Blaming it all on her!

By Bunmi Dipo Salami March 2, 2010 06:08AM

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The Chairman of
Globacom Limited, the official sponsor of the annual African Footballer
of the Year Awards ceremony, Mike Adenuga Jr, has promised authorities
of the game on the continent of increased support for football
development in the coming years.

Mr. Adenuga Jr,
made this declaration in his welcome speech broadcast to an audience
that included the vice president of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama; and a
former president of the country John Agyekum Kuffour at the 2009
Glo-CAF Awards ceremony in Accra, Ghana.

Passion for the game

In a statement
issued by the company, he explained that his company’s huge
contributions to supporting football through the sponsorship of the
national teams and the League in Ghana and Nigeria and through the
Glo-CAF Awards on the continent was informed by the company’s passion
for the game.

While expressing
his gratitude to the Ghanaian president, John Atta Mills, for his
immense support, Mr. Adenuga Jr. said “I am well aware of your love of
the beautiful game and thank you for all of your support both on and
off the pitch. As you know, Glo is a young African company so it’s not
surprising that football is our passion too.”

He urged the six
African teams to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa to do the continent
proud by repeating the feat of the Ghana U-20 team that won the FIFA
Junior World Cup last year in Egypt.

He also said: “In
the Under 20 world Cup, I was delighted to see the young Ghanaian Team,
The Black Satellites, become the first African team ever to lift the
U-20 World Cup. I hope your older brothers do you just as proud in
South Africa in June, along with all the other African teams.”

Football sponsorship

He noted that while
Globacom has been more involved with football sponsorship in the last
one year, there will be even greater support in the years ahead.

“In this last year,
I believe we have been more involved in football than ever before. For
five years now, we’ve sponsored the Glo-Caf Awards and we have now
agreed to do so for many years to come,” Mr. Adenuga Jr. added. “We, of
course, also sponsor the Premier Leagues in both Nigeria and Ghana and
we’ve also been heavily involved as a sponsor, in the Under 17 World
Cup.”

Mr. Adenuga Jr.
also promised that the recent partnership between Globacom and
Manchester United will fast-track the development of young talents in
West Africa to become great stars and offer opportunity for fans to
enjoy all expenses paid trips to watch live matches at Old Trafford.

“The fact is that Glo has become the first telecommunications
operator in Africa to sign a deal that partners us with one of the
world’s most famous and successful football clubs. For young West
African players, this will give them a real chance to hone their skills
at the Manchester United Soccer Academy. It will offer them the
opportunity to win lots of all-expenses-paid trips to watch live
matches at Old Trafford, The Theatre of Dreams,” he said.

Nigeria born
American Football star, Amobi Okoye is taking time off in Nigeria on
the platform of his foundation -Amobi Okoye Foundation, to help kids
keep active through sport, and also get good education in the process.

Speaking in a press
conference at the Teslim Balogun Stadium yesterday, the Foundation
which is on its 3rd annual mission trip to Africa, announced its
intention to introduce a prep school for American football in Nigeria.
The vision, Okoye said, is for youth development around a central theme
“Sport for Life.”

After the press
conference, the American football star, who plays for Houston Texas,
took to the newly refurbished training pitch of the National Stadium to
teach eager kids the rudiments of the game. One of the kids, a Senior
Secondary School 1 student of Ijegun Secondary School, Mayowa Adepoju,
was thrilled with introduction of the game and said he will play
American football alongside football (soccer) which he is already used
to, “am just playing the game today, but I love it, more running more
exercise. I feel free and happy,” the 15 year old said.

Earlier, football
analyst and former member of the technical committee of the Nigeria
Football Federation, Dudu Orumen was made the pioneer head of the Lagos
State American Football Association by Adeniji Adele, the state
commissioner for sports.

Commenting on the
challenge of making the game appealing to Nigerians, Orumen said it is
an opportunity for young people and young adult to be a better human
being. He also said as pioneer head, he will try to lay a foundation
that will gradually elevate the sport to national sport, and develop a
league, “my dream is to nurture the sport to number two sport in the
country.”

Some of the other
initiative of the foundation will be the award of Changing Africa
Through Education (C.A.T.E) scholarship to Nigerian student-athletes.
In conjunction with the Katy ISD (Independent School District) and the
Rotary Club of Katy (USA), fairly used books, and supplies which were
collected from the States will be donated to Nigerian students.

The clinic, which started on the 15th will end on the 21st, after which the foundation will return to the United States.

