₦airaland Forum

GOLDEN GAFFE Blatter claimed this week that awarding the
World Cup Golden Ball to Lionel Messi was a mistake and
said Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer deserved the award
instead. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, believing he was
talking about the Ballon d’Or, said the Fifa president "never
shuts up", although the Italian later apologised for his
remarks.

BORE DRAWS in 2004, Blatter suggested that draws should be abolished. "Every game should have a winner,” he said. “When you play cards or any other game, there's always a winner and a loser. We should have the courage to introduce a final decision in every game of football.” The changes were never ratified by Fifa.

RONALDO A ‘SLAVE’ blatter hit out at the nature of transfers in 2008 after Manchester United refused to sell Cristiano ronaldo to Real Madrid: "I think in football there is too much
modern slavery in transferring players or buying players here
and there, and putting them somewhere [else]." He later
apologised.

QUEER THEORY | When asked about potential problems at the
2022 World Cup in Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal,
Blatter replied: "I'd say they [gay fans] should refrain from
any sexual activities." Widespread outrage - from both within
and outside of Qatar - soon followed.

LATIN LOVER | John Terry was stripped of the England
captaincy in 2010 after stories alleging he had a long-term
affair with the ex-partner of former Chelsea team-mate Wayne
Bridge. "Listen, this is a special approach in the Anglo-Saxon
countries," Blatter said. "If this had happened in, let's say,
Latin countries then I think he would have been applauded."

RACE ROW | In 2011, amid the dispute between Luis Suarez
and Patrice Evra, Blatter claimed that "there is no racism" in
football, and called for players to settle altercations with a
handshake. "We are in a game, and at the end of the game,
we shake hands, and this can happen, because we have
worked so hard against racism and discrimination," he said.

COMMANDER CR7 | In an address to the Oxford Union in
2013, Blatter was asked whether he preferred Lionel Messi or
Cristiano Ronaldo. "One of them has more expenses for the
hairdresser than the other," he said of the Portuguese, who he
also called a "commander" on the pitch. And he added:
"Messi is still my favourite."

Nigerian rapper, Olamide is gearing up for the extraordinary
streak of releasing his fourth album in 4 years.
The new album by the self styled Baddest guy ever liveth, is
scheduled to be released in November 2014 and titled Street
OT.
In a chat with NET , Olamide has explained why he changed
his mind about dropping yet another album this year despite
saying he would not release new album at the beginning of
the year.
The Ogun State-born rapper said: ‘Na the marketers o, they
called me up and said there’s a high demand for a new
album from me after I dropped the ‘Story for the gods’ single,
so they called me up to come up with something for them and
in one week I got the album ready’.
Speaking further, Olamide made it clear that releasing hits
after hits is not a problem for him, saying he’ll keep dropping
new albums as long as marketers are willing to pay for it.
‘As long as marketers want to pay, I’ll keep dropping new
albums, I can even drop (an) album every six months too.’

Following the request by the president for the reinstatement of
the coach, the Big Boss has said he won’t mind returning to
the Super Eagles
Coach Stephen Keshi has said he is willing to return to take
charge of the Super Eagles if asked by President Goodluck
Jonathan.
During a reconciliatory meeting with the warring factions of
the Nigeria Football Federation on Wednesday night, President
Jonathan demanded the reinstatement of Keshi as coach..
The former Togo and Mali national team coach was sacked
two weeks ago following his team's 3-1 win over Sudan for
poor start to the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers where the
Eagles have only picked up four points out of a possible 12
leaving the team on the brink.
The Afcon 2013 winner said he had no pre-knowledge of his
recall to his post nor his ordered return by the President.
"Well I am just hearing from you. But if the President of my
country asked me to return, who am I to refuse," he told
media at the Abuja National Stadium on Thursday.
Nigeria needs to win their two remaining qualifiers against
Congo and South Africa next month to seal a spot at the
finals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as defending
champions.

