junnyjake:


I don't know, for any reason in the past I've seen this moniker and respected the person behind it.


But this post?? Man, I've lost every iota of respect I've had for you.

junnyjake:
I'm 97% sure of seeing this lineup tomorrow.

junnyjake:
I'm 97% sure of seeing this lineup tomorrow.

TrueHuman:
omg...... zambia go collect

BascoVanVeli:
Pinnick Promises More Deals As NFF Sign Three-Year Agreement With TGI Group

 0 October 6, 2017 7:32 pm

By Nurudeen Obalola in Uyo: The Nigeria Football Federation on Friday signed a partnership and sponsorship agreement with the agricultural processing conglomerate Tropical General Investment Group here in Uyo on Friday as the Super Eagles prepared to face Zambia in a World Cup qualifier, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.

TGI Executive Director Onyekachi Onubogu signed the three-year agreement on behalf of TGI, while President Amaju Pinnick, Vice-Presidents Seyi Akinwunmi and Shebi D ikko, as well as League Management Company Chief Executive Officer Nduka Irabor, represented the NFF at the signing ceremony held at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium.

“TGI is a multi-national agricultural processing conglomerate and we have the largest rice mill in Nigeria, which is in Kebbi State,” Onubogu said at the press conference to announce the partnership.
“We have invested big in Nigeria and we want to show loyalty and passion for Nigeria by investing big in football. Football is very important in Nigeria and this is an opportunity to work with the NFF and help develop Nigerian football.
“We support the NFF’s desire to grow Nigerian football with private sector participation. We want to partner with the NFF in ensuring Nigerian football grows from strength to strength. We hope other corporates will partner with the NFF to grow Nigerian football.
“We at TGI are privileged and excited to be associated with the NFF and Nigerian football. We hope the Super Eagles will do very well at the World Cup, because I believe they will qualify tomorrow; it’s a formality.”

Pinnick praised TGI for identifying with Nigerian football, and promised that more of such partnership agreements would be signed.

“This is an important moment in Nigerian football’s drive for excellence,” the NFF President said. “We’re happy a huge conglomerate like TGI is partnering with us. They’ve seen our processes and our integrity and they’ve seen we want to be 100 per cent private- sector driven to refocus Nigerian football.
“Lots more partnerships like this one will come after the Super Eagles secure the World Cup ticket. TGI is a very thorough company and they have shown with this agreement that they find our processes satisfactory.
“More Nigerian companies should identify with us because football is huge in this country. I saw loads of buses heading to Uyo as I was driving down from Warri. All of them were coming for tomorrow’s match.”

Dikko explained that the partnership is for three years, with three of TGI’s numerous products being the ones involved for now.
He added that TGI’s Big Bull Rice is now the official rice of the Super Eagles. TGI also has the option of sponsoring the Super Falcons while they will sponsor the Super Eagles man of the match in subsequent matches.

Dikko however did not disclose the monetary value of the deal, promising to provide details later.

Nigeria host Zambia in a key World Cup qualifier here in Uyo on Saturday with a win guaranteeing passage for the Super Eagles.

https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/pinnick-nff-sign-year-agreement-tgi/

BascoVanVeli:
Living Inside Zambia Coach Nyirenda’s Head: How The Chipolopolos Are Likely To Play Against Nigeria On Saturday

 6 October 6, 2017 4:58 pm
From Kayode Ogundare, who was in Accra:

One (dis)advantage of going undercover for any assignment is the likelihood of you falling in love with your quarry.

I must admit I didn’t think much about Zambia coach Wedson Nyirenda until the last few days when I got the brief that I was going to be covering the Chipolopolos’ preparations at their Accra, Ghana training camp.

And, after watching him work at close quarters with his players in four training sessions at the Marcel Dassailly-owned Lizzy Training Complex, I want to pretend that I know enough of how his mind is working ahead of the all-important World Cup qualifier against Nigeria on Saturday at the magnificent Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.

For starters, Zambia’s preparations have been bogged down by injuries and withdrawals, and the possibility of captain and first-choice goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene not been fully fit for the game.

So, acting on this premise, I won’t be surprised if stand-in goalkeeper Toaster Nzabata gets the nod if Mweene fails to make the team.

I don’t know why but I think Nyirenda is working on the assumption that the soft underbelly of the Nigerian team is in their defence, especially the full-backs, and he’s working hard to exploit that frailty. All through the training sessions, assistant coach Aggrey Chiyanji was constantly in charge of the strikers and their routine comprised mainly of trying to break down the full-backs with Fashion Sakala and Alex N’gonga doing quick runs to the right and left while relying on thorough balls from the midfield anchor which would likely be Enoch Mwepu or Chisamba Lungu or even both of them depending on what formation the coach decides on.

In the middle of the park, I expect the experienced Konduani Mtonga and Kabaso Mulenga to support Mwepu and Lungu in a four-man midfield but, should Nyirenda chose a more offensive formation, Mtonga gets my vote to play with Mwepu and Lungu in midfield in a 4-3-3 formation.

A 4-3-3 formation will mean a mobile four-man defence and I will vote Simon Silwimba, Fackson Kapumbu, Ziyo Tembo and the imposing Stoppila Sunzu. If for nothing else, this quartet has played together in the back-to-back victories over Algeria and that familiarity will help understanding among them.

