Nigeria Content Online

The General Manager of Shooting Stars
Sports Club, Mutiu Adepoju has condemned rumours suggesting that he’s
quitting the club due to “government interference.” “There was never a
time I contemplated quitting my post as General Manager of Shooting
Stars, and I don’t really know where this wicked rumours emanated
from,” Adepoju said.

“I have never complained to anyone
about external interference, and as much as I have enjoyed absolute
freedom in running the affairs of 3SC, the falsehood surrounding the
rumours must be laid to rest.

“As much as I am condemning these false
reports in their entirety, let me also set the records straight and
tell all Shooting Stars supporters at home and abroad that there’s no
truth whatsoever in whatever they may have read regarding this issue,
and at this moment, I remain the GM of 3SC and have no intention of
quitting,” he added.

A section of the Nigerian media had
early in the week reported that “the crisis that has deepened at the
troubled Premier League club, Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC), may
result in the resignation of its general manager, Mutiu Adepoju.”

Expressing his disgust at the unfounded
rumours, the Nigeria ex-international lamented the biased mind of
certain sports journalists who never take the pains to verify
information before going to press.

“There’s no crisis at Shooting Stars,
so whoever is wishing us bad at this time will only be disappointed
because we are destined to shine.

Part of our plans to reposition the
team is already taking shape, as we have just announced the appointment
of Fatai Amoo as our new Chief Coach,” he said.

Adepoju also described the negative
stories regarding his purported resignation as the handiwork of his
detractors whose sole aim is to see him fail.

“This is obviously the work of my
detractors who are hell bent on destabilizing the team, but we are not
be deterred, and we shall continue to do our best to reposition
Shooting Stars as a leading brand in Nigerian football,” he stated.

Meanwhile, newly appointed coach of 3SC, Fatai Amoo is resuming with
the team on Wednesday morning by 7.30am at the team’s Liberty Stadium
training ground after fine-tuning his contract formalities on Tuesday
afternoon at the club’s Jericho office in Ibadan.

Chelsea have
confirmed that Mikel Obi’s chances of playing against Stoke City on
Sunday is slim, after suffering a damage in his ankle in their 2-1 loss
to Tottenham Hotspurs last weekend.

The Blues
midfielder was replaced by Michael Ballack just 33minutes after the
kick off, following a vicious tackle from Bolton striker, Kevin Davies
in a Premier League clash at Stamford Bridge last week.

“Scans on Tuesday
have revealed that John Mikel Obi has suffered ankle ligament damage
and as a result, the midfielder is a doubt for Sunday’s game against
Stoke City”, revealed the Chelsea website on Wednesday night.

The injury means
Chelsea have suffered another major blow to their title aspiration as
they have lost their two main holding midfielders after confirming
Michael Essien may not recover in time to play again this season.
Mikel, who has made 35 appearances in all competitions for his club
this season, has been impressive in the anchor role after Essien
suffered a knee injury during the African Cup of Nations in January.

It is the second time the Super Eagles ace has been out this season
after he was injured for six weeks during the Blues 3-1 loss to Wigan
at the DW stadium in September. His injury would also be a major
concern to the national team coach, Lars Lagerback who is set to meet
his players next week in London.

Inter Milan’s
transformation from Champions League also-rans to serious title
contenders can be traced back to the day coach Jose Mourinho sauntered
into town less than two years ago.

The road has been a
bumpy one but Tuesday’s vibrant 3-1 win over holders Barcelona in their
semi-final, first leg left home fans in dreamland having witnessed one
of the great European nights at the famous old San Siro.

The rafters
literally shook as 75,000 supporters bounced up and down in sheer
delight after goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon and Diego Milito gave
Inter the edge ahead of next Wednesday’s second leg at the Nou Camp.

World player of the
year Lionel Messi, who scored four goals in the last round against
Arsenal, was almost completely nullified by Javier Zanetti’s constant
harrying and Inter’s ability to break so quickly that the ball was
often behind him.

