READ CHARLY BOY OPUTA'S OPEN LETTER TO PRESIDENT BUHARI, EXTOLS KACHIKWU AMID MEDIA BACKLASH

Social Engineer cum showbiz impresario, Charlyboy, popularly known as AreaFada has showered accolades on the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu in a new article he tagged letter to Mr. President.
In the letter, CB as he is also called warned all those calling for the Minister’s head to desist as according to him, Nigeria cannot afford to miss the opportunity of having him transform the oil sector.
Read letter below:
My dear Presido,
I trust you are not letting the rot and the decay you met in the system overwhelm you. I was filled with expectation when you emerged winner. I prayed that you would be a catalyst in redirecting our drifting country; because many things spoil no be small.
I can’t say that I was too thrilled with some of your selections for the ministerial posts, but I suspected you had a good reason for most of the choice you made. Your campaign was about change, which I hoped was all-encompassing change in our mindset, our attitude to work, and above all, not business as usual.
It is based on one of your outstanding ministerial selections that I write this personal letter to you.
My Presido, please tell all them brown nosed praise singers, called politrickcians to hands off meddling and interrupting the flow of our Honorable Minister of Petroleum. Dr Ibe Kachikwu. We are all aware of the plots, nonsensical, local and ethnic intrigues called politics being thrown up to tamper with Ibe Kachikwu’s position. I warn that a stop must be put to this.
We all know that corruption is fighting back the war against corruption. With the changes I have seen in NNPC and my personal interaction with this outstanding Nigerian of great repute, a humble, brilliant, intelligent and an outstanding scholar; one of the few patriots in your cabinet, it will be a disaster if we lose him. You know this is no lie.
While I don’t want to tow the line of ethnic or tribal propaganda, those claiming that this call for Kachikwu’s sack is entirely an ethnic proclivity may not be far from the truth, going by precedence we all know. At this stage and age of our democracy, such childish tendencies and immaturity ought to be dealt away with, if we all truly hold the interest of this nation dear. These useless yahoo yahoo leaders should desist from their frivolous, devisive, tribal, and ethnic politics and allow him do his job basically.
As a result of corruption, we have found round pegs in square holes; because of corruption, thieves and criminals took over leadership and because of corruption, our economy is in this mess.Even with your fight Sai Baba, you can see that winning the battle against corruption is not an easy one; it is worse than BokoHaram.
It is clear that most of the people responsible for our economic woes are fighting back, not knowing what you may do next. In my opinion, this is one of the ways they’re putting up the fight: they want to rid your government of the few who can make visible impact in a system that has hitherto been jeopardized.
These unscrupulous elements must not be allowed to find you predictable, they must not be able to hold you hostage in your own administration, they must not turn you to a mere stooge as it was the case in Nigeria in not too distant past. You no be zoombie.
Let those who know the job be allowed to do it or else, I will be forced to mobilize 2,000,000 protesters to march against this useless agitation.
Enough is enough, you are the President, please take charge.
What you decide to do next will determine, to a great extent, how this Naija ship is steered.
We are all watching, and waiting.
Thank you Your Excellency, for reading.
Best Regards,
Charles ‘CharlyBoy’ Oputa.

DR IFEANYI UBAH SLAMMED WITH A 10 GAME BAN AND 2.5 M NAIRA FINE FOR ACT OF HOOLIGANISM

Chief Ifeanyi Ubah has been banned for 10 games and fined N2.5 million following his violent conduct during a Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) game featuring his club, Ifeanyi Ubah FC and Heartland.

The billionaire proprietor had encroached on the pitch during a fracas after the South-Eastern derby and slapped Heartland FC goalkeeper Ebele Obi, elder brother of Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel.

The League Management Company (LMC) had initially fined the club N500,000, with Ubah merely getting a caution for his role in the uproar, while the Heartland goalkeeper got a 6-match ban.

However, emergence of a video that showed Ubah slapping Obi forced the Shehu Dikko-led LMC to review the sanctions and drop the hammer hard on the billionaire.

In addition to the fine and stadium ban, chief Ubah has been requested to offer a letter of apology along with an undertaken of good conduct.

