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Former
captain and handler of the Nigerian national team, Christian Chukwu,
hopes that Nigeria’s suspension by football’s world governing body,
FIFA will be lifted as soon as possible.

The Super Eagles
are billed to take on their Guinean counterparts on Sunday in a 2012
Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Conakry but the game remains
doubtful after FIFA, on Monday, suspended Nigeria from international
football because of government interference.

If the suspension
is not lifted before Sunday’s match day, and if the game is not
postponed by the sport’s governing body, then it means the Super Eagles
will need to play catch-up with the Guineans in the race for Group B’s
sole automatic ticket to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations to be co-hosted
by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

As things currently
stand in Group B, the Super Eagles lie in second place behind the
Guineans on goals difference after they only managed to secure a 2-0
win over Madagascar in their opening match, on a weekend that saw the
Guineans walloping the group’s other team Ethiopia 4-1 in Addis Ababa.

Quick solution

No wonder Chukwu is calling for a quick resolution of the ‘crisis’.

“It really is
unfortunate the crisis we have placed ourselves in with our own hands,”
Chukwu told NEXT. “Some of us had expressed our reservations over the
way the authorities handled the election matter but some people were at
the same time saying that FIFA didn’t have the right to interfere in
the matter.

“But now it is
clear that FIFA have every right to delve into the matter. All we can
hope for, is the whole matter to be resolved as soon as possible before
the match against Guinea.

“No one has said
that the match has been postponed so if the match officials go there
(to Conakry) and we are not present on Sunday then it means a walk over
will take place,” said Chukwu, before adding: “It’s as simple as that.”
Chukwu, who captained Nigeria to Nations Cup glory in 1980 and who
served as one of Clemens Westerhof’s assistants in the victorious
Tunisia ‘94 side before coaching the Super Eagles to a third-place
finish at the 2004 tournament, also in Tunisia, also called on the
authorities to recognise the legitimacy of the last NFF elections.

This is irrespective of the fact that he was one of those who lost out in their quest to get into the NFF’s board.

“I know I lost in
the elections but I’m not happy with the suspension,” he said. “FIFA
has pointed it clear that they will not tolerate any form of
interference from government so the only way to resolve this issue is
to bring back those who in the opinion of FIFA should be in the NFF.”

Yobo weighs in
Chukwu isn’t alone in calling for a quick resolution to the crisis as
the current captain of the Super Eagles Joseph Yobo has also made a
passionate plea to the country’s sports authorities to ensure that the
ban is swiftly reversed.

“This is absolutely devastating for the fans, players and the entire country.” Said Yobo in a report on the BBC website.

“The players are in
shock just like the millions of passionate football fans here and we
can only hope they resolve this crisis for the progress of the country.

“Importantly football is a powerful force in the country; it unites
the country so we shouldn’t let it separate us as a strong nation.”

The
ban placed on Nigeria by world football governing body, FIFA on Monday
for government interference in football has continue to generate
reaction from the sports fraternity in the country.

Yesterday in Lagos, a group of concerned former sportsmen, which included Olympians Mary Onyali-Omagbemi,

Yusuf Alli, Falilat
Ogunkoya and Henry Amike, and journalists under the umbrella of
‘Stakeholders in Nigerian Sports’ met to review the ban and decided
that contrary to the belief of FIFA that the minister of sports,
Ibrahim Bio is not responsible for the present crisis but a particular
cabal within Nigerian sports which places its interest above the
national interest.

The group, which
expressed confidence in the manner the NSC, had handled the crisis in
Nigerian football also advised parties with cases in the courts to
withdraw them and take them to the Court of Arbitration (CAS) in
Switzerland.

Speaking at the occasion, Henry Amike, an Olympian and one of Nigeria’s most accomplished hurdlers, said:

“If we have an Amos
Adamu, a FIFA member and we have a problem like this, then why is he
there? Can that happen in Trinidad and Tobago? I think we have to say
the truth and let us die if we have to die. As far as I am concerned,
it is not the National Sports Commission (NSC) that it is the problem.
The National Sports, the minister, the DG are not the problem.

“We all know the
problem and the problem did not start now. If they are not there,
nothing can work. Let us face facts; let us know the truth and say it.
We should allow FIFA to come to Nigeria and decide for us when it comes
to issues of local interest.