Nigeria Premier
League players may have blown their chances of featuring in the Super
Eagles World Cup plans after Niger inflicted a 2-0 defeat on our Home
Eagles at the Seyni Kountche Stadium in Niamey last weekend in an
African Nations Championship qualifier.

The African Nations
Championship is a tournament designed by the Confederation of African
Football to showcase the talents which abound in the domestic league of
its member associations. Nigeria was not represented at its inaugural
edition which was held in Cote d’Ivoire last year after our squad led
by coach Okey Emordi crashed out in the qualifiers. Only players
playing professional football in their country’s domestic league are
allowed to take part in this competition.

Niger humiliated
the team led by Daniel Amokachi in the first leg on Saturday in Niamey.
Tales of goalkeeping errors and missed chances were attributed to our
defeat.

Shameful

The Home Eagles
loss to Les Crocodiles, who are ranked 164 by the world football
governing body, FIFA, dent huge blow to calls by Nigerian soccer fans
for the inclusion of domestic league players in the main national team
and that message has even been put across to the new Super Eagles
coach, Sweden-born Lars Lagerback who was told he must work in Nigeria
to be able to identify talents from the league.

Shuaibu Amodu, who
was demoted from his post as the Eagles head coach after the Nations
Cup was criticised after declaring our Premier League players were not
good enough to make his squad for the continental competition and
Lagerback would need to be convinced the home-based players are good
enough for consideration in his squad for South Africa.

The new Eagles
coach who is back in Nigeria to begin his World Cup programme saw the
Premier League dominated Eagles defeat Congo DR 5-1 a fortnight ago in
Abuja- less than a week after his appointment, but he refused to make
early comments about their chances in his team. Lagerback however
insisted there are potentials in the country.

Unacceptable

Former Julius
Berger and national team goalkeeper, Joseph Dosu said the Home Eagles’
performance does not suggest they are good enough to be considered for
the main Super Eagles.

“I was surprised
when I saw the score line because ordinarily you wouldn’t expect
Nigeria to lose in such manner. The competition is considered a big
opportunity for the Premier League players to show what they are
capable of doing at international level and it is also expected to give
them a look in at the Super Eagles level,” says Dosu who was in the
Nigeria squad that won the Olympic Football gold medal in Atlanta 1996.

Dosu added: “They have a big challenge ahead of them in the second
leg and should they crash out of the competition, it will be a shame
and will definitely rubbish the call for their inclusion in the Super
eagles team preparing for the World Cup. They will need to score three
goals now to qualify and that will not be easy for them.”

Zidane interested in coaching Algeria

Zinedine Zidane has
been named as a possible future coach of Algeria after a meeting with
country’s president earlier this month.

Algerian reports
said the French World Cup star, whose parents hail from the north
African country, expressed interest in a possible future role when it
was discussed as courtesy call to President Abdelazziz Boutefika.

Glimmer of hope for Beckham

A Finnish doctor
set to perform surgery on David Beckham’s Achilles’ tendon said Monday
there is a “glimmer of hope” the injured England star will recover in
time for the World Cup.

Surgeon Sakari
Orava said Beckham could not be expected to be fit just three months
after surgery but that he did not rule it out.

“I suppose it would
be realistic to presume he would not really be fit enough, but there
have been these miraculous incidents when a person has been fit enough
to play top level football three months after (surgery),” Orava told
Finnish broadcaster YLE.

“There’s a little glimmer of hope still alive here,” Orava added.

Beckham, 34, was
injured on Sunday during the final minutes of AC Milan’s 1-0 Italian
league win over Chievo Verona when he was by himself with the ball at
his feet.

Ikenwa double drops Dempo

Nigerian striker
Ekene Ikenwa scored twice as Salgaocar Sports Club recorded an
impressive 3-2 win over I-League leaders Dempo Sports Club at Nehru
Stadium .

Three-time
champions Dempo opened the scoring after 33 minutes through Ranty
Martins, but Salgaocar were back on level terms just six minutes later
as Brazilian defender Luciano Sabrosa netted.

Ikenwa made it 2-1
four minutes before the break only for India international defender
Anwar Ali to pull Dempo level on the hour mark.

Ribery shuns Bayern contract talks

Franck Ribery has
rebuffed Bayern Munich’s first approach to commence negotiations over a
new contract, and told them to wait until the end of the season. The
Frenchman’s deal expires in 2011, but the Bavarian giants are keen to
commit him to a new agreement or else they may be forced to sell him
this summer.