As Jon Obi Mikel trotted out onto the Old Trafford pitch in
place of Oscar , 67 minutes into Chelsea ’s tense and physical
battle against Manchester United on Sunday and with only
Didier Drogba’s near-post header separating the teams, one
Jose Mourinho quote in particular sprang to mind.
It came from November 2010, when Diego Maradona visited
Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training complex. The story is
recounted in Diego Torres’ book ‘The Special One: The Dark
Side of Jose Mourinho’. Explaining the guiding principle of his
philosophy to the Argentina legend, Mourinho stated: “I score
and I win. And another thing – you score and you don’t know
if you win!”
On Sunday Chelsea scored and failed to win. Robin van Persie
saw to that in injury-time, just as conflicted club legend Frank
Lampard had done on the Blues’ previous visit to Manchester
a month earlier.
The consequences are an unbeaten start, seven wins from
nine matches and a four-point lead at the top of the Premier
League. But for two goals conceded and the sum total of just
under 11 unfortunate minutes, the win record would have
been perfect and the gap would have been eight.
Whether you consider this the cost of Mourinho’s pragmatism,
individual mistakes, dubious refereeing decisions, plain bad
luck or a combination of the above depends entirely on your
view of the man and the world in which he operates. It is
also, in all likelihood, a debate that will prove of little
consequence.
For unless Manchester City find it within themselves to play
with the focus and intensity of champions or an
unprecedented calamity strikes at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea
will still win this league comfortably. With two of the fixture
list’s most difficult away matches in the rear-view, it is even
within their reach to win it unbeaten – though it is also,
history tells us, highly unlikely.
But regardless of the nature and scale of the achievement,
there will always be some for whom the influence and
ideology of Mourinho presents an insurmountable barrier to
true adulation.
His first champion Chelsea team won more games, more
points, conceded fewer goals and fared better in the Europe
than Arsenal’s legendary ‘Invincibles’, yet glorious memories
of unbridled artistry at Highbury mean it is Arsene Wenger’s
greatest creation that is infinitely more celebrated.
Not that Mourinho, a defiant pragmatist, will care. “I am not a
fundamentalist in football,” he told Gary Neville during an
illuminating interview for the Telegraph earlier this month.
“People ask me: what is your model of play? I say: model of
what? Model of play against who? When? With which
players? Model of play what? I cannot answer to that. Am I
too stupid or too smart?”
An astonishing collection of winners’ medals over the past 12
years suggests the latter. Mourinho’s approach, underpinned
by an innate ability to avoid losing big matches, has served
him exceptionally well throughout his stellar career. Last
season Chelsea’s unbeaten record against their top-four
rivals led them to the brink of a Premier League title their
striking options gave them no right to win, and the new
campaign has begun in a similar vein.
At times last season it felt as though Mourinho was indulging
his most puritanical impulses in his attempts to re-mould the
team. Free-spirited Juan Mata was ostracised and sold while
Eden Hazard and Oscar were publicly castigated for
neglecting the defensive arts, even as defeats to Aston Villa,
Crystal Palace and Sunderland showcased Chelsea’s chronic
lack of inspiration going forward.
But time has proved that interpretation false. His new Chelsea
team is as ominously efficient as the old one, but possesses
fluid moving parts capable of drawing gasps of admiration
from even the most ardent away fan.
Cesc Fabregas is a player Arsenal supporters would kill to
see back in their colours, while Hazard, Oscar and Diego
Costa would be prized in almost any team in the world.
Together, some of their combination play has been
breathtaking, and it is no surprise that Roman Abramovich
has never looked happier in his Stamford Bridge executive
box.
There can be no mistaking pragmatism for negativity. If
Chelsea thrill, it is because Mourinho feels he finally has the
superiority, resources and team balance to do so. If any of
those advantages disappear over the course of the season -
as on Sunday at Old Trafford - expect the approach to
change. But don’t expect any shame-faced grimaces at
Stamford Bridge as long as John Terry lifts the Premier
League trophy in May.