“We did a good
defensive job on Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and we created
lots of chances,” Argentina’s Milito told reporters after also being
involved in the first two goals.

“My goal? I prefer
to talk about my assists. It’s great to set up goals for my
team-mates.” Milito’s work-rate and willingness to chase lost causes
sums up the attributes Mourinho has instilled in his players during a
run of six straight European victories, including two against Chelsea.

European master

Inter had grit in
Serie A under former coach Roberto Mancini but were like rabbits in
headlights when it came to Europe’s premier competition, where they
last won back-to-back titles in 1964-65 before a most recent final
appearance in 1972.

Mourinho proved he
was a European master by winning the trophy with unfashionable Porto in
2004 and near misses as Chelsea coach only served to intensify his
desire at Inter.

Last season was a
work in progress in Europe as instead he made sure of a fourth
successive Italian title, but this term the Champions League has moved
centre stage with the side now trailing AS Roma in the Serie A title
race.

Almost every Inter
fan, who only had UEFA Cup success to crow about in the 1990s, would
swap a fifth scudetto for a place in next month’s final in Madrid let
alone winning the trophy.

But the Nerazzurri know that against a team as skilful and resourceful as Barca, the tie is nowhere near over.

“We tried to neutralise their play and we succeeded, but now we will have to do the same in Barcelona,” striker Milito added.

Thousands of Barca
fans might have wondered why they battled through the travel chaos
caused by an Icelandic volcanic to watch their side lose by a two-goal
margin for the first time under Pep Guardiola.

However, the
Guardiola is confident they will be out in force next Wednesday given
Barca already beat Inter 2-0 at home in the group stages in November.

“90 minutes is very long time. The stadium will be full. Of course we can overturn this,” he said.

Confederation of
Africa (CAF) Champions League runner-up, Heartland FC have been grouped
in Group B of the 2010 Confederation of East and Central African
Football (CECAFA) Kagame club championships holding in Kigali Rwanda
from May 15 to 29.

The competition is
a regional event that attracts the league champions from each of the
countries in the east and central region. Ten teams from the region
will compete alongside Heartland and TP Mazembe of Democratic Republic
of Congo who were invited as guest sides for the regional showpiece.

Heartlands FC are drawn in Group B against Rayon Sport of Rwanda, Mafunzo of Zanzibar and St George of Ethiopia.

In Group A, Rwanda
champions APR are slugged with TP Mazembe, who eliminated them from
this year’s champions league in the second round last month, Vita O of
Burundi and Djibouti’s Telkom.

Atraco FC of Rwanda
will begin their title defence in Group C against Uganda Revenue
Authority (URA), Simba of Tanzania and Kenya’s Sofapaka FC.

An eye on Supersport

CECAFA’S secretary
general, Nicholas Musonye while speaking on Tuesday at the headquarters
in Nairobi, Kenya during the draw said the Rwanda government injected 1
million US dollars in the event . He disclosed that the US$1m will
cater for air tickets for all teams, referees, officials, accommodation
and cash prize.

Meanwhile, coaches
and players of the Nigeria club are keeping mum on their invitation
claiming it will only be a distraction ahead of their Round of 16
encounter with SportSports United of South Africa at the Rand Stadium
in Johannesburg on Saturday.

Ik Thangod, who is
back with the Kelechi Emetole tutored side after a successful outing
with the Super Eagles home-based team at the WAFU Cup, told NEXT Sport
the team has been briefed about the event.

Speaking from South
Africa, the central defender said: “We were told of the CECAFA Cup; I
think it starts in May but for now the major thing is to concentrate on
our matches in the champion’s league. We need to beat SuperSports to
the group stage; there is nothing else on my mind right now. Maybe
after the match we will discuss other things”.

However attempts to contact Heartland boss, Emetole, failed as he did not take calls.

Liverpool’s
2000-kilometre odyssey to arrive in Madrid for Thursday’s Europa League
semi-final first-leg against Atletico is unlikely to affect their
performance, according to Atletico midfielder Jurado.