In a bid to forestall a recurrence of such acts in the future, the LMC has forthwith banned all self-procured security personnel in and around NPFL match venues except those sanctioned by the regulatory body.

Ubah has until 5:00pm Saturday to appeal the decision.

The following tweets from the official handle of the LMC confirm the development.

League Management NG ✔ ‎@LMCNPFL
Chief Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, proprietor of FC Ifeanyiubah, is suspended from all #NPFL match venues for the next 10 matches.
5:19 PM - 31 Mar 2016

League Management NG ✔ ‎@LMCNPFL
He has now been fined N2.5m because LMC found him guilty of encroaching field of play & assaulting Heartland player Ebele Obi.
5:26 PM - 31 Mar 2016

League Management NG ✔ ‎@LMCNPFL
The fabled billionaire is expected to offer a letter of apology & an undertaking to be a good ambassador of the #NPFL.
5:31 PM - 31 Mar 2016

League Management NG ✔ ‎@LMCNPFL
The LMC further bans all self-procured security services other than those sanctioned by the LMC from all #NPFL match venues henceforth.
5:33 PM - 31 Mar 2016

League Management NG ✔ ‎@LMCNPFL
Ubah has up till 5pm on Saturday to appeal this decision if he objects the ruling. - See more at: http://www.gbam.tv/sport/ifeanyi-ubah-slammed-10-game-ban-n25-million-fine-slapping-heartland-goalkeeper#sthash.hquqB4Vm.dpuf

HECTOR CUPER OPENS UP ON TACTICS THAT KNOCKED THE EAGLES OUT OF AFCON QUALIFICATION

Egypt’s head coach Hector Cuper, has revealed their tactics which saw them beat Nigeria 1-0 on Tuesdday, to stand on the brink of qualifying for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

Ramadan Sobhy’s 65th minute goal was all the Pharoahs needed, to get all three points at home, four days after holding the Super Eagles to a 1-1 draw in Kaduna.
“I am very happy that we are on the verge of qualification to the African Cup of Nations. I am especially proud of managing this group of players who fought on the pitch for 90 minutes to secure the win for Egypt,” Cuper told the press.

“I am happy with my players’ fighting spirit. They did their best since they love their national team a lot.”
Cuper also specifically spoke about their counter-attack strategy that ultimately paid off.
“We played very well in the first half. The second half was not as good as the first, but that normally happens when you come against a tough opponent like Nigeria.,” he continued.
“We threatened the Nigerian goal with many counter-attacks, but were unlucky to finish them. We also could have easily conceded a goal during the match.

“We should all be happy now that we are on the verge of qualification although we know that we made a lot of mistakes that we will work on fixing in the upcoming period.”
Egypt are five points ahead of second-placed Nigeria, with one final round of games left in the qualifying series following Chad’s withdrawal.

EMMANUEL EBOUE FACES ONE YEAR BAN FOR REFUSAL TO PAY FORMER AGENT

Eboue has been ordered to pay up. Credit: PA

Sunderland defender Emmanuel Eboue will be banned for one year unless he settles a pay dispute with a former agent.

The 32-year-old Ivorian, who only signed for the Black Cats as a free agent on March 9, has been sanctioned by Fifa's disciplinary committee for failing to pay his former representative Sebastien Boisseau.

The case was heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but Eboue's appeal was dismissed and Fifa has now ordered that the ban be imposed for a year, or as long as it takes the former Arsenal full-back to settle the debt with Boisseau.

JOBLESS GARY MONK EYES VACANT VILLA JOB

Former Swansea boss Garry Monk is interested in the Aston Villa job, according to Press Association Sport.

The 37-year-old is looking to get back into management after leaving Swansea in December, and would not be fazed by the prospect of replacing Remi Garde despite the midlands club's likely relegation from the Barclays Premier League.

Garry Monk is interested in taking the Villa job. Credit: PA

It is believed Monk would relish the chance to help Villa rebuild, having spent 11 years at Swansea and aided their long-term development after joining as a player when they were in League Two.

