Abdullah Sani Lulu,
the president of Nigeria Football Federation, ate humble pie last week
when he admitted the Hampshire Hotel, Ballito, Durban, may not be the
ideal place for the Super Eagles to camp for the South Africa 2010 FIFA
World Cup. Lulu told journalists at a media briefing at the Lagos
Sheraton Hotel that the Nigeria Football Federation has given the
management a three-point ultimatum to put things right, or they will
start looking for alternative accommodation.
Lulu had before now
given the Hampshire Hotel a passmark. So also did the Super Eagles
coach, Lars Lagerback. Their views contradicted sharply with that of NFF
scribe, Bolaji Ojo-Oba, who described the hotel as not the best they
could get for the Eagles after three visits to South Africa.
The criticism around
the Hampshire includes the lack of facilities that will enable the team
prepare properly for their matches. Some analysts say the management of
Hampshire will have to work miracles to build an Olympic sized, or
fairly big swimming pool, within three weeks, for example.
They also argue that
the possibility of providing visible and invisible security, a
functional gym, and other facilities within this period is very remote.
Lulu’s sudden
turn-around is probably due to pressure from all quarters on the NFF
following NEXT on Sunday’s exclusive story on the state of the hotel.
Many though, doubt
Lulu’s sincerity on the NFF getting a new hotel within three weeks.
They fear that the NFF will argue that since the championship is just
about a month away, it is not expedient to start looking for another
hotel, and that rather, they should just let the Eagles stay at
Hampshire Hotel in Ballito.
A senior football
official who asked for anonymity said he could not understand why the
NFF went for a clearly unsuitable hotel. “FIFA is taking care of all the
expenses,” he said. “So why can’t we just make sure that our team is in
a place that will allow them prepare and rest properly between
competitions.”
Given the urgency of the situation, the NFF, working with the staff
of Nigeria High Commission in South Africa needs to start looking for a
new abode for the Eagles immediately.
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