Airspace
restrictions caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland have forced
coach Rafael Benitez and his players to find alternative means of
transport to the Spanish capital.

They took a train
to London around Tuesday lunchtime and then the Eurostar rail service
to Paris. They plan to catch a train to Bordeaux on Wednesday and then
a flight to Madrid.

“I am sorry they
have to travel so many kilometres (out of their way), although I don’t
think it’ll make any difference on the pitch,” Jurado said at a news
conference on Tuesday.

“I think that more
than the journey they will be tired because they played on Monday,” he
said, in reference to Liverpool’s 3-0 Premier League win over West Ham.

“But in a
semi-final like this you use all your energy and you don’t notice
fatigue.” The Liverpool players passed the time on the train to London
reading newspapers, playing cards and browsing on laptop computers,
according to a live blog called “The Longest Journey” on the club’s
website (www.liverpoolfc.tv).

After they arrive
in Madrid on Wednesday, Benitez will hold a news conference at
Atletico’s Calderon stadium at 1645 GMT and they will have a practice
session from 1730 GMT.

Atletico winger
Jose Antonio Reyes believes his side will miss Sergio “Kun” Aguero more
than Liverpool will notice the absence of Fernando Torres on Thursday
as the two teams bid for a place in the May 12 final against Hamburg SV
or Fulham.

Fan favourite

Spain striker
Torres, a fans’ favourite at Atletico before moving to the Premier
League in July 2007, had knee surgery on Sunday and will be out for
around six weeks. Argentina forward Aguero is suspended.

“I admit that for
us it’s good news (that Torres is out), although also bad because we
like to see the best players on the pitch,” Reyes told reporters.

“Above all his team will suffer, and also our fans,” the former Arsenal and Real Madrid player added.

“Both teams lose a
lot, although I believe the absence of Kun it’s more important because
he is a key player for Atletico. We’ll notice his absence, although I
hope not much.” Erratic Atletico have struggled in La Liga this season
but have made the final of the domestic cup and Liverpool’s captain
Steven Gerrard said the Spaniards are capable of beating anyone if they
hit form.

“It depends what
version of Atletico takes to the pitch,” the England midfielder said in
an interview published in Spain’s As sports daily on Tuesday.

“They’re a bit like us: sometimes you expect them to win and they don’t.

“It’s going to be a
hard match. The trophy is very important for both clubs and the
atmosphere is going to be sensational.” Probable teams:

Atletico Madrid: 43-David De Gea; 2-Juan Valera, 18-Alvaro
Dominguez, 17-Tomas Ujfalusi, 3-Antonio Lopez; 12-Paulo Assuncao,
8-Raul Garcia; 19-Jose Antonio Reyes, 9-Jurado, 20-Simao Sabrosa;
7-Diego Forlan Liverpool: 25-Pepe Reina; 2-Glen Johnson, 5-Daniel
Agger, 23-Jamie Carragher, 16-Sotiris Kyrgiakos; 20-Javier Mascherano,
21-Lucas; 18-Dirk Kuyt, 8-Steven Gerrard, 15-Yossi Benayoun; 24-David
Ngog Referee: Laurent Duhamel (France)

Tireless Inter Milan produced a rip-roaring home performance to overpower Barcelona 3-1 and leave the holders in real trouble after an inspiring Champions League semi-final, first leg on Tuesday.

Goals from Wesley Sneijder, Maicon and Diego Milito, after Pedro had given Barca the lead, set up a fascinating second leg at the Nou Camp next Wednesday.

In one of the most electric atmospheres inside the San Siro for years, both sides stretched every last sinew to the limit as Europe’s top club competition again showed why fans the world over are so hooked.

Inter had the better of the early chances but first blood went to Barca, forced to make a 14-hour bus journey to reach the match because of the Icelandic volcano restricting flights.

Left back Maxwell, who quit Inter for the La Liga leaders last year, exposed his former team mates by reaching the byline unmarked and his pullback was slotted home by Spain World Cup hopeful Pedro after 19 minutes.