The World Cup winner feels last weekend's Clasico showed
that the Barcelona ace is struggling to adapt to what he
suspects has been an injury-enforced change of position
Argentina icon Jorge Valdano believes that Lionel Messi is
not the player he once was, arguing that his compatriot has
lost his ability to "disrupt" defences.
Messi won the Golden Ball at this summer's World Cup in
Brazil, after leading his country all the way to the final, where
they were beaten by an extra-time goal from Mario Gotze.
However, his form and fitness have been the subject of much
debate for the past 12 months, with some pundits accusing
the four-time Ballon d'Or winner of losing his passion for the
game, and others claiming that injuries have robbed the 27-
year-old of the explosive turn of pace for which he was once
renowned.
Valdano subscribes to the latter theory, suspecting that
Messi's relatively disappointing showing in Barcelona's Liga
loss at Real Madrid on Sunday merely served to underline
that the previously prolific attacker is struggling to come to
terms with what he feels has been an enforced change of
position.
"Looking at the last game [at the Santiago Bernabeu], Messi
is a little off-form," the World Cup winner told Radio MARCA.
"His position has changed on the pitch and now his job is
more to provide assists.
"But he has lost his ability to disrupt the defence – something
which used to solve many past games for Barca.
"In the Brazil World Cup we saw that something was up with
Messi: he walked around the pitch.
"He was physically not at his best and maybe that is the
reason for playing further back: to not tire himself so much."
Messi scored four goals in his first three games at Brazil 2014
but he failed to net at all during the knockout stage, during
which his decreased movement was severely scrutinised by
pundits and fans alike.
The Rosario native has managed seven goals and seven
assists in nine Liga games for Barca so far this season, but
he was criticised for missing a crucial chance in last
weekend's 3-1 loss to Madrid at the Bernabeu.

Didier Drogba scored just after half-time and was involved in
the crucial winner but the Blues were made to work very hard
by their lowly opposition in the League Cup
Chelsea overcame Shrewsbury Town 2-1 in the League Cup
fourth round after an incredibly well-fought match against
their lower-league opposition.
After an even first half in which the Blues' attacking midfielders
misfired and the League Two side came the closest to scoring,
Didier Drogba broke the deadlock just after the break.
The Shrews looked to have earned extra time when substitute
Andy Mangan netted with 77 minutes on the clock only
moments after coming on but pressure from Drogba forced an
own goal from Jermaine Grandison four minutes later to seal
the deal.
Jose Mourinho lifted the League Cup trophy twice in his first
spell with Chelsea and named a solid line-up to show that he
clearly means business once more. However, the Premier
League leaders were made to work hard for their place in the
quarter-finals.
Shrewsbury went into the game on the back of four straight
League Two wins and had already beaten Premier League
side Leicester City and two Championship clubs in this
competition. Their confidence and self-belief was evident in an
even first period and the manner of the defeat was ultimately
harsh on the home team.
Mourinho made seven changes to the side that started
Sunday's 1-1 draw at Manchester United, with 18-year-old
Dane Andreas Christensen making his debut at right-back.
Kurt Zouma and Nathan Ake were other youngsters called up,
while Petr Cech got the nod in between the posts and Jon Obi
Mikel, Mohamed Salah and Andre Schurrle also came in.
Shrewsbury suffered a setback when James Wesolowski went
down in the warm-up, meaning a late step up for Liam
Lawrence in midfield.
Cech had to be alert in the opening stages as Nathaniel
Knight-Percival was on target with a far-post header from a
corner and Ake received an early booking for a rash challenge
on Bobby Grant.
With the rain driving down, the underdogs had a penalty
appeal for handball against Drogba turned down from another
set-piece as they more than held their own up to half-time.
Drogba did have the ball in the net at the other end but a flag
was already up for offside and it was a far from comfortable
first period for the visitors.
Chelsea started the second half much more positively, though,
and Schurrle and Salah combined to set up Drogba , who took
full advantage when firing a low volley past Jayson Leutwiler
on 48 minutes.
Schurrle then had a 30-yard rocket tipped over the bar, but
Shrewsbury did threaten a response when Jean-Louis Akpa
Akpro's shot deflected just wide.
Leutwiler did well to keep out a fierce Drogba effort as
Chelsea began to dominate proceedings but the visitors were
stunned when Mangan levelled from close range after
Grandison headed down a corner.
Hopes of an upset were soon dashed, though, when substitute
Willian whipped in a cross from the left wing on 81 minutes
and the unfortunate Grandison steered the ball into his own
net under pressure from Drogba.
Akpa Akpro did threaten with a late header but there was to
be no second reprieve for Shrewsbury.

