NAIJAFEED

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Lars Lagerback takes blame for Super Eagles' Fall

Nigeria coach Lars Lagerback says he should take the blame for the country's inability to reach the second round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The Swede cut a disconsolate figure in the post-match press conference after his side had drawn 2-2 with South Korea, missing out on the qualification for the Last 16 which a win would have secured, this despite creating a host of opportunities in the game.

Lagerback refused to blame his players, who were so wasteful in front of goal, and says the buck stops with him.

"I am to blame, as the coach I have the responsibility to make this team win," Lagerback said. "I am the one picking the team, I am the one doing the game-plan and I am the one training the team.

"This is a very difficult time for us, we are disappointed and sad for the moment. I was of course disappointed with all the missed chances, and the [Korean] time-wasting, which I do not believe was fair play."

Lagerback would not blame the team's build-up for the failure, or their decision to switch training camps from Durban to Richard's Bay at the last minute.

"The players have had a very good attitude and worked very hard in training. In these matches it is small margins between success and failure. We hit the post at 1-0, so we were just a matter of centimetres from making it 2-0, and they could have made all the difference."

Asked whether he would be staying on in his post, the Swede was evasive.

"I have very much enjoyed my five months with the Super Eagles and I will compile a report on the World Cup for the Federation, but I cannot say whether I will continue. I have no idea whether that is possible," he said.

Striker Kanu, possibly playing for the last time in a green shirt, admitted that the players were devastated by their exit, and also refused to to be drawn on his future.

"The question of whether I will retire… you will know the answer soon. Right now I am just sad and need to go away and assess things. I will decide soon," Kanu said.

All Africa

Sani Kaita apologizes for red card

Sani Kaita receiving death threats

Lagerback finds Greece defeat bitter

Monday, June 21, 2010

Super Eagles to get N4.5 million each to beat Korea

Nigeria Football Federation has promised the Eagles' players 30, 000 dollars each (about N4.5m) if they beat South Korea on Tuesday.

Nigeria have lost two of their group B games and are in danger of being dumped out of the World Cup. But a win against Korea and a little favour from Argentina against Greece will offer the Eagles a chance of moving to the round of 16.

NFF president, Sani Lulu, met with the players last weekend and dangled the 30, 000 dollars carrot before the players, in order to ginger them for the decider against the Koreans.

The Eagles have not collected any bonus so far for the World Cup. They were promised 10, 000 dollars each (about N1.5m) for a win.

"The players will pocket 30,000 dollars each if they beat Korea and qualify for the next round. It was something the NFF leadership agreed with the players."

The Eagles will earn a further 12,500 dollars per head for victory in the Round of 16.

Lulu told the team to rise to the occasion, adding that the whole country is behind them.

Vanguard

Video overview of Group B in the 2010 World Cup

Sani Kaita apologizes for red card

An apologetic Nigeria midfielder Sani Kaita has given more details leading to the incident that got him to see red and invariably cost the Super Eagles three precious points at the World Cup.

Kaita was sent off in the 33rd minute in his team's surprise 2-1 loss to Greece in a Group B match on Thursday after he appeared to lunge at Vasileios Torosidis with a foot in a touchline scuffle.

The sending off proved to be the turning point of the game as Greece soon drew level before grabbing a winner for their first-ever World Cup victory.

"The guy (the Greece player) hit the ball on my body (stomach) and abused me, saying some very unprintable things. That really got me very angry. That is why I reacted like that to him. But that was a big mistake by me and I will remember for a long time," Kaita said.

"I cannot stop apologising to all Nigerians for making this costly mistake. I am very sorry and I pray that we win our next game (against South Korea) to qualify for the next round, where I hope to redeem my image with a good performance if I'm picked," he added.

"I couldn't sleep all night thinking about what my action has cost my country, but I hope that Insa Allah (by the grace of God) we will win our next game and thereafter I promise to put my life down on the pitch to ensure we go very far in this competition."

The former Sparta Rotterdam ace therefore called on Nigerians not to give up on the Eagles, but rather support the team for Tuesday's match against South Korea in Durban.

"The mood in camp is really high. They have accepted my apology and they are now desperate to win our next game for me so that we could move to the second round of the competition," he offered.

"We still need the support and prayers of Nigerians for us to get the qualification ticket to the next round. Nigerians would see a different Sani Kaita Insa Allah when we qualify.

"And I promise that what happened yesterday will never happen again."

Vanguard

Related stories: Sani Kaita receiving death threats

Lagerback finds Greece defeat bitter

Kaita shows no remorse

NDLEA discovers cocaine in sandals, arrests four suspects

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has apprehended a Spain-based Nigerian, Ezeugha Sunny, for trying to smuggle one kilogramme of cocaine inside his sandals.

The suspect was detected during routine check on Iberia flight on Wednesday when he carefully packed the cocaine in two 500-gramme parcels and neatly hid in a pair of sandals he was putting on at the time of screening.

Three other suspects, Abuku Prince Kennedy, 26; Oparaji Anthony, 40, who lives in Spain and Tochukwu Christopher Okeke, 35, who lives in Monrovia, Liberia, were tested positive to drug ingestion.

NDLEA Airport commander, Hamza Umar, said Okeke swallowed 45 pieces of narcotic substances on his way to Liberia. He was to board Arik flight when he was tested positive to drug ingestion.

Anthony ingested 71 wraps while Kennedy swallowed 45 wraps.

Hamza, who said the suspects were still on observation to expel the drugs in their stomach, warned drug traffickers to stop their nefarious activities.

Sunny, a factory worker in Spain, claimed to have been given pair of sandals by a contact in Lagos.

In his words, "I work in Spain but I lost my job some months ago. Though I am single, it is difficult to cope in Europe without a job. It is joblessness that led me into drug trafficking. I needed money for my upkeep and when they told me that the drug will be inside my sandals. I felt it was a good plan to escape arrest. But my desire did no work out." The suspect hails from Anambra State and is said to have lived in Madrid for over 10 years.

Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, attributed the seizure to dedication and excellent profiling techniques applied by undercover officers of the agency at the airport.

Giade said, "The seizure is unique and the dedication of the officers must be commended. Drug barons will have their drug concealment methods discovered because we are prepared and committed to our duty of drug control. Regular training in both interdiction techniques and passenger profiling is also our strength".

He also said jobless Nigerians living in Europe were fast becoming the targets of drug barons and advised them to return home and be legitimately employed rather than smuggle drugs and end up in prison custody.

He said suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigation is completed.

Daily Champion

Sani Kaita receiving death threats

Death threats are being sent to Super Eagles player, Sani Kaita over earning a red card during the World Cup match against Greece last Thursday.

However, news close to the Eagles' camp has it Nigeria is not taking this lying low and a course of action is being mapped out to protect the midfielder.

Kaita told the German news agency that he had received death threats via email, and team Media Officer Idah Peterside said the NFF had written an official letter to FIFA and the Nigerian government.

"He has received over 1000 threats to his email, so we are not taking this lightly.

"We have spoken to the Nigerian Minister of Sports to inform him about the situation, and we are also writing to FIFA to notify them," Peterside said.He added that the minister and other Nigerian officials were disappointed at the situation.

"Here is somebody on national service who is trying to do his best. For people to threaten his life is shocking and disappointing.

"He is shaken, but is getting support from his team mates and team officials."

This Day