Nigeria/Gabon: Gabon 2017 Kicks Off Without Super Eagles

By David Ngobua

The 31st edition of the biggest football event on the continent of Africa, the Total Africa Cup of Nations, Gabon 2017 will commence this afternoon in Libreville as the host nation Gabon take on Guinea Bissau at the Stade de I'Amitie, Libreville.


Unfortunately the green white green flag of Nigeria will be conspicuously missing at the prestigious football tournament, after the Super Eagles lost the sole group ticket to the Pharaohs of Egypt.


As if jinxed, the Super Eagles had failed to qualify for the 2012 edition which Gabon co-hosted with Equatorial Guinea. As if that was not bad enough they again failed to qualify when Equatorial Guinea hosted the championship in 2015.


The failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for Gabon 2017 makes it six times the three time Africa Champions have failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. They did not qualify for the tournament in 1968, 1972, 1986, 2012, 2015 and now 2017.


The downward movement of the national team did not start today but it took a turn for the worse when the present leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation took over the glasshouse. For critics of the Amaju Pinnic led NFF board, missing the AFCON back to back at a time the Eagles should be on the ascendency is unpardonable.


Beginning from the late eighties, the Eagles appeared more regularly in the Africa Cup of Nations and often times ended up among the last four teams.


Before they won their second title in 1994, the Eagles were runners up in 1984, 1988 and 1990. They were again runners up in 2000 when Nigeria hosted the championship for the second time but lost in the finals to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon. The Eagles came third in 1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010 in Angola.


A look at the performance of the Super Eagles shows consistence in appearance and performance until in 2012 when the team again failed to qualify for Gabon-Equatorial Guinea. Even as the Eagles bounced back strongly to win their third title in 2013 under late coach Stephen Keshi, they failed to build on the success, thereby missing out in 2015 and 2017.


Consequently, teeming football fans in Nigeria will be left with no option but to watch other African football stars exhibit their skills on the big stage without their darling Super Eagles.


For emerging stars like Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi, Oghenekaro Etebor, Simon Moses and Leon Balogun, the failure of the Super Eagles to be in Gabon is a huge disappointment because they have been denied the chance to have a feel of the AFCON and also show their football skills on such a big stage.


In addition, the tournament in Gabon would have helped the Super Eagles prepare for the remaining matches of the 2018 World Cup to be staged in Russia. The new Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr needs every opportunity to imbibe his football philosophy into his players. Gabon 2017 would have been an ideal setting for him to assess his troops in a competitive setting. That too has been lost by the failure of the team to qualify.


While the Super Eagles are left to count their losses, other powerhouses in African football would be aiming to improve on their past performances in the championship.


Indeed, the absence of the Super Eagles has reduced the pressure on the Lions, the Foxes, the Elephants, the Black Stars, the Sparrowhawks, the Pharaohs, the Brave Warriors, the Eagles, the Panthers, the Teranga Lions, the Carthage Eagles, the Stallions, the Cranes and the Leopards from DR Congo.


Although there are no more minnows in African football, football pundits have since concluded that the contest for the title in Gabon will be among the superpowers namely Egypt, seven time winners of the championship, Cameroon and Ghana with four titles each not leaving out former champions like Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Ivory Coast and DR Congo.


Guinea Bissau are the only team that will be debuting at this tournament but countries like the host nation Gabon, Zimbabwe, Mali, Uganda, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Togo who are yet to win any title also have another opportunity to make history.


Even as the absence of nations like Nigeria, Zambia, Angola, Benin Republic, South Africa, Guinea, Mozambique and Namibia has denied football fans the opportunity to savour the talents they would have brought to the party, there would be no dull moment as far as quality football is concerned.


So for the next three weeks, the world will be treated to exquisite and breath-taking football to be cooked and served by some of the most talented football players on the continent of Africa.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201701140088.html

otezu5:
Breaking : (Photo) Liverpool Nigerian Defender Agrees Three-And-A-Half Year Deal


Allnigeriasoccer.com understands that Championship side Reading FC are on the brink of announcing the capture of Liverpool’s Nigerian defender Tiago Ilori.


