Reflections On The Past 15 Months (3)

While this column is not designed to respond to such questions, it is important that one point out here that there are so many activities, programmes, projects and events that a Football Federation gets involved in that gulps so, so much money. I will only mention a few of the activities that we were involved […]

While this column is not designed to respond to such questions, it is important that one point out here that there are so many activities, programmes, projects and events that a Football Federation gets involved in that gulps so, so much money. I will only mention a few of the activities that we were involved in this year.

At the beginning of the year, the U-20 National Team (Flying Eagles) entered camp for a first phase of camping for the African Youth Championship, initially billed to take place in Libya. Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses. There was also the Draw Ceremony for the event attended by the Director of Technical and the Head Coach of the team, in Tripoli.

Then, we had to buy a brand-new car for the then Head Coach of Super Eagles, Mr. Samson Siasia, who was new in office and whom we were determined to make happy in order for him to have motivation to do his job well.

The Flying Eagles entered a second phase of camping for the tournament in Libya, and we then made arrangements for the team to proceed to that country for a two-match tour, against the U-20 Team of the host nation. In-between, the Super Falcons had to start the first phase of camping for the 2011 FIFA World Cup finals for which they had qualified to participate, in Germany in the summer. Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses.

While the elections into the Boards of the various Leagues took place at the NICON Luxury hotel, Abuja, there was also the Welcome Tour programme by the organizers of the FIFA Women’s World Germany 2011 – the LOC visited all the 15 other countries that qualified for the competition.

Away from that, there was the international friendly match between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere. In Libya, the Flying Eagles had to hastily pack their bags and head for a 25-day training camp in Antalya, Turkey, when the civil unrest in Libya broke out unexpectedly. The 25-day stay in Turkey was at the full expense of the NFF.

The team played six friendly matches in Turkey, flew to Dubai to go and play two other friendly matches against Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and flew back to Turkey. By the time the team returned to Nigeria, CAF had moved the tournament from Libya and shifted it by one month. There was now the issue of where the team would go and camp.

We approached the Government of Rivers State, and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi obliged us with the camping of the team in Port Harcourt for one month. Players’ and Coaches’ allowances had to be paid.

Determined to ensure that the team did not lack anything in the technical area, the NFF employed a physical trainer, Manfred Bender, to help the team as it prepared for the African Youth Championship. For the Super Falcons preparing for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany, we also decided to employ a technical assistant for Eucharia Uche. That was how Thomas Obliers came on board.

The U-23 National Team, with fixtures for All-Africa Games and Olympic Games qualifiers upcoming, also had to start camping programme. Hotel accommodation, allowances and sundry expenses.

 

Dis-satisfied with the decision of the NFF Appeals Committee over their appeal against the elections into the Boards of the League, some disputants vehemently made this clear, and wrote to the NFF Executive Committee. The NFF had to set up an Arbitration Tribunal.

There was a first-ever NFF Licensed Players’ Agents Workshop in Lagos ( a two-day affair) and following that, the Super Falcons had to resume camping for London 2012 Olympics qualifiers.

The U-20 National Team (Flying Eagles) won the African Youth Championship in South Africa in May, and that meant some expenditure. Immediately after the competition, the team proceeded to South Africa for a four-nation invitational tournament.

There was the WAFU Cup tournament in Abeokuta, for which the Super Eagles were the defending champions, and there had to be pre-competition camping and allowances paid.

Ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, the Flying Eagles had to spend another one month in Port Harcourt, this time, with the NFF picking the bills. From there, the team moved to Faro, Portugal for a two-week camping, before proceeding to Panama for a four-nation invitational before jetting into Colombia.

The team played five matches in Colombia before losing out in the quarter finals, and winning four matches (the first African team to have won FOUR consecutive matches at a FIFA World Cup finals) meant win-bonuses added to allowances. No complaints.

Now, the Beach Soccer team. The team had two phases of camping before the African Beach Soccer Championship in Casablanca, Morocco in June – in Ajaokuta and in Badagry. The NFF is always grateful for the Lagos State Government for provision of the wonderful environment in Badagry for the team to camp ANYTIME. But in Ajaokuta, NFF bore all expenses, added to allowances.

Before taking part in the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals in Germany, the Super Falcons had a FOUR-WEEK training programme in Saalfelden, Austria, during which they played against the Women National Teams of Czech Republic and Slovakia, among other kick-abouts.

The Beach Soccer Team went all the way to the final of the African Beach Soccer Championship in Casablanca, Morocco in June before losing to Senegal, but still qualified for the FIFA Beach Soccer Championship in Ravenna, Italy. The team stayed two weeks in Faro, camping ahead of the tournament.

Ahead of the Olympics qualifier against Cameroon, the Super Falcons had to stay FOUR WEEKS in camp. Some expenditure. The team also played against Ghana in the race to the All-Africa Games, home and away. The girls lost narrowly on aggregate.

Now, the U-23 Team. The team played EIGHT QUALIFYING MATCHES, before landing in Morocco. They played home and away against Liberia and home and away against Ghana in the failed bid to qualify for the All-Africa Games. The side also defeated Equatorial Guinea home and away and beat Tanzania on aggregate to reach the Eight-Nation CAF U-23 Tournament.

The technical crew again organized a screening programme, before the team stayed 10 days in Ghana, returned to Nigeria and then took off for Morocco, ONE WEEK before the competition.

Presently, the U-17 girls and home-based Super Eagles are in camp in Abuja.

I have not mentioned other programmes of the NFF like the Federation Cup, Nigeria National League, Nigeria Women’s League and the Amateur League for which there are NO sponsors. There were also CAF ‘C’ Coaching Course, FIFA Associations’ Elite Referees Course and other courses and programmes, chartered flights to take our teams to qualifying matches, inspection of training camps, advance party to opposition territories, change of hotels, meetings of standing committees, attendance at seminars, workshops, commissioning events, awards, regional, continental and global Congresses and other football-related programmes.

I will continue on this matter next week.

Thank You, Your Royal Eminence

On Tuesday, I led some members of the NFF Executive Committee and Management to the Palace of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, and we were well-received and had a wonderful time as he spoke candidly and, like the father he is, offered excellent suggestions on the way forward.

I will go into some details on this next week, but let me say a very big THANK YOU to His Royal Eminence for the audience granted our team.

NFF Annual General Assembly

All roads, as they say, lead to the Royal Tropicana Suite, Kaduna on Thursday, 29th December, 2011 for the Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation. Several people have called or sent me sms wanting to know the ‘earth-shaking’ decisions that will come out of the AGA.

I have been telling them to wait for the day. It’s just around the corner.

I WISH YOU A MERRY XMAS AND VERY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE.

NEXT WEEK: Candid Suggestions of His Royal Eminence