Now, stretching it further, an adventurous Nyirenda knows he cannot afford to sit back and allow the Super Eagles to come at his team so he’s condemned to attack and a three-man attack looks very attractive.

Sakala, N’Gonga and Patson Daka(if he shakes off his knock) should get the starting nod against Nigeria and this, I must say, is a pretty strong side able to eke out a result.


Zambian hopes rest on the young Sakala

Tactically, the strategy is to nullify Nigeria’s very offensive play by stifling the attacking intent of the Super Eagles. This is where Sunzu’s imposing build and the experience of Mtonga and Mulenga will come in handy.

Conventional wisdom will dictate that a coach be wary of a backlash against the venomous firepower of the Nigerian team, especially at the Uyo stadium where they have scored seven goals in two games in World Cup, but Nyirenda is anything but conventional.

If anything, he’s a maverick. I give him an A for boldness and guts. He’s doing what most African coaches rarely do: look so-called star players in the face and drop them.

If calling the bluff of players like Fwayo Tembo was not enough, dropping Rainford Kalaba took some guts. I thought he was and still is a decent player. Besides, he’s captained the team. Who drops captains?

Nyirenda’s quiet revolution will yield fruit for Zambia in time provided he stays on track and the Football Association allow him to continue in the job.

However, meeting Nigeria at this stage, with a World Cup ticket at stake, is a bridge too far. We may underrate our own team, and I’m not saying this lightly, but the Super Eagles is one of, if not, Africa’s most attack-minded team. There are just too many offensive pressure points in the team such that you can’t plug all at once.

zambia-players-train-ahead-of-clash-with-eagles

Zambia’s time will come, maybe in 2022 because the current squad, made up of very young players is too talented not to play at the highest level.

Now time to look into my crystal ball and hazard a guess as to what Zambia’s probable starting line-up would be on Saturday.

My guess is as follows: Mweene; Silwimba, Kapumbu, Sunzu,Tembo; Mtonga, Mulenga, Lungu, Mwepu; Daka, Shonga

https://www.completesportsnigeria.com/living-inside-zambia-coach-nyirendas-head-chipolopolos-likely-play-nigeria-saturday/

TheGoodJoe:


I hope Pinnick and his NFF members intend to promote a Super Eagles B team to keep playing friendlies and also get our junior teams also playing friendlies during the international break.

We need to keep developing our players.

OMANBALA1:
I dont know about anyone else but I dont care for English groomed players...Most are technically poor. We dont need those boys with no real talent. I dont care for England and I sure dont care about that old hag called queen elizabeth!! ffuuck england ,ffuuck premiership and any goddam nigerian that glue himself to tv watching it.

Daejoyoung:
NFF now attracting more sponsors, good one l must say.

Kog45:
My man am not talking about age, if he is damn good no issue but we don't need any average keeper again,what we need now is top class keeper.

How are u sure byJanuary he w be number 1 despite not making it to d bench at d moment and u believe we can bank on such keeper for WC coz he is in Deportivo LA Coruna.

Icon79:
Oh my, oh my .... I wish that this line up pans out tomorrow:

Team A – Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Ola Aina, Shehu Abdullahi, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, O‎genyi Onazi, Wilfred Ndidi, John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi, Odion Ighalo.

Ola Aina at LB for Elderson
And Iwobi for Simeon

If that happens, then we'll win the game easily.

FYI - I would've like to see KC start ahead of Ighalo but those two changes are more important to me.

O pari

ChrisKels:


Before u argue next time, make sure u understand the message. I said "IF". My statement was conditional and u are here pushing down the wall of Jericho over nothing. Nawa oo.

Good morning jor

Daejoyoung:
NFF now attracting more sponsors, good one l must say.

Mujtahida:

Do you know that I noticed that you've not really said anything directly on the Nigerian v Zambia game? What's goan?

TheGoodJoe:


I hope Pinnick and his NFF members intend to promote a Super Eagles B team to keep playing friendlies and also get our junior teams also playing friendlies during the international break.

We need to keep developing our players.

soetanoreoluwa:


Cadet teams are settled for the boys....with zenith banks

Only the SE team B and female counter partstill remain...

Just hope we qualify today... It will open alots of doors for us...

TheGoodJoe:


I have not read anywhere that Zenith Bank is sponsoring our Junior National teams. I mean a case where we have a steady coach working and building earlier than the regular time table and playing friendly games with local and foreign oppositions. I doubt we have something close to that.

TheGoodJoe:


I have not read anywhere that Zenith Bank is sponsoring our Junior National teams. I mean a case where we have a steady coach working and building earlier than the regular time table and playing friendly games with local and foreign oppositions. I doubt we have something close to that.

goldfish80:
I feel good about today's game. The Zambians have no chance whatsoever to take away even a point from this.

At the 2013 nations cup the Zambians came in as defending champs, all pumped up and very boastful against an uncertain Super Eagles side, they only managed to pull a draw courtesy of a free gift from the referee. It must be said at the time, Kalusha Bwaya was a strong man in CAF.
Anyone who follows African football knows how muddy the CAF political climate can be.

These days, Kalusha's influence have weaned, we have seen the rise of Amaju Pinick to the CAF high table. Our last game against Cameroon, I saw more than a few 50/50 calls go our way. Today won't be any different.
We are beating Zambia by a 2-3 goal margin qith Victor Moses opening the floodgates from the penalty spot.

Someone bookmark this. I will be happy to be called out if this doesn't come to pass (very much unlikely).