60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2013
How we turned Eaglets into goal-scoring machines — Garba BY JOHN EGBOKHAN, Just back from UAE
W
ORLD Cup winning coach Manu Garba has spoken up for the first time on how the historic Golden Eaglets were turned into a goals-scoring machine at the 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup, which ended last weekend in the United Arab Emirates. The Golden Eaglets won the World Cup for a record fourth time after beating Mexico 3-0 in the final held at the Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The team scored 26 goals en route winning the Cup, a record feat since the competition started in China in 1985 and speaking on how his players were turned into sharp shooters, Garba told Sports Vanguard that it was down to the experienced coaching crew, which sold the philosophy of total attacking football to the players, who in turn replicated it n the pitch.
“When we started recruiting players into this team, the coaching crew wanted players who can score. We had to sell the idea to them that they must know how to score before
on the final day of the 2013 FIFA U 17 World Cup in Abu Dhabi last Friday. Chief Umeh was outraged that he, as Vice President of the Federation, was not given one of the 20 VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria and he verbally attacked Musa for that. Apparently angry about the development he yelled at Musa, saying that he was “useless.” Musa took offence and said that Umeh was an idiot. This was inside the stadium close to the VIP stand. Umeh got in with a ticket that only allowed him seat outside the VIP stand. And that was where Musa also sat. The two men were said to be going for their jugulars when they were prevented from fist cuffs. We gathered yesterday that the President of the Federation, Aminu Maigari is so embarrassed that he wants the federation members to probe the incident exclusively reported by Vanguard. This was after some members who witnessed the incident recounted their experience. The National Sports Commission which is the supervising sports body,
award, Nduka Ugbade, the skipper of the first Golden Eaglets that won the first FIFA Under-16 Cup and Emeka Amadi, who was a former goalkeeper of the Flying Eagles.
I
•Garba
Enahoro, Omini, shine at Southern Sun Ikoyi tourney
P
LENTY of fun, networking opportunities and a platform for gross fertilisation of ideas, were the hallmark of the 2013 Southern Sun Ikoyi Hotel
Golf Day, which took place at the Ikoyi Club 1938 Lagos. The event offered business associates, friends of the hotel, sponsors, golfers and invited guests the
convivial atmosphere to exploit the business opportunities available. At the end of the 18hole tourney, which employed foursome format of play, and
10-year-old Tennis whizkid opts to play 16s
M
ARYLOVE Edwards, 10, who sensationally beat a 14 year old opponent at the finals of the CBN Junior Tennis Championship in February, opted to play the Girls 16 category of the NNPC Shell Junior
NFF
Continues from BP
passing making the grade. “My task was made easy because I was surrounded by experienced former football stars like Emmanuel Amuneke, a winner of the African footballer of the year
we gathered, has also shown interest in the matter. It was a case of two wrongs. Ume was said to have lost his cool and called Musa a “useless” person which was wrong. Musa was also wrong to have said that Umeh was an idiot and useless. He had actually explained that he knew nothing about the VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria but Umeh expected him to be accountable to such tickets as SecretaryGeneral of the federation. As Vice President of the Federation Umeh deserved a VIP ticket. It was absolutely wrong not to have given him one. But should he have lost his cool? And when he did should Musa have attacked him too, knowing the supposed authority of Vice President of the federation? He was also said that “over my dead body ’’ would he apologise to Umeh. The question now is what happened to the 20 VIP tickets allocated to Nigeria especially when the vice President of the Federation was denied one? It is up to the expected probe to unravel.
Tennis Championship which started in Lagos yeterday but was restrained by her father who asked her to “make haste slowly.” Marylove was sponsored to a training programme in South Africa by the CBN following her excitiing performance and is bustling with a lot of confidence. She has
been drawn to play in the 12s which starts Tuesday. The maiden NNPC/ Shell Junior Championship which features competitions in boys and girls 10, 12, 14 and 16 age groups has attracted 152 entries from all over the country.
Bankers Games: Skye Bank edge UBA to win 4th title
which the best three scores per hole counted, it was the quartet of Andy Enahoro, Ofem Omini, Vitus Ezinwa and T. Okwoju that carried the day after posting a 96 stable-ford points to win on countback. In the competition, which is in its third year, and which over 130 golfers searched for honours, the team comprising of Martins Osadebe, Bunmi Lamikanra, C. Osamor and former chief executive of Union Bank, Godwin Oboh, finished second with 94 points.
N a carnival-like at mosphere, Nigeria Bankers Games Cup holders, Skye Bank on Sunday successfully defended their football event title and went on to set a new record four title wins. Skye Bank also emerged the first side to win the Cup three times on the trot. Skye Bank defeated United Bank for Africa (UBA) 5-3 on penalties after regular time score had stood at 1-1. Standard Chartered bank won the third place play-off against First Bank 7-6 on penalties after a hard fought game that ended with neither side scoring in regulation time. Skye Bank had lived dangerously through the final stages of the tournament winning all their games on penalties.
NOC scribe loses Mother
T
HE death has been announced of Mrs Deborah Bolaji Popoola aged 78. Mrs Popoola who passed on in Osun state was a Christian mother who touched a lot of lives. Her burial rites would be announced by the family. She is survived by her husband and many children among whom is the Secretary General of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, NOC, Hon. Tuinde Popoola.
L-R: Assistant Captain, Sterling Jets, Mr Joshua Adegboro; Regional Business Executive, Lagos Island, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Kayode Lawal; Group Head, Strategy and Communications, Mr Shina Atilola and Managing Director, Media Vision Ltd, Mr Fela Bank-Olemoh, during the presentation of the Overall Winner trophy of the Nigerian Bankers Games to Sterling Bank Plc at the Onikan Stadium in Lagos on Sunday
Igiebor Continues from BP Igiebor thus joins the list of Nigerian stars that have been ruled out of action for the remainder of 2013. It will be recalled that only recently the duo of Sone Aluko who plays
for EPL club Hull City and Babatunde Michael who does business in the Ukrainian League were both ruled out of action for the rest of the season owing to varying degrees of injuries.
BBC award
Continues from BP Africa, playing in the Fifa Confederations Cup and being on the verge of qualifying for the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil.
The winner will be decided by African football fans and announced on December 2. The final five on the list were voted by 44 journalists across Africa.
FIFA Continues from BP Palmeraie Golf Palace Hotel in Marrrakech by December 4. Peter Edibi is one of the six African referees invited, the others being Gassama Bakary Papa of Gambia ( who will handle Nigeria’s match against Ethiopia this week end ) Alioum Neant of Cameroun, Ogbamarien Angeson of Eritrea, Kabanda Felicien of Rwanda and Menkwande Evarist of Cameroun.
Bayern Munich, European Champions and favourites to lift the trophy have drawn bye and lie in wait for the winner of the confrontation between African Champions Al Ahly and the Asian Champions. Also to feature are Raja Cassablanca as host, CONCACAF Champions CF Monterey of Mexico, South American champions Clubbe Athletico Mineiro of Brazil and Auckland FC of New Zealand.