Dirty Linen

Amike said the
reason FIFA is intervening is because the sporting community in Nigeria
decided to wash its dirty linen in public, prompting FIFA to come in to
‘assist’ it. He was the only way sports could grow in Nigeria is if
member of the sports fraternity dealt plainly with each other:

“ If we can agree
together inside and tell ourselves the truth, this issue of sports
problems once and for all, the issue of sports problems would be solved
and sports can grow. Onyali and Fali (Falilat Ogunkoya) were talking
about grassroots development. It cannot work. If those people are still
there they will not put the right people there and if the right people
are not there as managers then the right thing cannot be done,” he said.

Cowrie Rugby Football Club of Lagos and
the Edo State women’s rugby side last weekend emerged respective
winners of the men’s and women’s categories of the Independence Rugby
Seven’s tournament.

The two-day
tournament, which got underway at the main bowl of the National
Stadium, Lagos, on October 1 – Nigeria’s Independence Day, saw Cowrie
defeating Police RFC 12-0 in the men’s final while Edo defeated
archrivals Delta state 12-5in the women’s final.

Frank Adedeji and
Dipo Olawale each scored a try for Cowrie, along with a conversion by
Azeez Ladipo, to secure a comfortable 12-0 win over the Police side,
while Tessy Benjamin, Edith Ekechi and team captain Bimpe Johnson were
the heroes of the Edo state team in their win over Delta state.

Benjamin and Ekechi
each scored a try while Johnson got a conversion with Chioma Agu
scoring a consolation for the Delta state team in the final.

Gifts galore

At the end of the
tournament, which was organised by the Friends of Rugby, winners in the
men’s and women’s categories went home with a cash gift of N250,000,
and N150, 000 respectively, along with trophies. They also got a bottle
of champagne and Irish cream to go along with their trophies and cash
rewards.

The losing
finalists were not left out. The Police team got N100,000 for their
efforts while the Delta state side grabbed N75,000. They each got a
bottle of champagne as well.

The only foreign
team to participate in the tourney, Ghana’s Accra Sharks RFC, and Addax
were adjudged the most disciplined sides in the men’s and women’s
categories and got N25,000 respectively for their efforts,

while the most valuable players in the men’s and women’s categories got the sum of N30,000 each.

“We are grateful to
God Almighty for a most successful rugby tournament that has ever been
witnessed in the history of the game in Nigeria,” said the tournament’s
coordinator, Ntiense Williams, at the end of the event.

The tournament, is
now in its third year, and it had 27 teams in attendance, including six
women teams whose representatives, at the end of Saturday’s finals,
collectively bestowed on the Friends of Rugby chairman, Kelechi Mbagwu,
the title ‘Pillar of Rugby’; in appreciation of his contribution
towards the development of rugby in Nigeria.

“I am used to
giving out to people, but you guys have surprised me today by honouring
me,” said a surprised Mbagwu. “From the bottom of my heart, I am
humbled and I very much appreciate your kind gesture.

“I promise to do everything within my
powers to ensure that the ban on the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation
by the International Rugby Board is lifted in the earliest possible
time for meaningful progress to be recorded for Nigerian Rugby,” said
Mbagwu. The International Rugby Board had placed Nigeria on indefinite
suspension in October 2009.