The Swiss footballing chief said it was "incorrect" to give the
Argentina forward the award in retrospect, despite his
goalscoring heroics in World Cup 2014's group stage
Fifa president Sepp Blatter does not believe Lionel Messi
deserved the World Cup 2014 Golden Ball award for being the
best player at the tournament.
Quite a few eyebrows were raised when the Argentina forward
was handed the award after his team were beaten in the final,
despite having had relatively little impact compared to team-
mates and opponents after the group stage - in which he had
unquestionably starred.
Blatter, who has said in the past that he thought Germany
goalkeeper Manuel Neuer had deserved the accolade,
slammed the award process only a few hours after Messi was
named among the 23-man shortlist for the Fifa Ballon d'Or
.
"I think the decision to give Messi the Golden Ball was
incorrect," he told reporters at a press event in Moscow,
Russia, as he inspected preparations for the next World Cup.
"I was surprised when I received the committee’s decision.
They told me they had only looked at 10 of the players who
took part in the final."
Messi has won the Ballon d'Or four times in his career,
although in the past 18 months his stock has fallen
somewhat, despite still being considered one of the greatest
players in the world.
A silverware-free season in 2013-14 with Barcelona - aside
from the Supercopa, which came more than 12 months ago -
and a failure to skipper Argentina to World Cup glory makes a
Ballon d'Or 2014 victory unlikely, with Cristiano Ronaldo,
Arjen Robben and Neuer among the more favoured
candidates.

JayKayMaybachz:
*Laughz* Who tok sey dis ghuy no go win dhey ballon d'or?? Dis ghuy good die.... Him just pack everything.... Wey Messi La??

Messi dey where den admit am for hospital...... Dat massive knock may Madrid give dem.... Affect am badly

Cristiano Ronaldo took the top gong at the LFP awards as La
Liga's standout performers from the 2013-14 campaign were
revealed on Monday night.
The Real Madrid star was named the best player from last
season in Spain's top flight after scoring 31 goals in just 30
league games for the European champions.
The Ballon d'Or holder becomes only the second player to win
the prize since its inception in 2008-09, with Lionel Messi
having won all five of the previous titles.
"I have to thank my team-mates, Real Madrid, my family... it
is a very good moment in my career," Ronaldo, also named
best forward of the season, said at the awards ceremony in
Madrid.
"For me, the important thing is to win collective prizes, but I
like the individual ones, too. I work every day, in training, to
continue adding more to this."
As well as the best player and best forward awards, Ronaldo
made it a hat-trick by scooping the prize for best goal of the
campaign for his strike against Valencia in week 36.
Diego Simeone was honoured as best coach after guiding
Atletico Madrid to the title in a remarkable season which also
saw them reach the Champions League final.
"I want to share this with my players, without whom none of
this would be possible," said the Argentine. "Thanks to Koke,
Gabi, Miranda, Courtois... and everyone who made it possible
to win the title."
Keylor Navas, now of Madrid, picked up the best goalkeeper
accolade for his stunning season with Levante. Sergio Ramos
scooped the best defender award and Luka Modric was best
defensive midfielder on a successful night for Carlo Ancelotti's
players.
Barcelona's Andres Iniesta was best attacking midfielder,
while Carlos Bacca (best South American) and Yacine Brahimi
(best African) were also recognised. Rafinha Alcantara was
named the revelation of the campaign.
The awards for the best players and coach were voted for by
the three team captains of each side in the division, though
they were not allowed to vote for players from their own club.
La Liga coaches chose the revelation award, while internet
polls were responsible for the best goal, best African and best
South American prizes.
AWARD
WINNER
CLUB
Best Player
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Best Coach
Diego Simeone
Atletico Madrid
Best Goalkeeper
Keylor Navas
Real Madrid (formerly Levante)
Best Defender
Sergio Ramos
Real Madrid
Best Defensive Midfielder
Luka Modric
Real Madrid
Best Attacking Midfielder
Andres Iniesta
Barcelona
Best Forward
Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid
Best African Player
Yacine Brahimi
Granada
Best South American Player
Carlos Bacca
Sevilla
Revelation
Rafinha Alcantara
Barcelona (loaned to Celta in 2013-14)
Best Goal
Cristiano Ronaldo (vs Valencia)
Real Madrid
Fair Play
Ivan Rakitic
Barcelona (formerly Sevilla)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho bemoaned the performance
of referee Phil Dowd as the Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by
Manchester United .
Dowd showed Branislav Ivanovic a second yellow card just
seconds before Robin van Persie's stoppage time equaliser
while the official also waved away appeals for a penalty from
the Serbia defender after he was hauled to the ground by
Chris Smalling in the first half.
And though Mourinho would not be drawn on whether he felt
the decision to send Ivanovic off was correct, he believes
there were a number of debatable calls made by Dowd and
his team.
"I prefer not to speak about the second yellow card, because
if I have to speak about the second yellow I have go through
many things," he told Sky Sports .
"The penalty on Ivanovic, the accumulation of cards, the fouls
that he was not giving, the throws-ins just in front of me."
When asked about his side's four-point lead at the top of the
table, he added: "We have a little space now for our mistakes,
or for referees' mistakes."
Didier Drogba was called upon to make his first league start
of the season due to injuries to Diego Costa and Loic Remy,
and the veteran striker looked to have secured all three points
for the Stamford Bridge outfit with his second-half header.
And though Van Persie ensured a share of the spoils late on,
the former Real Madrid boss was happy with the way Drogba
and the rest of his side applied themselves.
"My team played a fantastic game – it’s not easy to play
against Manchester United who played very compact and
tried to catch us on the counter.
"We had good control of the game we could’ve scored a
couple more goals so I’m very happy with my players.
"He [Drogba] has scored so many of them for a guy who has
only been playing for the last week and wasn’t even able to
train.
"The way he gave us this 90 minutes I’m so happy with his
performance. My team was so good it’s very difficult to speak
about individual players.