Villa are weighing up their next move as they search for their fourth manager in 13 months, with Eric Black in charge for Saturday's visit of Chelsea.

Former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson and ex-Manchester United and Everton manager David Moyes are also in the frame.

Villa are 12 points from safety with just seven games left and appear destined to drop out of the top flight for the first time since 1987.

LAGOS BANS OPEN DISPLAY OF WARES AT OYINGBO MARKET

The Lagos State Government (LASG) on Thursday barred some traders from displaying their wares by the road sides and in the open at Oyingbo Market due to their failure to occupy some of the vacant shops in the multi-million naira new market.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who visited the market reports that the traders were barred by a team of officials of the Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), a state government-owned agency, and men of the state police command.
They were seen parading the market.

Mrs Iyabo Olusegun, a trader in the main Oyingbo Market, told NAN that the government wanted the traders to move into the new market complex inaugurated in March 2015 by former Gov. Babatunde Fashola.
Olusegun said that part of the delay in taking over the complex was because the traders had yet to resolve issues on right of ownership.
“Before the complex was built, some traders owned shops in the old market. Now that it is a new complex, if it is shared according to those who originally owned the shops, it will not go round them.
“There are other unresolved issues that have contributed to the delay in occupying the complex,’’ Olusegun said.

NAN recalled that Alhaja Basira Balogun, the women leader of the market, had earlier appealed to Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode to hand-over the new market complex to traders.
Balogun said that the handing over was long overdue since the market was inaugurated in March, 2015.
She said that if the market had been handed over to the traders, they would know how to distribute and manage it.
Balogun said that lack of adequate drainage channels around the entire market was causing flooding whenever it rained and urged the government to look into the issue.
Oyingbo Market was established in the 1920s as a depot for farm products and from there grew to a commercial centre.
The new complex has 902 lock-up shops, 49 open offices and 134 toilets.
Other facilities in the complex include a 150-capacity car park, water treatment plant, sewage and refuse treatment plants, fire safety gadgets, 1,000KVA transformers, and six-gate houses, among others

SPURS WELCOME BACK TOBY ALDERWEREILD FOR LIVERPOOL CLASH

Tottenham's title hopes have been handed a boost after Toby Alderweireld recovered from a stomach bug and is expected to be fit to face Liverpool on Saturday.

Alderweireld pulled out of Belgium's trip to Portugal. Credit: PA

Alderweireld pulled out of Belgium's trip to Portugal on Tuesday through illness but trained at Spurs on Wednesday and Thursday, with Spurs head coach Mauricio Pochettino now confident he will make the trip to Anfield.

The central defender has been an integral part of Tottenham's success this season and his fitness this weekend is crucial given victory at Liverpool would reduce the gap behind Leicester to two points, before the Foxes face Southampton on Sunday.

"He is OK," Pochettino said.

"He trained the last two days in a very good way. We need to assess him on Friday but we hope he will be in good condition to compete on Saturday."

READ THE INTERESTING EXCHANGE BETWEEN FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENT WHO CONFRONTS MALE STUDENT FOR SPOTTING DREADLOCKS

 A video showing a black female student recently confronting a white male student at San Francisco State University about his dreadlocks has prompted an investigation by the school.

In the video, which has garnered attention on social media since it was posted on Monday, the male student, later identified as Cory Goldstein, asks the female student: “You’re saying that I can’t have a hairstyle because of your culture? Why?”

“Because it’s my culture,” the female student, identified as Bonita Tindle, responded. Another student, who was not identified, is standing near the two of them during the conversation.

The university confirmed the names of the two students to ABC News.

Goldstein then argues that dreadlocks are also in Egyptian culture, asking Tindle, “Are you Egyptian? Nah, man, you’re not.”

Tindle then asks Goldstein if he’s Egyptian and he tells her that he’s not. As Goldstein grabs her arm to move her out of his way, Tindle asks if he knows where Egypt is and starts to push him and block him from going up the staircase.

When Goldstein asks her to stop touching him, Tindle mimics his voice and grabs his arm when he walks up a couple of steps. She tugs him down the stairs saying, “come back, come back.”