Europe, led early on by Ian Poulter and Luke Donald, regained the Ryder Cup after fending off a brilliant fight-back by the United States in Monday’s last-day singles.
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell earned the winning point, beating Hunter Mahan 3&1 in the final match to give the home team victory by 14-1/2 points to 13-1/2.
Poulter crushed Matt Kuchar 5&4 and Donald beat Jim Furyk one-up before the Americans clawed their way back, rookie Rickie Fowler stealing a valuable half after brilliantly birdying the last four holes against Italian Edoardo Molinari.
With the overall score level at 13-1/2 13-1/2, McDowell sank a curling birdie putt from 12 feet on the 16th green to go two up on Mahan before securing the win with a conceded par at the 17th.
Crowds of just over 35,000 at a sun-splashed Celtic Manor were treated to one of the most riveting last days at a Ryder Cup in recent memory as Europe won the trophy for the fourth time in five editions.
Tough opponent
The home team had led by three points going into the event’s first-ever Monday finish but the Americans cut the deficit to just one when Dustin Johnson and Steve Stricker claimed the first two points.
Johnson routed Martin Kaymer 6&4 before world number four Stricker beat second-ranked Lee Westwood 2&1 seconds later to give the U.S. hope of retaining the trophy they won in 2008.
Poulter, who screamed in delight after draining a 25-footer to birdie the third, then notched Europe’s first point of the day by rolling in a six-foot birdie putt on the 14th green.
“It was always going to be a tough game against Kuch,” said a beaming Poulter who had chipped in from off the green to eagle the 11th.
“He’d won all his matches so far so I knew I had to come out and play real strong today.”
Donald, playing in the third match, was three up on Furyk after 13 holes but had to hold off a late surge by the American before sealing the win with a two-putt par at the last.
“I knew Jim was going to be a really tough opponent,” said Donald. “He’s a very similar player to me, he grinds it out.
“He put some pressure on me at the end but I was glad to get a point.”
Pony-tailed Spaniard, Miguel Angel Jimenez, never trailed in his match against U.S. rookie Bubba Watson before winning 4&3 to give Europe a commanding 13-9 lead.

Human beings were given the liberty of choice, when we were created by God.

Well, that is if
you agree with me that you are not a descendant of a gorilla,
chimpanzee, baboon, monkey or the ape. So, take your choice and decide
your own source. Look at yourself in the mirror today, and decide. As
for me, Paul, I have been wonderfully created by God and because He has
given me the freedom of choice, I have chosen to be a part of the
solution to Nigerian sports and not an albatross.

As a man/woman thinks, so he/she is. I will be a solution to Nigeria. I will be a blessing to this great nation. What about you?

Saving Nigerian sports

We wish to
appreciate all of you patriotic and sports loving Nigerians, who
faithfully participated in the 3-day fasting and prayer programme, that
took place between September 29 and October 1, 2010.

We say thank you.
We want to assure you, that your sacrifice has not been in vain. We are
very proud of you and very soon, you, too, will be proud of your
contribution to save Nigerian sports. Please, always remember, that
weeping may last all night, but joy will definitely come in the
morning. Believe me, I personally have a strong feeling that the
“morning” of Nigerian sports, has begun. The foundation was laid as we
celebrated the jubilee of our beloved great nation – Nigeria.

You were part of
that foundation and we welcome you on board the journey that we believe
will birth the sports jubilee, millions of sports loving Nigerians are
genuinely craving for.

This will ensure a
credible legacy for the future of Nigerian sports. This is a project
which will also focus on the eradication of those horrible vices that
has plagued our sports during the first 50 years of its existence.

Nigerian sports must be rescued from the grips of this nation’s enemies.

The works of SANSI

We promised that
details of the modus operandi of Save Nigerian Sports Initiative
(SANSI) will be made known, to all those genuinely interested in being
part of this project. We will highlight some of them today.

Segun Odegbami was
the first person to inform me that God is a sportsman. He was to
deliver a key note address at a sports summit I organised in 2009. When
asked for the theme of his paper, Segun said “God is a sportsman”.
Austin Okocha, after he was taught some electioneering skills, that
left him gasping for breath, called for urgent divine intervention for
Nigerian football. Go through most of the commentaries on the
independence anniversary and you will notice that almost all the
writers believe that only God Almighty can save this nation. So, our
primary assignment is to hand Nigerian sports over to the One who
created sports for His own pleasure. Prayer is the key. And it is your
registration card, to be part of this project.

Next is the process
of reconciling all the parties involved in the brouhaha that has
enveloped sports in Nigeria. Apart from the litigations known to the
public, there are several other embarrassing issues, we may not be able
to mention in this column.

For instance, I
find it rather absurd that many of our sportsmen/women prefer to amass
wealth – by all means, to the detriment of sports development in
Nigeria. A lot of them support the issue of age falsification and
winning at all cost. Some of them even prefer to have the status quo
remain the same. Those amongst them with grown up wards are not even
thinking about the future of sports in Nigeria. It is so sad a
situation. Some of these issues, we will be able to influence, while we
will hand most of them over to the One who can enthrone and bring down,
if He so wishes.