FG Wan use the their hands kill we Nigerians..... D rate of poverty go increase...... in legal things go to much

The first Clásico of the 2014-15 La Liga season belongs to
Real Madrid as Los Blancos earned a scintillating comeback
3-1 victory over Barcelona on Saturday evening at the Estadio
Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid.
Neymar tallied early for the visitors but a first half penalty
conversion from Cristiano Ronaldo and second half goals by
Pepe and Karim Benzema handed Barcelona their first league
defeat of the season. It was also the first time since 1988 that
Barcelona failed to defeat Real after having scored the first
goal.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti reverted back to his
4-4-2 in light of Gareth Bale's injury so it was Benzema and
Ronaldo up top with James and Isco flanked out wide and
Luka Modric and Toni Kroos slotted into the midfield. In
defense goalkeeper Iker Casillas was protected by a back four
of Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Marcelo.
Barcelona manager Luis Enrique caught many by surprise by
putting new arrival Luis Suárez into his starting XI. The
Uruguayan, who had yet to even play an official match this
season due to his ban, started up top with Lionel Messi and
Neymar. It was a familiar trio in the center of the pitch with
Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets and in the back
Dani Alves, Gerard Piqué, Javier Mascherano and Jeremy
Mathieu lined up in front of goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
Barcelona quieted the Bernabéu crowd early on as Neymar
struck in the fourth minute to give the Catalonians a 1-0 lead.
Suárez showed no rust in catapulting a perfect ball across to
Neymar on the left and the Brazilian took the ball back across
the middle and was left enough room to fire off a shot that
beat Casillas.
Undeterred, Real started applying the pressure as Los Blancos
started peppering the Barcelona area, including a stupefying
10 second sequence in the 11th minute when Benzema hit the
crossbar with a header and then his follow up effort rang off
the post. Yet Barcelona were able to sustain Real's heavy
punches without being breached and then came inches away
from making it a two-goal lead in the 23rd minute, only for
Messi's close-range shot to be tipped wide by Casillas off
another stellar Suárez pass.
For the first time this season Barcelona allowed a goal as
Ronaldo converted a penalty in the 34th minute after Piqué
was whistled for a handball while sliding to block a Marcelo
pass in the area. The Portuguese superstar easily converted
the spot kick to level the score at 1-1 in what was the first
goal allowed by Bravo in 754 minutes.
While defending set pieces have been Real's bugaboo in
recent seasons, the same could be said for Barcelona and it
was from a deal ball situation where Real took a 2-1 lead in
the 50th minute. A Kroos corner kick was curled in and Pepe
peeled away just enough to thump a header between Bravo
and the near post to put Ancelotti's men ahead.
An atrocious error from Barcelona led to Real striking for a
third goal just after the hour mark as miscommunication at
the touch line between Iniesta and Mascherano allowed Isco
to swoop in to steal the ball and start a Real break. It
eventually ended with James feeding Benzema and the
Frenchman rocketed a shot past Bravo and suddenly Real
were ahead 3-1.
Meanwhile, it was tough going in attack for Luis Enrique's
men as Messi and Neymar were virtually nonexistent in the
second stanza and Suárez lacked a finishing touch on any
ball played into him. Barcelona had the bulk of possession,
but did very little with it, to the credit of the Real defense,
especially fullbacks Carvajal and Marcelo who were
tremendous. Their efforts allowed Real to sit back and then
play their lethal counter, which posed a threat every time
down the field.
Real did well to close out the game in full control by staying
tight and compact in defense and allowing Barcelona few
looks at goal. The victory pushes Real up the table to second
and just a single point behind Barcelona.
Real return to action on Wednesday in the Copa del Rey
versus Cornella while Barcelona will face Celta in league
action next Saturday.