Forward Pedro was again preferred to Thierry Henry in Barca’s starting lineup and the diminutive livewire forward is fast looking a good bet to gatecrash Spain’s World Cup squad.

Inter, who were last European Cup winners in 1965 and playing in their first Champions League semi-final since 2003, then demonstrated the steel-plated resilience coach Jose Mourinho has instilled by hitting back on the half-hour.

BARNSTORMING BREAK

Argentine striker Milito, who missed two glorious chances from tight angles, turned his back on goal when picking up the ball in the box but cleverly played in former Real Madrid playmaker Sneijder and the unmarked Dutchman slammed home.

Goran Pandev did well early in the second half to release Milito in a barnstorming break and his cut-back was scuffed home by right back Maicon, who was later taken off on a stretcher.

Milito headed in the third after 61 minutes and for a moment feared he had again been flagged offside before running to celebrate with the ecstatic Inter fans, who have been spoilt by four straight Serie A titles but starved of European success.

Ex-Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, booed repeatedly by his former beloved crowd, had a few sniffs at goal while Lionel Messi only had one good effort after largely being kept under wraps by the sheer brute force of Inter’s defence.

Barca, who protested to the referee at the final whistle after a couple of penalty appeals were waved away, pushed hard for a way back late on but Inter held firm.

REUTERS

The Disciplinary
Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will, on Thursday,
meet in Abuja to decide on the statement of the Delta State Football
Association Chairman, Amaju Pinnick, which the federation considers
capable of putting the NFF and its leadership to ridicule.

The Committee
agreed last week to give Pinnick, who is also Chairman of the Delta
State Sports Commission, one last chance to appear before it after he
failed to turn up for the scheduled date of April 15 in Abeokuta.

In a letter signed
by the Assistant General Secretary (Competitions), Mohammed Sanusi,
also Secretary of the Committee, the NFF warned that it would be the
last opportunity for Pinnick to defend himself against the allegations
before it takes a decision.

“We wish to express
our disappointment on your inability to honour the invitation extended
to you. We have also observed that your letter did not indicate when
you will be available to be heard, neither did you attach your travel
plan for the committee to consider,” wrote Sanusi.

Pinnick had been
invited by the NFF Disciplinary Committee to make clarifications on
statements credited to him and published in some national dailies, in
which he accused the Federation of over-bearing in handling the issue
involving the management of Sharks Football Club of Port Harcourt.

Dr. Sanusi wrote further: “Thus, you are by this letter invited to
appear before the committee on the 22nd April, 2010 at the NFF
Conference Room, Abuja at 4pm. Please note that this is the last
opportunity for you to defend yourself, as the committee will take its
decision on 22nd April, 2010.”

Bayern Munich
refused to discuss Franck Ribery’s involvement in a French police
investigation into a prostitution network ahead of Wednesday’s
Champions League semi-final first leg against Olympique Lyon.

Ribery was replaced
by defender Philipp Lahm at a news conference on Tuesday following the
playmaker’s appearance as a witness in the police probe.

“Our press chief said we will not talk about that,” said defender Daniel van Buyten when asked about Ribery.

“Franck … has
invested a lot in this season and wants to finish strongly as we are
still fighting for three titles.” Ribery was substituted in the second
half of Bayern’s 7-0 demolition of Hanover 96 on Saturday because of
muscular problems and did not train on Monday.

Just fine

“Franck looks fine and he completed full training today,” said Bayern assistant coach Andries Jonker.

“He looks to be at
a good level and it looks now that he can last the match tomorrow.”
Jonker stepped in for Dutch coach Louis van Gaal who travelled by car
to Amsterdam to attend a funeral. He is due to return to Munich later
on Tuesday or on Wednesday morning.

Bayern are chasing a German first — a Champions League, Bundesliga and domestic cup treble.

The Bavarians are
without captain Mark van Bommel and defender Holger Badstuber through
suspension but Lahm said appearing in his first Champions League
semi-final was enough motivation to overcome any absences.