SANSI will also be
involved in sports development, especially at the grassroots level. For
instance, we will pursue the issue of bringing the Education and Sports
ministries together – from the Local Government Council areas, to the
State and National levels, with wisdom, in order to ensure that
millions of Nigerian children are prepared for future leadership roles,
through sports. We will consult and partner with organisations like the
Parents/Teachers Associations of Nigeria, for the implementation of the
Diamond Structure Philosophy, we have mentioned in this column
severally, in the past.

One of SANSI’s long term projects is our determination to ensure
that Nigeria wins the FIFA men’s senior World Cup trophy, in the year
2018 deo volente. Yes, please go ahead and laugh as much as possible.
But remember, that the one who laughs last…

Liverpool were on
Monday getting used to the nasty taste of the words “relegation fight”
after the 18-times English champions made their worst start to a season
in more than half a century.

Add in the bitter
off-field controversy over the club’s ownership, out-of-sorts key
players and mounting fan protests and it is clear the once mighty club
have some dark days ahead.

“Things are looking
really, really bleak. It has been said that if you are in the bottom
three, you are in a relegation fight, and I would have to go along with
that,” manager Roy Hodgson said after Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to
promoted Blackpool.

The Merseyside club
have picked up six points from the first seven Premier League games to
sit 18th in the 20-team league and have also suffered an embarrassing
League Cup defeat by League Two (fourth division) Northampton Town.

Hodgson, who took
over from Rafa Benitez in July, shouldered the blame for the Blackpool
defeat by saying “I’m the one responsible because I’m the team manager”
but many fans believe the blame lies with the club’s owners.

Some 7,000
supporters marched to Anfield on Sunday waving banners and chanting in
the latest of many protests against American owners Tom Hicks and
George Gillett, who put the debt-laden club up for sale in April.

“The problems on
the field now are a consequence of what Tom Hicks and George Gillett
have been doing for a number of years now,” James McKenna, a
representative of the Spirit of Shankly supporters group, told Reuters.

“Yes, Tom Hicks and
George Gillett weren’t playing on the pitch yesterday and yes they
didn’t pick the team but they have continually spent Liverpool’s money.

“We could have
spent the extra revenue and income to go towards paying for new star
players and instead the revenue and income that we’ve generated has
gone towards paying off the debt that they burdened the club with.

“We will be
planning further demonstrations for as long as the situation goes on,”
he added. “The situation at Liverpool is one of the darkest in its
history.” Five-time European champions Liverpool owe their major
creditors Royal Bank of Scotland 237 million pounds and servicing that
debt has left little money in the transfer pot.

Terrible outlook

The lack of new
players has meant the responsibility to perform has fallen to a group
of players who were at the heart of a team challenging for the title
only a couple of years ago.

While England
midfielder Steven Gerrard is dependable as ever, Spain striker Fernando
Torres is enduring a terrible season where both his confidence and
scoring touch have vanished and on Sunday his fitness gave up the ghost
too as he limped off early with a groin injury.

The players were
booed off at halftime when they were two goals down against Blackpool
and former Liverpool captain Alan Hansen, writing in the Daily
Telegraph, understood why.

“They were wearing
red shirts at Anfield and produced a totally unacceptable performance
in a defeat that left Liverpool in the relegation zone. It was an
embarrassment,” he wrote.

“Forget about the history and tradition of the club. Pride also
comes into it, but if the pride isn’t there among the players, then
there is not a lot of hope for the club.” Liverpool’s next league game
on October 17 offers a good chance to redeem some pride, locally at
least, when they play the Merseyside derby at Everton, whose season has
been going little better than their neighbours.

Flamboyant amateur
player, Tim Ayomike, added his name to the Nigeria Cup honour list
after emerging winner of the Nigeria Cup 2010 Golf Competition.

The competition was a special package for the golden jubilee celebration of Nigeria’s Independence.

The single
handicapper defeated arch rival Chi Ekeocha, another single
handicapper, at the end of the 18-hole one-day tourney competed for by
golf playing members of Ikoyi Club 1938.

Ayomike, who had
come close to, winning past tournaments, took home the 50th anniversary
tournament in style – with a 2 over par 73 to beat Ekeocha on a count
back.