Every single battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel
Messi is unique. They never disappoint nor do they ever
cease to amaze.
They lead two immense armies, both of which have won
countless clashes in the past. They only come face to face a
few times each year meaning it is victories on other fronts
that see each player spur the other on. They have taken
innumerable prisoners over the years with their record-
breaking play yet it is when the two are on the same pitch
that the battle produces the biggest explosions.
How can a team game, a colossal battle, a Real Madrid v
Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu, be reduced to a duel
between Ronaldo and Messi? That is how it is.
It has happened on other occasions in sport that two athletes
elevate their personal battle to a level far above the teams
involved, regardless of their size. Ask any Lakers or Celtics
supporters if they enjoyed the Magic Johnson v Larry Bird
rivalry in the 1980s.
No matter how many times they lock horns, both players
consistently reinvent themselves. Tomorrow we will not see
the same Ronaldo and Messi that collided for the first time in
2008, when the Portuguese star was still a Red Devil. More
than six years have gone by in which a myriad of bullets have
been shot without either man being proclaimed the definitive
winner of the war.

La Liga top scorer comes up against the
meanest goalkeeper in the division. Cristiano , who boasts 15
goals in seven matches, will be taking on Claudio Bravo, who
has yet to concede in eight appearances.
The pair are way out ahead in the race for the Pichichi and
Zamora awards and respectively represent the most lethal
attack in the league (Real Madrid have scored 30 goals) and
the tightest backline (no one has managed to pierce the Barça
rearguard in La Liga action).
Ronaldo is enjoying a record-breaking start to the season. On
top of his 15 league goals, he got a brace against Sevilla in
the UEFA Super Cup and has also netted three times in as
many Champions League games. In all, he boasts 20 goals in
13 appearances.
If CR7 keeps up this rate, he will smash his own personal
best of 60 goals in 55 games, set during the 2011-12
campaign, and will go on to seal an incredible haul of 84
goals this campaign.
Bravo's stats have also put him in the history books.
Unbeaten in 720 minutes (eight matches), he has already
broken Víctor Valdés's club record of 686 minutes without
picking the ball out of his net in the league. Now the Chile no.
1 has his sights set on surpassing the La Liga record of 1,275
minutes without conceding held by former Atlético de Madrid
keeper Abel Resino from the 1990-91 season. Funnily enough,
it was current Barcelona boss Luis Enrique who ended that
streak.

Abeg may him go die

[quote author=moneyhungry post=27394928][/ lol.... Who dey ask dis kind question. . Abeg may unable free my guys 4 me...
. Dlist una go fit do 4 dem... Na to show dem encouragement by ur likes and comments ]

Antell95:
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goaaaaaal Ronaldo

The caretaker coach has clarified the 66-player list handed to
him by the technical department on Tuesday saying it was
meant to guide him in the choice of invitees
Nigeria caretaker coach Amodu Shaibu has said the list of 66
players given to him by the Technical Department of the
Nigeria Football Federation was a positive move to help guide
him in decision making.
On Tuesday, the 54-year-old was handed a list of players
eligible to be invited for the Super Eagles’ crunch 2015 Africa
Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo and South Africa next
month.
Amodu led his technical crew, made up of Salisu Yusuf,
Gbenga Ogunbote and Alloy Agu, to meet with the Director of
Technical Department of the NFF, Emmanuel Ikpeme to start
preparations for the upcoming matches.
“What the Technical Department of the NFF has done by
giving us the list of (66) players is what a proper Technical
Department should do for any coach that is coming in,”
Amodu told reporters.
“They have just given players that are playing regularly in
their clubs home and abroad. These are the kind of inputs we
expect from this department.
“They are not imposing any player on me. They just told me
that, ‘look at this large pool of players and come out with the
players you want and we will support you.’ That is what they
told me,” Amodu clarified.
He also said that he won’t beg to be appointed the Technical
Director of the federation if the new leadership fails to
legitimize the appointment that was made by former president
Aminu Maigari.
“After the Eagles job even if I don’t come back here [to the
NFF as Technical Director] I won’t blink an eye because I am
not looking for work. At least this is recorded on tape and I
am not going to repeat myself,” Amodu said.
Nigeria need to win their two remaining matches in order to
qualify for the 2015 Afcon.
They will travel to Congo on November 14 before hosting
group leaders South Africa five days later.
Amodu was brought in to replace dismissed Stephen Keshi
following the poor showing of the African champions who
have just one victory after four matches and lie in third place
in Group A.