Following a successful medical, the ex-Portugal U21 international has already agreed a three-and-a-half-year contract with The Royals, and might be unveiled as from Monday, January 16.

The deal hasn’t been fully finalized yet because of some minor clauses between clubs and his previous club.


London-born Ilori joined Liverpool from Sporting Lisbon in September 2013, and made three appearances in total for the Reds before Reading came calling.

He had loan spells with Granada, Bordeaux and Aston Villa.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

http://allnigeriasoccer.com/read_news.php?nid=21705

hian! This one's career too is about to enter dustbin, it is well.

Shakara must end one day

Davido opening ceremony @afcon.

terzurum5:
AF Nigeria Zambia
CAF Presidency: Madagascar FA boss challenges Hayatou


Issa Hayatou - CAF boss since 1988
by Samm Audu

CAF have confirmed Madagascar FA president Ahmad Ahmad will be the only candidate to challenge incumbent Issa Hayatou for the CAF presidency on March 16 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.


The contest will be for the 2017-2021 tenure.
CAF have ruled that henceforth the maximum tenure is three terms of four years each for the President.


The 70-year-old Hayatou from Cameroon has been CAF President since 1988. He was acting FIFA President in 2016 when Sepp Blatter was banned.


In 2015, CAF decided that officials could serve beyond the age of 70, which has now paved the way for Hayatou to contest again.


CAF executive committee member Ahmad is in his third period as Madagascar FA boss.
He will not contest to retain his Southern Zone seat on the CAF excos.


In other elections in March, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick will battle incumbent Moucharafou Anjorin of Benin Republic in West Zone B.


Pinnick’s nomination has been shrouded in controversy after members of his executive committee alleged he did not carry them along before this decision was taken.


The Nigerian government also said they will set up a committee to recommend “a suitable candidate” to represent the country.


Ghana’s Kwesi Nyantakyi will face-off with Kalusha Bwalya of Zambia and Leodegar Tenga from Zambia in the Anglophone group for a place on the FIFA Council.

africanfootball.com/news/678331/CAF-Presidency-Madagascar-FA-boss-challenges-Hayatou

This old man na big big thief. All these rules to enforce football militancy!!! Chai

Iwobi is having a great game...

Who is your CAN team? I am rooting for DRC because of their style of play

Ndidi and musa starting for Leicester

tbaba1234:
Who is your CAN team? I am rooting for DRC because of their style of play

I have been open about supporting Ivory Coast. They remind me most of Nigeria.

Ideye scores again.

tbaba1234:
Who is your CAN team? I am rooting for DRC because of their style of play

Egypt for obvious reasons

Ndidi looking good so far

tbaba1234:
Who is your CAN team? I am rooting for DRC because of their style of play

egypt

[color=#770077][/color]Hello everyone, I have been following this section since it was created but have been a silent observer. All due respect to everyone. I check everyday hoping to see goodjoe argue with someone, always waiting for safarigirl's sarcasm, or tbaba matured input. Also bascovanveli coming to settle fight occasionally. Such a wonderful and matured section. I will try to contribute occasionally though not easy for me

TheGoodJoe:
Alex Iwobi's ball control is pure class. Fun watching him when he is having a brilliant game.

Yep

That boy Iwobi impress me today, that guy is class. England will never forgive Nigeria for taking away Iwobi

joseph1013:
Now, you see why people don't bother watching the Nigerian Football League. A club side just abandoned an ongoing match because the centre referee sent an official of theirs off to the stand for an unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Heard Ifeanyi Ubah scored a legitimate goal which the ref disallowed before the sending off ish. Overall, bad publicity for our league.

zicky:
That boy Iwobi impress me today, that guy is class. England will never forgive Nigeria for taking away Iwobi

i simply like his touches. His vision is topnotch.

joseph1013:
Now, you see why people don't bother watching the Nigerian Football League. A club side just abandoned an ongoing match because the centre referee sent an official of theirs off to the stand for an unsportsmanlike behaviour.

though I didn't watch d match live. But was impressed with d turnout at match venue..