“It does not happen
every year that you are in a Champions League semi-final and we have a
good chance to reach the final,” said the Germany full back.

“What we want to do is not to concede a goal. We would like 1-0 or
even 2-0 which would be a very good starting position for the return
leg.”

Nigeria midfielder Mikel Obi looks set
to miss Chelsea’s English Premier League encounter against Stoke City
at Stamford Bridge after aggravating a knee injury against Tottenham
Hotspurs last weekend.

Mikel hobbled off the pitch after
33minutes in the Blues’ 2-1 loss and will now be expected to be out for
10 days as his club hopes to win their last three games in the race to
win the title.

The Super Eagles star has played a key
role in the club’s league campaign this season, particularly in the
absence of Michael Essien, who has also been another influential figure
in the team’s midfield.

Chelsea expects Essien to be back for
the Stoke clash, after being out of action since injuring his knee in
January while featuring for the Black Stars of Ghana at the African
Nations Cup in Angola, but their defeat at the White Hart Lane last
Saturday further underlined the impact of their Nigeria international.
The Tottenham loss was the Blues’ sixth league defeat this season, and
it was only in the 2-1 defeat at Everton in February that Mikel
featured for more than 60minutes.

Mikel may lack the versatility and
attacking guile of Essien but the former Lyn Oslo star has proven to
been the secret behind Chelsea’s resilience in the defence this season
as the holding midfielder. The Blues midfield collapsed following his
substitution at Spurs and it was no surprise skipper John Terry had to
be sent off following two yellow cards. Mikel’s replacement, 33
year-old Ballack, could not match the pace of the Tottenham midfield
led by Croatian playmaker, Luka Modric and even Deco had to pay more
attention to support the defence rather than orchestrating Chelsea’s
attack.

Impact

Without their Nigerian enforcer to
shield the backline, the Stamford Bridge side have often struggle to
escape defeat. Chelsea’s first loss in the league was at Wigan last
year after Mikel was forced off at half time following a knee injury.
It left the club’s midfield in shambles and exposed their defence in a
game where Petr was sent off. The match ended 3-1 for the hosts as the
Lactics pounced on the Blues’ weakness in the middle. Even the presence
of Essien could not prevent the defeat.

Mikel was still out injured as the
Blues suffered their second loss against Aston Villa in October last
year despite having Essien for another 90minutes at the Villa Park.
Despite playing a key role in the 3-0 demolition of Arsenal in November
in a strong midfield that included Essien, Ancelotti decided to bench
Mikel in his team’s next league match at Manchester City and it
backfired. Chelsea were down 2-0 before the Italian manager called on
the Nigerian to replace Ballack on 64minutes but the match 2-1. The
pressure on the defence sprung up again as the centre back duo of Terry
and Ricardo Carvalho were cautioned before the introduction of the
Eagles star into the game.

Chelsea fourth defeat also suggested
Mikel’s cannot be ignored. Manchester City were leading 2-1 at Stamford
Bridge before Ancelotti removed the former Flying Eagles star for
Belletti on 60 minutes. Both Belletti and Ballack failed to rescue the
midfield and they both got their marching orders as City went on to win
4-2 in February this year.

Mikel, who celebrates his 23rd birthday tomorrow, however played for
76minutes before being replaced a minute after Louis Saha scored the
winner in the Blues’ 2-1 defeat to Everton at the Goodison Park. He has
been cautioned three times in 25 league appearances this season.

Ibrahim Bio, the
new sports minister, like his governor, Bukola Saraki of Kwara State,
is a diehard supporter of North London football club Arsenal. In
popular parlance, he is a Gunner for life. That Bio was appointed
Minister of Sports and Chairman, National Sports Commission the day
Lionel Messi led Barcelona to humiliate Arsenal is a sign that life at
his new abode will not be a bed of roses, it’s either he minds the gap,
or he gets consumed like others before him.

In the next few
days, Bio will be an household name. In a World Cup year, the head of
sports and the Super Eagles coach become important, if not more
important than the president.