Speaking at the prize presentation which came up on Saturday night at the Civic Centre, Lagos, Ayomike said he was delighted.

“I think this is
one game that every member of the club, at least the golf playing ones,
wanted to win because it is special,” he said. “We are marking the
country’s 50th anniversary in a big way and whoever wins would be
celebrated.

“The competition
was really tough but like I always do, I just went out there to enjoy
myself and I guess it is a great honour to come out a winner.”

Satisfaction

On his part,
chairman of the tourney’s organising committee, Frank Gboneme,
expressed satisfaction with the organisation and turnout of
participants at the National Day Competition.

“I am more than
satisfied with the way the tournament went,” he said. “We have had one
week of pure fun. The caddies and kids turned out well and what made me
happy most is the fact that for one week there was no rain and all the
players came out to play and enjoyed themselves.

“It is a great
feeling and I can tell you that we have made positive impact in the
society that we are in.” In the gross category, Remi Olukoya took home
the winner prize with score of 79.

The Nigeria Cup
2010 tournament included a host of mini tournaments such as the
children’s and caddies’ events. A separate tournament for professional
players also came up and was won by Ghanaian player Emos Korblah.

The tournament was sponsored by notable brands, which included UBA, Diamond Bank, Oando Petroleum and Nigeria Breweries Limited.

Arsenal have not
won a trophy in five years and judging from their performances in the
early part of this season, that drought will most probably last another
year. If it does then Arsene Wenger’s time at the Emirates Stadium
could come to an end.

I know it is too
early to make predictions, but I am pretty confident that with this
group of players, the Gunners won’t be celebrating any silverware by
May, 2011.

What baffles me is
that Wenger has had several seasons to invest in his squad, but has
decided against it. The French manager continues to insist on relying
on young players who have won little or nothing in their careers.

It’s easy to start from the back when we try to break this down.

No keeper to call upon

Since Jens Lehmann
left, Arsenal have been without a top-class goalkeeper – a ‘keeper that
can come up with big saves to preserve victories and avoid silly
mistakes that cost points.

That keeper is not
Manuel Almunia. We all know that and so does Wenger, so why has he not
gone out and invested in a new goalie? He courted Mark Schwarzer this
summer, but that wouldn’t be an intelligent choice looking at the
future of the club. So why not go for someone like Fiorentina’s
Sebastien Frey, Genoa’s Eduardo or Maarten Stekelenburg of Ajax?

Their defence is
also missing a world-class player. Every big club around Europe has an
experienced leader at the back, while Arsenal have no-one who fits the
bill. Even when William Gallas was there, he was not the team player
and the reference point that a young team needed. This summer Wenger
brought in Laurent Koscielny and Sebastien Squillaci, both good players
but neither will make or break their season.

Need for a midfield enforcer

Midfield is an area
of the pitch where Arsenal are renowned for having some of the most
talented players in the English Premier League. This is the engine room
where many say the best football in England is created. I agree the
Gunners have many skilful players and Cesc Fabregas is a fantastic
footballer. But there has been a key piece missing in the center of the
park since Patrick Vieira, a defensive midfielder par excellence, left
the club.

In order for Cesc
to blossom he needs someone to cover his tracks. At Barcelona, Xavi has
Sergio Busquets. At Inter Milan, Wesley Sneijder has Esteban Cambiasso.
But who does Fabregas have? Alex Song. A talented young player for sure
but he lacks the character and strength to do the job against the top
teams on the continent.

Up front, it’s a
similar story: a lot of style but not much substance. Robin van Persie
is a top player but he’s not a pure striker who will get 20 goals per
season. Andrei Arshavin blows hot and cold and you never know if you
are going to get an inspiring or frustrating performance from the
Russian international.

Marouane Chamakh
was signed this season and he has added some much needed muscle but is
still not the reliable forward player this team needs at the highest
level.

So what has to be done? Wenger must realise he may have to start
from scratch after this season ends. He may have to sell his fringe
players and bring in two or three established internationals that can
gel with the talented youngsters in the squad and create a winning
side. If he doesn’t do it fast, the Frenchman may be heading for the
exit door when the board realises the trophy drought has gone on for
too long.