When he comes down the stairs she tells him, “You put your hands on me, you’re going to learn,” to which he starts to walk away and says, "I don't need your disrespect."

Tindle then turns her attention to the person filming the incident and asks, “Why are you filming this?”

The person responds, “For everyone’s safety,” and Tindle puts her hand in front of the camera.

Goldstein told ABC's San Francisco station KGO-TV that he had no intention of changing his hairstyle, but would have a respectful conversation with anyone about his choice.

"It's something I've had since I was 17 years old and something that's part of who I am. I believe they are powerful and helped amplify myself and helped me connect to this world," he said.

Goldstein filed a formal campus police report but did not file criminal charges, according to a San Francisco State University statement on Tuesday. The statement also clarified that the two students were not employees, even though the description of the video on YouTube stated that Tindle was a campus employee.

Tindle did not immediately respond to requests by ABC News for comment.

“San Francisco State University promotes the rights of the campus community to engage in free speech, but does not condone behavior that impedes the safety or well-being of others. We are taking the matter seriously and will promptly and thoroughly investigate this incident through applicable University channels, including our campus student conduct procedures," the university said.

WAR ON TERROR: PARIS BOMBING SUSPECT" EXTRADITION APPROVED

Abdeslam is suspected of involvement in November's Paris attacks.

Paris attacks suspect Salah Abdeslam is a step closer to being prosecuted in France after Belgium authorities approved his extradition.

Abdeslam was arrested on March 18 - four months after 130 people were murdered by extremists with allegiance to so-called Islamic State.

He answered some investigators' questions but then exercised his right to silence after deadly attacks in Brussels on March 22.

Abdeslam had initially objected to being extradited but changed his mind and now "wishes to cooperate with the French authorities", his lawyer said.

Belgian prosecutors said France and Belgium would now discuss how Abdeslam would be transferred to France.

Credit: ITV news

ANOTHER BITING CONTROVERSY! LEEDS FORWARD BANNED FOR BITING

Think you have heard the last on biting in football? think again!

Leeds forward Souleymane Doukara has been banned for eight matches by the Football Association for biting an opponent.

The incident happened early in the second half of the February 23 Sky Bet Championship 1-1 draw with Fulham at Elland Road.

Doukara has been banned for eight matches. Credit: PA

Fulham defender Fernando Amorebieta was the victim of the bite and was booked for his reaction. He was later sent off for a second bookable offence.

A FA statement read: "Souleymane Doukara will serve an eight-match suspension with immediate effect after he was found to have committed an act of violent conduct.

"The Leeds United forward was charged following an incident which occurred in the 54th minute of the game against Fulham on February 23, 2016.

"The breach of FA Rule E3, which the player denied at an Independent Regulatory Commission hearing on Wednesday, was considered a non-standard case given the seriousness and both unusual and violent nature of the misconduct.

"Mr Doukara was also warned as to his future conduct and fined £5,000."

NOMORELOSS: AUTOPSY REVEALS CAUSE OF DEATH, BURIAL DATES ANNOUNCED

New details of the burial of late popular singer and songwriter, Olumuyiwa Osinuga, popularly called Nomoreloss, have been released.

Recall that it was earlier announced that he would be buried on April 1, 2016.

The father of one died after an ailment on March 21 at the age of 39.

According to the new burial details made available to The NET, the Service of Songs will hold on Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Koga Studios, 2 Bolaji close, Off Kudirat Abiola Way, Alausa Ikeja.

Nomoreloss will be buried on Friday, April 8, 2016 at Ikoyi Cemetery after a funeral service at Four Square Church, Norman Williams, Off Keffi Street, Ikoyi at 10am.

Service of Songs and tribute will be between 4pm-9pm.

According to reports, the ‘Let Them Say’ songster died from chest infection (Pneumonia.)

OLAMIDE CLAPS BACK AT FANS BEGGING HIM MONEY ON SNAPCHAT

Nigerian indigenous rapper, Olamide, has called out to people who he claimed were beggars disturbing him for favours.

On his Snapchat, the YBNL boss said he was as hungry as those unnamed people begging him.