Jose Mourinho's team selection for this emphatic Champions
League win had been telling.
No Diego Costa, as expected. And no Thibaut Courtois, Gary
Cahill and Cesar Azpilicueta, either.
A midweek home tie against minnows Maribor had always felt
like the starter before the main course of Sunday's Premier
League showdown against Manchester United.
As satisfying as it was for the Chelsea faithful to watch their
re-jigged team destroy hopelessly outclassed opponents,
thoughts had turned to Old Trafford long before Eden Hazard
administered the final rites with a brilliantly taken sixth.
Mourinho was telling porky pies when he claimed pre-match
that he would not rest anyone against Maribor and that the
United match was not on his mind.
Courtois and Cahill have started all eight of Chelsea's Premier
League matches this season and both will surely begin a ninth
at the weekend. Filipe Luis was given the chance to build his
fitness up ahead of replacing the suspended Azpilicueta at
left-back.
Moreover, Cesc Fabregas delivered 59 minutes of sparkling
midfield play against Maribor before he departed to a
standing ovation. Oscar also left the Stamford Bridge stage
prematurely to be wrapped in cotton wool ahead of the
weekend.
Both men are integral to Chelsea's attacking combinations
and their manager will be delighted to have given them some
extra rest.
In revealing post-match that he did not want his youngsters
to come on too early, Mourinho showed that he would not
take victory for granted by resting all of his big guns.
Yet not everything went to plan for the Portuguese, who has
been given food for thought by the early events of a game that
further upset the applecart of his forward permutations.
Seconds after proving there can be life after Costa by driving
in Chelsea's opener from the edge of the box, Remy was
wincing with pain and being replaced by Didier Drogba.
"Remy has a problem in his groin," explained Mourinho
afterwards. The indication from the Portugese is that the
injury is serious and the Frenchman will be out of action for a
few weeks.
The state of Costa's troublesome hamstring is more of a
mystery. Fit enough to play two full matches for Spain during
the international break and to wreck Premier League defences
before it, the former Atletico Madrid ace has not made the
matchday squad for the last two matches.
Mourinho has offered routinely pessimistic briefings about
Costa's condition all season without actually providing much
insight into the state of his hamstring. On Monday he ignored
questions about whether his star forward has a strain or,
more seriously, a tear.
While the indications from the Bridge are that Costa will not
be involved again on Sunday, regular Mourinho observers will
not be convinced of the player's absence until his name is not
included on the teamsheet.
The answer to Chelsea's forward conundrum could lie with
the veteran figure of Drogba, who unexpectedly led the line for
75 minutes tonight.
The years may have robbed him of a yard or two of pace but
the replacement for the replacement showed he has lost none
of his dressing room presence by ignoring his manager's
orders and demanding of designated penalty taker Eden
Hazard that he take the first spot-kick.
The Ivorian emphatically banged it in to put his team 2-0 up
and smirked afterwards that he had needed to put away his
first Chelsea goal since Munich to lift his own confidence as
he struggles to deal with the realities of being the third-choice
striker.
"We know the player he is and he can still give us a lot," said
Mourinho of the 36-year-old.
The question is whether Drogba can play two almost full
games in four days and be an effective spearhead in a
marquee match with such little game time behind him.
Alternatively, Chelsea could do what they did in the
corresponding fixture last season, when the manager made
clear his distaste for the forwards at his disposal by fielding a
striker-less team at Old Trafford spearheaded by Andre
Schurrle.
For all the zeal and excitement of Mourinho's new Chelsea,
he remains a pragmatist at heart.
There is much for the manager to ponder.