Ribery had hinted
that a decision would be made in March and Bayern Munich’s progress to
the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League, thanks to last week’s
elimination of Fiorentina, appeared to be one of the determining
factors.

Struggling Tigers sack Brown

Hull City have relieved manager Phil Brown of his duties and placed him on gardening leave with immediate effect.

The Tigers lost 2-1
at home to Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday, with Nicklas
Bendtner scoring a last-gasp winner. The defeat left Hull second bottom
of the standings, three points from safety.

We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Phil for the
major success achieved during four seasons in charge. However,
retention of Premier League status is paramount. A statement on Hull
City’s official website on the sacking of Phil Brown A statement on the
club’s official website said Brian Horton and Steve Parkin would take
charge of the first team until further notice.

By the return of
Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge for the first time since he left
Chelsea two seasons ago will be the major attraction tonight in the
final reverse second round knockout matches of the UEFA Champions
League.

At the Heineken
Champions Planet IV, visitors are expected to have a fun-filled time
when English Premiership side Chelsea attempts to emulate fellow
domestic rival Manchester United and Arsenal to reach the quarter final
stage of the competition at the expense of Italian champions, Inter
Milan.

Mourinho is confident Inter have the winning mentality to get past Chelsea .

There with his heart

“The good thing is
that I don’t have far to walk,” he told UEFA.com as he looked forward
to the encounter. “From the dressing room to the bench is five metres –
I don’t have to cross the stadium, I don’t have to feel the emotions
and reactions from the crowd. I will just sit there and play my game.

“The players play
on the pitch, I play outside,” he continued. “They are much more
important than me, because on the pitch you win matches, not on the
bench. But I will be there with my heart fully on either side. That’s
what a professional does. I don’t hide that Chelsea are a very
important part of my life.”

Mourinho’s record on the Stamford Bridge is intimidating; he went 60 league games and won back-to-back Premier League titles.

He won the Italian league the first season and the European Champions League with Porto in 2004.

“If the coach does
well and the club supports [him], and this is the case; we always
modify to improve,” the 47-year-old explained. “We bought a few
players, the type of player we did not have last year – a purely
creative attacking midfielder in Wesley Snijder. We have more solutions
in attack with [Diego] Milito, (Samuel) Eto’o and (Goran) Pandev.

“Of course we lost
Zlatan Ibrahimović, but with these three players we have more solutions
and more options. Also, Lucio is the type of central defender we didn’t
have – tall, strong in the air. I think we are more adapted to the
needs of the modern game.”

Mental toughness

Apart from
recruitment, Mourinho also credits his players with they are also
mentally stronger. He buttressed the players’ mental toughness with the
4-3 win against AC Siena in which Walter Samuel scored a stoppage time
goal, playing as a centre-forward. “The Siena match is a good example
of what we are,” Mourinho told UEFA.Com . “We were losing and scored
the equaliser for 3-3 in the 91st minute. A normal team, normal players
and coaches, would have said ‘Okay, we did it, we have a point, we did
not lose, it’s done.’ But I was shouting to the players ‘Three minutes
to go, three more minutes.’ You can win or you can lose. We won.

“Samuel was asking
me, ‘Do I go back?’ My reply was, ‘No, don’t go back – stay up for
three more minutes and see what happens.’ It was my decision, but a
coach can only be arrogant, can only have this winning mentality, if he
knows the players’ response is good.”

Planet House

The refurbished
Planet House still maintains its unique opulent nature and provides a
relaxing ambience for Heineken consumers and fans to enjoy the games
with captains of industry, celebrities and prominent former Super
Eagles stars.

This evening, when
the quest for which of the teams will pick the remaining four quarter
final ticket gets under way, coach Carlos Anceloti has a major task
most especially in Mourinho’s mind game to cancel the 1-2 loss at San
Siro Stadium during the first leg.

In the other match
of the day, Spanish top side Sevilla will host CSKA Moscow in the
return leg after a useful 1-1 score line in the Russian capital two
weeks ago.

Aside the football matches, the marketing director of Nigerian
Breweries Plc, Jacco Van der Linden, had disclosed during the formal
opening of the new look Planet House that visitors would be engaged in
fun and exciting activities like table soccer, swimming, golf and chess
while all the games are aired on all the screens available in the HCP.

“Everybody knows
Mourinho doesn’t lose at Stamford Bridge. My record is unbeatable. It
is amazing – we were so strong for such a long time.”