He wrote: “Don’t frustrate another person pikin, bug your parents, at least they brought you to this world.

“And some bugging ass dude ruining my day too.

“I’m chasing my dreams, chase yours. I’m hungry too,” the ‘Shakitibobo’ songster wrote.

PHOTOS OF SOME LAW MAKERS' VISIT TO AGATU COMMUNITY TODAY

Following the continuous attacks on Agatu people of Benue State by Fulani herdsmen, some members of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and some lawmakers, on Thursday visited some of the affected areas in the community.
The group also met with the State Governor, Samuel Ortom in Makurdi, the State capital.
See photos below:

Photo credit: NAN

FINALLY!!!GARY NEVILLE HAS BEEN SACKED AS VALENCIA COACH

Neville has been dismissed by Valencia.Photo: PA

Valencia have dismissed Gary Neville less than four months after his surprise appointment as head coach.

The 41-year-old, who is also a coach in Roy Hodgson's England set-up, was an eye-opening replacement for Nuno Espirito Santo in December, and he struggled to make an impression at the Mestalla.

With Valencia languishing in 14th place in the Primera Division table, Los Che on Wednesday announced Neville had been relieved of his duties as first-team coach, with former Liverpool assistant Pako Ayestaran taking the reins until the end of the season.

A statement published by the club on Wednesday afternoon read:

Valencia Football Club has today terminated its contractual relationship with Gary Neville as first team coach.

After carefully analysing the sporting situation, the club has decided to make this change in the best interests of Valencia for the remainder of the season.

The club thanks Gary Neville for his work and wishes him the best of luck in the future.

– VALENCIA CLUB STATEMENT

SUPER EAGLES' AFCON FIASCO: A DISASTER FORETOLD- Steve Austin Nwabueze

SUPER EAGLES’ AFCON FIASCO: A DISASTER FORETOLD- Steve Austin Nwabueze

The long faces, the exasperated sighs from both fans and players alike, the anguished frown of the gaffer etched conspicuously on his furrowed brows, the intent gaze of some of the NFF officials present at the magnificent stadium in Alexandria gazing absent mindedly at the pitch which was filled with jubilant Egyptian players and officials celebrating their qualification for the African soccer show piece all tell the story; the Eagles’ wings have been clipped. There would be no parting of the Red sea. There would be no Passover to the Promised Land. The Eagles would not sight let alone cross over to the Promised Land. 

 Where did it all go wrong? Who are the dramatis personae in this show of shame? Who do we finger in the ensuing blame game for all this? These questions and more raise more posers than answers for me. The palpable feeling of de javu was there for all to see and was indeed seen by those who refused to be blinded by patriotism and saw the cracks before they became manifest. The gung-hoo mind games adopted by interim gaffer, Samson Siasia before the double header failed to galvanise the team as expected. He talked the talk but did he exactly walk his talk? It is unbelievable that in the tempestuous period under reference, the Super Eagles had had a change of baton for both coach and captain, three times. Three coaches, three captains; those were what it took the Nigeria Football Federation to prosecute this fiasco misnomerly called qualifiers. Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh and Samson Siasia on the one hand as coaches and Vincent Enyeama, Ahmed Musa and Mikel Obi as captains, all got their bites at the cherry. So what happened to stability? What happened to continuity? 

For 9 months the powers that be in the NFF kept playing Russian roulette with our football typified by characteristic knee-jerk reactions and erratic behavior, Nigeria made it a hat-trick of non-qualification in four years for Africa’s biggest soccer show fest having previously failed to qualify in 2012, 2015 & 2017. Accusing fingers would readily point at the likes of Oliseh but can we just take a back seat and reflect for once?  This article is an expose of the factors that caused the present rot and I would try as much as possible to offer a prognosis to the malaise. At the centre of all these meltdown is the Nigeria Football Federation which was more interested in politicking than doing their job. The avoidable distraction caused by the Oliseh saga certainly didn’t help matters. The NFF managed to pay outstanding match bonuses to players during the latest match assignment and then you wonder what happened to team morale. Questions would certainly be asked as to the decision behind the choice of Kaduna as a venue for the all important tie. How did other departments that played a part in all this fare?

