By now, we should be talking about how the boys can play well and ensure that we win most of our games, instead of mounting unnecessary pressure on them."
Commenting on how the players and technical crew can be motivated, Dosu said: "To be invited to the national team and put on the green and white jersey is in itself a form of encouragement. And I learnt that their allowances was recently increased, which I believe should propel them to fight for Nigeria and get to the expected level."
AS the eight-man monitoring committee constituted to oversee the Golden Eaglets' preparation for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup is being inaugurated in Abuja today, the team's build-up for the championship will top agenda at the committee's maiden meeting.
Disclosing this to The Guardian yesterday, a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and member of the committee, Taiwo Odebunmi, said the substantive coach of the team would be named after the technical body submits its report to the committee. Odebunmi said: "We are still awaiting the reports of the NFF technical committee on the team and until the report is submitted, we cannot decide on who will handle it for now.
"Also, the visit by FIFA is part of the things still delaying everything. We hope that if the FIFA inspection team finishes its work we will know the next thing. For now, everybody is working toward ensuring that the final nod of hosting is given by FIFA.
"Even as the committee is inaugurated tomorrow (today) in Abuja, the team's preparation will top the agenda at the first meeting. We want to ensure that as we are hosting, we will have a good team in the championship."
The eight-man committee is headed by Obinna Ogba while the team is currently being tutored by assistant coach Monday Odigie. On the Flying Eagles, the Ekiti State FA boss said the NFF board is satisfied with the team's build-up so far. He remarked: "We are indeed satisfied with the coach Samson Siasia-led Flying Eagles because we believe the coach is still building the team and he needs time to get a formidable team for the World Cup holding in Egypt.
"We cannot blame him for the team's performance against Trinidad and Tobago because most of the players that will take part in the World Cup are yet to resume with the team. With a majority of the players invited being foreign-based, we are hoping that as most of the leagues in Europe are rounding off, the players will all be available for the build-up.
"I think the coach has submitted his programme to the technical committee and has started executing some of them. We believe in Siasia and we know he is going to do a good job as he did in the past."
FOLLOWING the scathing criticisms that have trailed the performance of the Super Eagles in their 0-0 draw against the Mambas of Mozambique, Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medallist, Joseph Dosu, has called on soccer loving Nigerians not to mount unnecessary pressure on the team.
He said the Nigerian team needed to be free from any burden of blames to enable it beat Kenya in their next game, assuring that the Eagles have what it takes to qualify for the 2010 World Cup. Dosu told The Guardian recently that rather than worry about whether or not the team would qualify, the fans should be more concerned about how they can assist the team to put up good performances, win all the qualifying matches and do well at the mundial.
"Nigerians should not lose sleep over qualification because we have players who are talented. What we need is to motivate them to perform," he said. "By now, we should be talking about how the boys can play well and ensure that we win most of our games, instead of mounting unnecessary pressure on them."
Commenting on how the players and technical crew can be motivated, Dosu said: "To be invited to the national team and put on the green and white jersey is in itself a form of encouragement. And I learnt that their allowances was recently increased, which I believe should propel them to fight for Nigeria and get to the expected level."
Also in the news
Eaglets' issue tops, as monitoring committee is inaugurated
By Olalekan Okusan, Lagos and Ezeocha Nzeh, AbujaAS the eight-man monitoring committee constituted to oversee the Golden Eaglets' preparation for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup is being inaugurated in Abuja today, the team's build-up for the championship will top agenda at the committee's maiden meeting.
Disclosing this to The Guardian yesterday, a board member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and member of the committee, Taiwo Odebunmi, said the substantive coach of the team would be named after the technical body submits its report to the committee. Odebunmi said: "We are still awaiting the reports of the NFF technical committee on the team and until the report is submitted, we cannot decide on who will handle it for now.
"Also, the visit by FIFA is part of the things still delaying everything. We hope that if the FIFA inspection team finishes its work we will know the next thing. For now, everybody is working toward ensuring that the final nod of hosting is given by FIFA.
"Even as the committee is inaugurated tomorrow (today) in Abuja, the team's preparation will top the agenda at the first meeting. We want to ensure that as we are hosting, we will have a good team in the championship."
The eight-man committee is headed by Obinna Ogba while the team is currently being tutored by assistant coach Monday Odigie. On the Flying Eagles, the Ekiti State FA boss said the NFF board is satisfied with the team's build-up so far. He remarked: "We are indeed satisfied with the coach Samson Siasia-led Flying Eagles because we believe the coach is still building the team and he needs time to get a formidable team for the World Cup holding in Egypt.
"We cannot blame him for the team's performance against Trinidad and Tobago because most of the players that will take part in the World Cup are yet to resume with the team. With a majority of the players invited being foreign-based, we are hoping that as most of the leagues in Europe are rounding off, the players will all be available for the build-up.
"I think the coach has submitted his programme to the technical committee and has started executing some of them. We believe in Siasia and we know he is going to do a good job as he did in the past."
Source: Guardian
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