Vanguard, TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2014 — 51
City splash £300,000 on Iheanacho’s father I
T has been learnt that Kelechi Iheanacho’s father and Taye Academy have received half of what was promised them by Manchester City. That would mean City have splashed at least 300,000 pounds to secure the talented Iheanacho, who was picked by FIFA as the best player at last year’s U17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. MTNFootball.com specially gathered that City have rescinded a decision to make payments to the Iheanachos until January next year and both the player’s father and the academy that started him out have thus received half of what was agreed with them. “Iheanacho senior is now smiling to the bank as he has been paid half of what was promised him after his son signed for City,” a source familiar with this transaction told MTNFootball.com “This shows how badly the EPL want the youngster.”
Uzoenyi dedicates T award to son P
with the attacking play of the North Africans, who will be difficult proposition for the Super Eagles, who Sunday qualified for the first knockout stage after emerging second in Group. Meanwhile, despite Super Eagles outstanding display against Bafana Bafana in their final group game on Sunday night, Head Coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, says the team is still work in progress but expressed happiness that the players are finally playing to his instructions. “The magic was that we simply asked the boys to go out there and play their game without pressure, enjoy your game and be yourself and I think they got that right perfectly against a very difficult opponent”. He also has harsh words for critics of some of his players, declaring that no one is perfect but we have to work on our imperfections
ETIT Super Eagles winger Ejike Uzoenyi, who has won back to back the Man of the Match for the national team at the ongoing CHAN tourney has dedicated the award to his four year old son David Uzoenyi, who turned four last Sunday, the day the match was played. “Earlier in the day my wife called me to remind me that Junior was four years on the day and I promised her that I will give him a special present with my performance. That was exactly what I did with the two goals and my Man of the Match Award. I give God all the glory for all He has been doing for
•Iheanacho
Eagles Continued from back page
Glo hails Eagles’ Quarter final berth
me”, he said. Uzoenyi also seized the opportunity to correct impressions about his date of birth and true age. “Tell them I was born March 23 1992, all other reports to the contrary should be discarded because nobody but my parents can tell me my age”, he said with a wry smile. While also thanking his teammates for the tremendous support he received throughout the games, Uzoenyi promised that he will get better in subsequent games of the championship. “We are here for a goal and we will not relent until we achieve that goal”, he said.
You’re a bunch of losers — SA Minister to reach our goals. He was referring to the criticisms of first choice goalkeeper and captain, Chigozie Agbim. On his part, South African Coach, Gordon Igesund, praised the physicality of the Super Eagles and attributed the success of the team to that against his side. “We have no excuses to give here, we simply lost to a better team and we don’t deserve to win . I must congratulate Stephen Keshi and his team”, he declared on Sunday night. He also said he expects the South African Football Association (SAFA), to allow him continue in his post because the team have really grown under him. Reeling out statistics, Igesund said under him the team played 28 matches and scored 40 goals against some of the best national teams in the world including a defeat of reigning world champions Spain. “I am happy with these results and I hope I am allowed to continue to do my job with SAFA”, he said.
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OUTH Africa have been labelled “a bunch of losers’’ by the country’s sports minister after they were eliminat-
Continued from back page Chigozie Agbim, has attributed his quick return to form to the counseling of Head Coach Stephen Keshi, his family members and fans who kept urging him on when others had written him off. “After the last match I came under heavy criticism but I had to go into prayers and God heard me, then my family members were calling to say I can do it, some of my fans back home also called to wish me well. But most importantly my coach had the belief in me when most people wrote me off, I have to say thank you to him”, Chigozie said in a pensive voice. He also has soothing words for his teammates who were always behind him in times of criticisms.
ed in the group stage of the African Nations Championship. The hosts of the tournament for home-based
Agbim “My mates were there for me all the time and that also helped me to pull through my travails.” Meanwhile, Coach Stephen Keshi has hailed the superb debut of Bendel Insurance of Benin winger back, Obanor Erhun, describing him as a beckon of hope for players in the lower rung of the Nigerian league. “We brought 23 players here because we believe any of them can fit in when crisis arises and Obanor demonstrated that on Sunday. Other players in the league, whether amateur, national or Premier league should have the belief that they can make the national team once they are good enough, because Obanor has proved it and there are no biases if a player is good”.
players lost 3-1 to Nigeria on Sunday to suffer a humiliating exit. “What I saw was not a problem of coaching, it was a bunch of losers,” Fikile Mbalula told a news conference. “That mediocrity that was displayed… we must never wake up to that again.” Bafana Bafana finished third in Group A, having lost to Nigeria, drawn with Mali and beaten only Mozambique. Continue reading the main story “We have to agree we were dismissive and even insulting to the quality of football on the continent” Danny Jordaan South African FA president Mbalula believes their failure to reach the knockout stage shows there are fundamental problems with the team. “Their performance was not even lacklustre, it was useless. We must go back to the drawing board,” he said.
ELECOMMUNICA TIONS giant, Globacom, has congratulated the home based national team; Super Eagles campaigning in the on-going African Nations Championship in South Africa on its qualification for the quarter finals, describing it is a good omen for Nigerian football. The Eagles defeated hard fighting Bafana Bafana of South Africa by three goals to one to emerge runners up in Group A behind Mali who also defeated Mozambique. A statement by Globacom in Lagos on Monday described the Eagles as true conquerors, urging them to go for the trophy. The Eagles opened scoring in the 22 second minute through Ejike Uzoenyi before Ifeanyi Ede added the second goal through a penalty. Ejike scored the third goal in the 64th minute before the South Africans pulled one back through Bernard Parker ’s penalty in the 74th minute. It was a remarkable comeback for the Nigerians who lost the first match to Mali by 1 goal to two and struggled against the Mambas of Mozambique in an encounter that ended 4-2 in Nigeria’s favour. “We reckon with the great fighting spirit the team has, so far demonstrated and we believe the spirit will help the team to achieve the ultimate goal of lifting the trophy,” the statement said. “A team that has scored 8 goals in three matches deserves commendation and we urge them not to rest on their oars until the trophy is lifted.” Glo stated, adding that the improving performance of the Nigerian side in the championship is a positive narrative for the Nigerian Premier League sponsored by Glo. Globacom also commended the Eagles’ coaching crew led by Coach Stephen Keshi for their tenacity while asking Nigerians to sustain their support and prayers for the team.