The Players

How many of our players play regularly for their clubs in Europe? Am not particularly interested in the clout of the club. How many of our boys on display play week-in week-out? Mikel Obi until the appointment of Guus Hiddink by Chelsea was a perennial bench warmer and has refused and or neglected to seek more playing time elsewhere. The likes of Onazi on the average makes just one or two substitute appearances  for Lazio in the Serie A.  The new lads in Iheanacho and Iwobi are established fringe players for City and Arsenal respectively. Moses Simon is not a regular for Genk in Belgium same goes for Victor Moses for West ham. That leaves just Ahmed Musa and Odion Ighalo as the only regulars for their respective clubs in the team. Successive coaches of the Super Eagles have found it difficult to discover creative players in the midfield who can step into the shoes of the likes of Oliseh, Finidi, Amunike and Okocha in the midfield area. What we have seen is a recycling of the usual names in the team. Whether this is as a result of fear of rocking the boat, one thing is clear; until we rediscover that creative spark, re-enacting our days of glory of the Super Eagles may just remain a niggling mirage.

 We no longer have midfielders that can spray good 20 to 25 yard passes into the opposition’s final third. What we see are midfielders doing the easy 5 yard and side ways passes. Much as one would not want to clamour for the Jay-Jay-esque master dibbling midfielder, fans love to see a midfielder who entertains and carves out openings for his strikers. With all due respect to the energy and industry of the Onazi’s and Mikel’s of this world, the job of a midfielder strictly goes beyond running the entire length and breadth of the pitch. The possession stats of the team should count for something in terms of creativity. Unfortunately, the likes of Victor Moses and Umar Aminu were particularly guilty of having too many lazy touches of the ball only to lose possession in vital areas. Mikel and Onazi have both developed into robust box to box midfielders in their respective careers and are therefore very similar in their roles. An attack savvy coach would play one and not both at the same time since they both offer energy and drive but very little guile, penetration and invention and so, if you crave creativity, you would have to play one at a time. Interestingly, both Oliseh and Siasia tried to address this issue. Oliseh had to drop Mikel for the return friendly against Swaziland. His reason was that he wasn’t moving the ball quickly enough. 

An unheralded Paul Onobi of Sunshine stars of Akure was drafted to do the job and we all saw the difference. Mikel is no longer the trequartister that holds the ball and carves opening for his strikers like he did in 2005 and therefore, playing him either as a deep lying playmaker or as an advanced central midfielder would depend on the opponents and the tactics of the team. He depends more on brawn than his brain in doing his job as a deep lying playmaker. Even as a deep lying play maker, one should be able to see some defence splitting passes forward to the likes of Ighalo to pounce. Andrea Pirlo, one of the finest midfielders of his generation transited from the trequartister that he is, to a deep lying playmaker for both Juventus and the Azzuris of Italy. while the likes of Marchisio and Pogba who still have the energy to run around seek to support the attack from the midfield in a more advanced role, Pirlo sits deep to spray those lovely passes that put opposing defenders in deep trouble. That is what the coaches want from the likes of Mikel but he simply lacks the guile, incision and vision to make such forward passes like Pirlo. The answer therefore is to seek another midfielder who can fill the creative void. Oliseh sought to address this by inviting the likes of Rabiu Ibrahim and Haruna Lukman. Siasia dropped Onazi to play Etebo who is a natural forward to play in the middle. Although he rewarded the coach with a goal in Kaduna, the gamble backfired terribly in the second leg. Surely, the local lads would have been given a chance to prove themselves in that department.

The Attack 

 Ighalo has endured some sort of mixed fortune for club and country. While he bangs in goals with reckless abandon for Watford FC, he keeps drawing blanks for the Super Eagles which is a serious indictment of creativity in the Eagles’ team. Apart from a goal scored in a world cup qualifier from the spot, Ighalo has endured a torrid time in front of goal. Iheanacho has grown from an attacking midfielder who stays at the pinnacle of a diamond midfield trio to a central striker. The statistics are graciously in his favour this season as the City striker with the most conversion rate in the team. This seems rather flattering when you have proven strikers like Sergio Aguero and Wilfried Bonny. 