Between Transport and Sports

The transport
ministry, where Bio is coming from, is a key sector of the economy.
Many are concerned that transportation is not working, but are not
talking about it because there are alternatives. There are night and
day buses to all nook and crannies of the country, so rail roads can go
to hell. Those that are rich make private arrangements to travel by
air, sea or land.

But in a nation
where about 99 per cent of the adult eat, drink and sleep football, and
where they cannot have an alternative Super Eagles or send an
alternative team to the Commonwealth Games, they are bound to have
opinions on every aspect of Sports, especially, football. Ask your
predecessor, the sports seat is a very hot one. As minister of
transport, you rarely get mentioned in the press, but as the minister
of sports you will not only get daily mention, the daily word you utter
is news.

Becoming a
successful sports minister that you hope to be is easy if you do the
right things and mind the gap between success and failure.

Mind civil servants

The first set of
people you need to watch out for are the civil servants. They are yes
men who will push to do the wrong things as long as they are
benefitting. Ask your immediate predecessor Sani Ndanusa, while he kept
doing the wrong things, the civil servants urged him on. Infact, a
director in the commission told sports editors at Nigerlink Hotel a few
months ago, that his loyalty to Ndanusa is so deep that if the man is
removed as Sports Minister, he will resign the next day. Weeks after
Ndanusa was removed, the director is still in the commission, infact he
was one of the directors that received you on arrival at the Federal
secretariat.

So you need to mind
this gap. If in doubt, call the ministers before you like Abdurrahman
Gimba, Sunmaila Sambawa and Musa Muhammad. These are guys that were
used and dumped by civil servants.

Between football and other sports

Bio, do not be
deluded. There are just two sports in Nigeria, football and other
sports. The idea of giving football and other sports equal treatment is
untenable.

I am an athletics
reporter, but I know that when Nigeria fails in athletics and other
sports, majority are not bothered, but when our football team fail,
even the market women call for the sack of the minister, the NFF and
the head coach. It is just like a minister in India or Pakistan saying
he will give Cricket and football equal attention. The citizens are
likely to forgive him if he fails to deliver in football, but woe
betide him if the cricket team fails.

It is the same
thing in Nigeria, medal is not medal, a gold medal in football is of
more importance to Nigerians than another other sports.

Bio should be more
concerned about Super Eagles’ performances in South Africa. The first
step is to direct the NFF to get a befitting accommodation for the
Super Eagles in South Africa. The Hampshire Hotel they plan to
accommodate the Eagles is not even good enough for the Eaglets.

Bio will write his
name in gold if he can expose the faces behind the scandals that has
rocked football in recent times, most especially the allegation levied
against members of the panel that interviewed Glen Hoddle and Lars
Lagerback and the allegation that Hoddle was dropped because he refused
to give them kickback and while Lagerback was employed because he
cooperated.

What is the outcome of the probe panel that investigated the missing money in NFF set up by the former minister Ndanusa?

Ndanusa’s legacy and Commonwealth Games

Bio, my kinsman and
the former speaker of my state House of Assembly, has pledged to build
on the legacies left by his predecessors, with the support of all
sports stakeholders. This is either a political statement or one
written by press secretary.

Ndanusa left a
legacy of failure; he was so consumed with his ambition to become the
president of an NGO that he neglected sports. At a time athletes were
crying for training grants for the Commonwealth Games, Ndanusa wasted
about two hundred and fifty million naira hosting Africa Sports
Ministers.

With the Commonwealth Games just a few months away, nothing has been done about preparation.

For Nigeria to put a reasonable show in New Delhi, I advise Bio to
set up Ministerial Task Force on the preparation of athletes,
independence of Civil Servants. Bio should also endeavour to pay all
debt owned the athletes and officials so that the Abuja Grand Prix will
not boycotted by athletes next month. Lastly, Bio should not only steer
clear of NOC politics, but should instruct associations and federations
heads to concentrate on revival of all death sports instead of sports
politics. Bio, the way of your predecessors were rough, but yours will
be smooth, if you mind the gap.