Former Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho now of Inter

“Mourinho’s return
was really not a big theme in the dressing room. It is another time
with another coach. Most of the players worked with him for a long time
but it’s gone. We have an experienced side hungry to win the Champions
League. To have a coach who has won it twice, that’s why we look up to
him and that’s why he is here.” Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack

“There is no problem with Mourinho. It’s a game between Chelsea and Inter, not me against Mourinho.”

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti

“Mourinho is one of
the best managers I’ve played for and he brought a lot to my career.
When he signed me at Chelsea he gave me a lot of confidence. He always
put me in the team, no matter what game. He brought a lot of positive
things to my career so I’ll never forget him.”

Chelsea striker Solomon Kalou

“For me, it will
rest on how they handle Drogba. They don’t have a great deal of height
at the back. They have Lucio, who is a reasonable size, but Samuel is
not big. He’s only about 5ft 9ins or so. He’s tough, but not
particularly big, so Drogba’s size could be a problem.”

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson

“It will be a
different game from the first leg. Chelsea played better at San Siro.
Inter begin with a quite important advantage at Stamford Bridge. It
also depends on who Ancelotti plays. But Chelsea are as strong as
Manchester United.”

Former Inter manager Roberto Mancini now of Man City

“Chelsea are the
favourites and the pressure is on them. Every minute that passes
without a goal on Tuesday will add to that pressure. They will feel the
tension. I have told Didier Drogba that we will create big problems for
Chelsea and that they will have to produce their best performance of
the season to beat us. I was annoyed when I saw the draw because I
hoped this match would have been the final at the Bernabeu in May, but
we don’t fear Chelsea. We need to repeat the level we showed in the San
Siro over the 90 minutes.”

Inter striker Samuel Eto’o

Last week’s
write-up ended with an appeal for reader’s contributions. Let me repeat
that no one knows it all. I want to reiterate the fact that suggestions
made by you readers, may be that which will weave all the threads –
that is, all the ideas, opinions, suggestions, plans, concepts and
thoughts, expressed so far – together in our attempt to sell the idea
of ensuring a secured future, through sports, for millions of talented
Nigerian youngsters.

I cannot sincerely
think of a better way to explain the Diamond Structure Philosophy, more
than simply saying, that, it is the marriage of sports and education in
order to ensure a secured future for millions of Nigerian youngsters,
already destined for future leadership roles through sports. (Please
the repetition/emphasis is deliberate.) It is worth mentioning that
there are about 40 million young boys and girls of Primary and
Secondary School age in this country. This is apart from about 150, 000
graduates produced annually by our Universities.

Sports promotion vs development

Let me also confess
that taking up this aspect of sports journalism has not been easy at
all. Maybe it would have been more comfortable to tow the line of
sports promotion as against grassroots sports development. It would
have been more profitable or rewarding, to tell our sports
administrators and managers what they feel comfortable hearing or
reading. Why create problems for myself? Why experience sleepless
nights; thinking of the how not to and how to take this Diamond
Structure idea to the next level, thinking about making Nigeria the
greatest sporting country in Africa and one to be reckoned with once
again, internationally, thinking about the socio-economic, health and
political benefits of sports. Is change itself, not the greatest
insecurity of our sports administrators in the Abuja glass house? Yes,
it has been a very emotional experience. But my heart is fixed by His
very special grace.

Readers’ reaction

Some of the
reactions received last week, are very encouraging. I appreciate the
comments posted online, by J.O. Iyiola, Jane and Frank. I want to
appeal to Jane’s children, not to be too upset with me, because of the
Dodo issue. It is not only dodo, there is a lot more I hope
nutritionists will help us with. For instance, it is very dangerous to
eat puff-puff before embarking on any form of exercise. It is not safe.

Of interest,
however, is the suggestion that the Diamond Structure idea be sold to
faith-based organisations involved in sports. That move has been made
and the result is positive. We are following up and will get you
informed at the right time.

The suggestion of selling the same idea to, the football-playing and sports-loving governor of Lagos State is also interesting.

Something rather
interesting was discovered in a statement made by Ken Anugweje,
President of the Nigerian Universities Games Association (NUGA): “In
the last Beijing Olympics, for instance, every medal that Nigeria won
had a NUGA imprint. The Chukwumerije chap who won a medal in taekwondo
was the NUGA taekwondo champion in his weight class in the last NUGA
games. The relay quartet that won bronze … all four of them were NUGA
athletes. Gloria Kemasouede was in the University of Ibadan … she ran
for NUGA in 1999 at the World Universities games. So, you see that
everybody who won anything in the last Olympic Games had a NUGA
coloration except in (the) soccer team”.