We would all appreciate the improvement the kid has made in his career when we realize that the likes of Edin Dzeko were sold to pave way for him. So, how come we have one of the most potent strike force in Ighalo and Iheanacho and still fell goal shy? Nigeria managed just a shot on target against Egypt in Alexandria and won 0 corner kicks. Ighalo looked an isolated figure for the most part. Etebo scored in Kaduna off a rebound from an Iheanacho shot which rattled the upright before falling kindly to Etebo who just had to slot home into an empty net. Iwobi’s speed, Victor Moses’ pace and trickery, Iheanacho’s guile and industry and Ighalo’s prolific goal scoring form were enough to guarantee us at least a win at home. But unfortunately, the Eagles fell shy of the needed armoury to bite.

Defence

This department is without doubt the most suspect and culpable among all the departments in the team. But for the heroics of the goal keepers in goal for both legs; Carl Ikeme in the first leg, Daniel Akpeyi in the second leg, the Eagles would have been thoroughly embarrassed by the Egyptians. In the 2nd leg most especially, Nigeria would have conceded as much 2 goals in 7 minutes but somehow the goal keeper kept his shape and focus. Not so for the defence however as they kept making unforced errors in the defensive third especially the likes of Amuzie Stanley who had a torrid time with the pace of Salah. Siasia‘s decision to overlook the likes of Troost Ekong and Leon Balogun in his selection baffled many with the error-prone duo of Ambrose Efe and Godfrey Oboabona constantly on the edge

Tactics 

Siasia had the most pressure-free jobs any manager can dream of. He had a very short time to prepare the team and did his best under the circumstances. His knack for playing free-flowing attacking football showed in the game in Kaduna when the team enjoyed spells of possession and indeed controlled the game. Perhaps the saying that “a lone goal lead is never a lead” propelled him to keep pouring men forward without paying attention to the defence. This was even shown in the 80th minute introduction of Alex Iwobi whose major value was perhaps  getting a competitive cap for Nigeria to ward off interests from the likes of England which was already circling and no more. It was less than ten minutes to go. 

The prudent thing to do therefore was to close shop and see off the tie. Unfortunately, the pharaohs had other ideas. Questions would again be asked why the likes of Iheanacho whose energy and industry kept the Egyptians wary sat out the entire second leg. The team was a goal down and the last dice you throw as a coach is to bring in a defensive minded player in Azubuike Okechukwu?. The ineffective Ahmed Musa was also selected for the second leg after the shambolic display in the 1st. one would certainly excuse these obvious tactical gaffes because of the short notice of the job.

All in all, we would have to be content with watching the AFCON on our Tv sets without our darling Eagles. Unfortunately, we keep talking about going back to the drawing board without a thought in the world about long term targets and goals. The emphasis is always on winning the next game 

AFCON QUALIFIERS OUSTER: NIGERIANS COME FOR NFF PRESIDENT, AMAJU PINICK. CHOI (SEE TWEETS)

 

MunchesFX‏@Super_Munche

In other sane clines Amaju Pinnick need not be told to apologise to sport loving Nigerians & tender his resignation latter 4 his ineptitude

3:38 AM - 30 Mar 2016

 

Zagi Victor Gabriel‏@mr_vagz

The god of soccer frowned at Amaju Pinnick but I am sure the Banks will at him.

3:41 AM - 30 Mar 2016

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Emmanuel Chibugo‏@iamnuelo

Amaju Pinnick spend more time on AY show dan his work.

3:46 AM - 30 Mar 2016

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Auay Jokesomefun‏@SundayAkinjide

Amaju Pinnick should be our Entertainment Minister. He's good at that. (AY show, Warri again, Comedy shows and the likes)

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2:50 AM - 30 Mar 2016

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Deji Kofi FaremiVerified account‏@deejayfaremi

What needs to go wrong before the president of the NFF, Amaju Pinnick will take responsibility and resign? #AmajuPinnickOut

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1:11 AM - 30 Mar 2016

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