One bitter truth is this: As long as football is been officiated by human beings-there'll always be mistakes/errors that hurts... D way we handle cases like this will show how organised n civilised we are.

All league stakeholders(fans, club officials, players etc) should learn how to go about things and stop taking laws into their hands, but allowing n trusting d appropriate agencies to make final decision.

Cos dat is d reason why we have d LMC n NFF to see to discipline, fairness and progress of d league...

We hope proper investigation is carried out and those found guilty should be well punished-irrespective of their status.

I don't know what to make of the Pillars Vs Ifeanyiuba incident but irrespective of what errors the referee made, I hope FcIU are docked 7-9 points for bringing the game to disrepute and made to pay a fine commiserate to the cost of tickets for the sold out sani abacha stadium.
Also, they should be made to refund the operational cost for the live coverage by the media.

Apropriate sanctions should be meted out on the referee if it's proved he made questionable calls.

FcIU should have been professional enough to continue the game. Last season, they got to the FA cup final via favourable calls in the quater finals and semi finals.

I though I was banned completely, until I logged in successfully.

Happu New Year house

TheGoodJoe:
Ahmed Musa

Did not get the chance to influence the attack line like he could. Down to the timid approach of Ranieri. The reliance on long balls to create chances looked myopic, especially when Chelsea had three defenders in the back line.

During the game, Musa showed speed, stamina and direct play. With the little chances he got, he showed quality. He drew a nice save from Courtois. Although it was a tight angle, there was a big chance the swerving ball could have crept in. What was also nice was his play down the flank to create that chance.

Hope Musa gets more run of games to show what he can do. He worked hard for his team and deserves a chance to continue serving the foxes.

To be honest I don't think musa was too confident on the ball

Iwobi Wins Man Of The Match Award In Arsenal’s Big Win Over Swansea City



Super Eagles forward Alex Iwobi has been voted the Man of the Match after forcing two own goals which helped Arsenal beat Swansea City 4-0.


Iwobi kept his place in the starting line up despite the return of Mesut Ozil but this time around, he started on the flanks as opposed to previous games where he has played in the role behind the striker.


However the change of role didn’t affect his impact on the game as he forced Jack Cork and Kyle Naughton into scoring own goals in the 54th and 67th minute respectively.


He also played a part in the fourth goal scored by Alexis Sanches, it was his well weighted pass to Alex Oxlade Chamberlain that priced open the Swansea defence before Chamberlain set up Sanchez for the gunners fourth.


After the game, he was deservedly awarded the man of the match award, the first for the year for the recently crowned best young footballer in Africa.

owngoalnigeria.com/2017/01/14/iwobi-wins-man-of-the-match-award-in-arsenals-big-win-over-swansea-city/

Ex Chelsea Star Mikel Scores His First Goal For Chinese Side Tianjin Teda



Captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria John Obi Mikel scored his first goal for Chinese side Tianjin Teda in their 2-6 loss to German side St. Pauli.


29 year old Mikel signed a three year deal with the ambitious Chinese side after 11 years at Stamford Bridge, and he appears to have settled down quickly in his new surroundings.


Mikel made his debut for the team few days ago in their first pre season game against Borrussia Monchengladbach, and also started in today’s test game against St. Pauli.


The German side ran riot scoring three goals in the opening 26 minute before Mikel pulled a goal back for his side in the 35th minute to bring scores to 3-1.


His goal came off a header from a well delivered free kick, which left the goalkepper of St. Pauli stranded in goal as the ball flew into the net.

owngoalnigeria.com/2017/01/14/ex-chelsea-star-mikel-scores-his-first-goal-for-chinese-side-tianjin-teda/
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