Whao! Soccer! How come? The
answer is simple because sports (especially football – the most
beautiful and most popular sport) has not been given the required
attention in our Universities. I am made to understand that our
undergraduates are made to pay a compulsory sports levy, by the
Nigerian University Commission, but this sports levy is diverted to
other University expenditures, leaving little or nothing for sports. Do
we now have to play the “blame-game”? No, we take the bulls by the
horns.

We therefore ask Niky Igbokwe – the NUGA Sports Director, if it is
possible for us to work towards floating a football club to consist
mainly of graduates from our tertiary institutions. Is it not possible
for our U-23 to consist mainly of undergraduates? Niky made me
understand that Fashola – a University of Benin alumnus, played for his
University alongside Edema Fuludu and scored several goals during the
NUGA competitions. A pyramid with a football team consisting of
graduate football players, at the peak of such a pyramid, will motivate
and encourage Nigerian youngsters in secondary schools to aspire to
make it to the top. Is this possible in Nigeria? Time will tell.

I have been quizzed
repeatedly as to why football is my subject choice for this column. I
have never really asked myself this question on a ‘scientific basis’ –
all I know is that I enjoy everything associated with football whether
it is watching the game or writing about it. I have therefore taken
some time out to reflect on this issue and the result of my ‘time out’
is outlined below.

Simple dynamics

The frenzy and
passion associated with football as a sport is not in doubt. Very few
polo, hockey or golf lovers kill their wives or themselves or go on
hunger strike because their teams or players lost a match but it has
happened repeatedly in football. And before the cynical minded ones
start off thinking football lovers are probably more emotional than
most, let me add that we are not – it is the dynamics of the game. It
is like opium; it is highly addictive and engenders a deep passion that
equals perhaps that of religion. Football is loved and followed all
over the world and it cuts across all ages, class and races. Even
cricket loving nations like Australia place some premium on their
football teams judging from the nation’s reaction to their team’s
qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

The joy of football
is that it is egalitarian and easily accessible whether you are playing
or watching it. Anyone anywhere can pick up a ball and play. The
accessibility of the game is (permit me to say) unrivalled by any other
sport – for swimming, you need a pool of water, for golf you need the
ever expensive kit and clubs (never mind miniature golf!), for Polo –
don’t even go there.

There are some
sports that are deliberately not accessible to just anyone. Not
football though. The unparalleled demonstration of raw skill is another
drawing point – you can teach a man to hit the ball on the golf course,
swing the bat in cricket but in football you need to have the raw
talent first which can then be refined through training. Whether you
are in midfield, attack or defence everybody has a role to play. If you
have a good attack and your defence is leaking like a basket full of
water, then God help you.

A perfect football
team is one with an impregnable defence, tight midfield and excellent
attack. Let me quickly add that such a team does not exist on the face
of planet earth but some teams do tend to come close. My beloved
Arsenal on a good day will deliver sublime and exciting football for
the enjoyment of all.

Warfare and unpredictability

The game is almost
like warfare with a need to be tactical. Players are deployed in the
format (whether it is 4-4-2 or 5-3-2) that is best suited to their
talents and to match the expected formation of their opponents. You can
have all the skills of Pele or Diego Maradona but it can only take you
thus far.

Real Madrid
currently has 2 of the best players in the world – Kaka (2007 winner of
FIFA world footballer of the year) and Cristiano Ronaldo (winner in
2008) yet they are shockingly out of the 2010 UEFA Champions League
which leads to another point regarding the beauty of the game – it’s
not exactly logical – 2 plus 2 does not necessarily always equal four!
If you hate mathematics believe me football is the game for you.

One may at the
beginning of the football season guess that Manchester United will win
the Barclays Premiership league (since they have won it ‘gazillion’
times already!), but wonders have been known to happen in football and
it could jolly well end up being Arsenal holding the cup aloft at the
end of the season.

Unlike in other
games where a ‘comeback’ of individual players is possible a la Michael
Schumacher to Formula 1 at age 41years or George Foreman’s return to
professional boxing at age 38, in football whilst possible it may not
be feasible and if done it is usually in another guise probably as
coach or trainer. The physical demand of the game is such that most
individuals think twice about making this decision.

Merchandising is
huge in football so, identifying with your team even if you are not in
the same physical location is not a problem. How many sports have
branded mugs, wristwatches, bed sheets, bean bags…!

So, there you go. Football for all!