Some players of the Nigeria U-17 that failed to qualify for the Africa Youth Championship have revealed the harsh treatment they received in the hands of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), after their exit from the qualifiers for next year Africa Youth Championship.

The Nigerian team fell 2-3 on aggregate to their counterparts from Niger Republic after a controversial lost away in Niger. Although the players are set to retained by the NFF as they are the youngest they have however lament the poor way they were treated.

Their plea is for the football body to treat them a lot better than last time out, as they have reportedly been told that they will be called to camp after the Sallah holidays in Nigeria.

” We saw hell in camp prior to our game against Niger, we stayed at the FIFA Goal Project hostel that has no light, no water with mosquitoes everywhere” One of the players told Owngoalnigeria.com

” We were moved into an hotel few days to the game and after the game, we wash and wear our kit for the return leg. To our surprise we were asked to return everything including socks after the game.

” I also need you to know that we were not paid any form of allowance before and after the game. Some of us had to beg for transport money to go home because they didn’t give us any money”.

NPFL-LBA names nominees for August

Four players and four coaches have been shortlisted to vie for the
Player and Manager awards for the month of August in the Nigeria
Professional Football League (NPFL) – League Bloggers Awards (LBA).

FC Ifeanyiubah’s Rafael Everton, Ladan Bosso of El-Kanemi Warriors,
Solomon Ogbeide of Sunshine Stars and Enyimba’s Paul Aigbogun make up
a strong field of trainers who are in the running for the manager’s
award for the month under review.

Aigbogun and Bosso guided their clubs, Enyimba and El-Kanemi to
unbeaten runs last month and on the back of their teams’ performance
squeeze their way into the shortlist for managers.

It is a second successive shortlist for Everton in the manager’s
category and this time, he was able to lead FC Ifeanyiubah from the
dugout to win in the derby against Enugu Rangers and then versus Wikki
Tourists and pulled off a win on the road at Warri Wolves though he
saw his side start the month of August losing two-nil at Plateau
United.

Ogbeide returns among the shortlists again after making an appearance
in the month of June. The Sunshine Stars gaffer watched and tutored
his men to garner eight points from five matches including a 0-0 draw
at Enyimba.

NPFL top scorer, Godwin Obaje of Wikki Tourists as well as Samad
Kadiri of Sunshine Stars, FC Ifeanyiubah’s Chijioke Alakwe and Ibrahim
Ajani of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) make up the list to compete
for the player’s award for August.

Obaje scored three goals, which is the most goals by any individual in
the month of August. However, all of his goals were scored in home
games against MFM FC and Lobi Stars which earned them four points
while Alakwe scored a goal each in the derby against Rangers and at
Warri Wolves in which FC Ifeanyiubah notched up all six points.

Samad got himself among the mentions to tussle for the August award
after scoring in Sunshine Stars’ 2-0 win over Niger Tornadoes at home
and in their 2-3 loss at El-Kanemi where he was a handful for the
hosts in late August.

Ajani has been one of the mainstay at 3SC this season and in August he
showed why he is an important member of the Ibadan club when he netted
twice. He scored a last-gasp equalizer at Ikorodu United to help 3SC
earn a point and then scored once in the 4-0 bashing of Kano Pillars.

The winners for the manager and player’s awards will be announced
later this week.

AUGUST NPFL-LBA NOMINEES

MANAGERS
Rafael Everton (FC Ifeanyiubah)
Ladan Bosso (El-Kanemi Warriors)
Solomon Ogbeide (Sunshine Stars)
Paul Aigbogun (Enyimba)

PLAYERS
Godwin Obaje (Wikki Tourists)
Samad Kadiri (Sunshine Stars)
Chijioke Alakwe (FC Ifeanyiubah)
Ibrahim Ajani (3SC)

*LBA Press Release

Zambia are in disarray ahead of their first World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Nigeria in October, following the sacking of coach George Lwandamina as coach and the subsequent appointment of Wedson Nyirenda.

Lwandamina failed to qualify Zambia for next year Africa Cup of Nations which played a big role in his being axed from his job as coach less than a month to their tie against Nigeria.

Nyirenda is well known for his time at Zambian side Zesco United and he was reportedly appointed ahead of South African coach Gordon Igesund, who was heavily tipped to get the coach.

The newly appointed coach also coached in Mozambique where he handled Feroviaro de Beira before he joined the coaching set up in the national team of Zambia.

They will take on Nigeria in their opening game and it will be the first game for coach Nyirenda in their group that also has Cameroun and Algeria.

Popularly referred to as Stone during his playing days, he was one of the star players for South African side Kaizer Chiefs in the 1990s.

Highly rated Nigerian teen midfielder Theophilus Awua was among the top performers for Inter-Milan Primavera in their narrow win over Palermo, in their opening game.

The Football Academy Abuja (FAA) graduate got a high rating of 7 over 10. Only Pinamonti who scored the goal got a higher rating than the hardworking teen.

Mondo Primavera, the site that did the ratings went further to suggest that he has all of the characteristics to be a top player in the future based on his performance.

On loan from Serie B side Spezia, with Inter-Milan having the option of making the deal permanent in the summer, his fine start to life at the club will no doubt enhance his prospect of earning a permanent deal.

Rated by ex England international John Fashanu as one of the best teen midfielders in Nigeria. He will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Nigerians who have played for the Serie A side.

Awua will in the coming season try to walk the path of Kanu Nwankwo, Taribo West, Obafemi Martins, Joel Obi and Obiora Nwankwo who have all played for the San Siro oufit.

Manchester City match winner in the Manchester derby Kelechi Iheanacho has revealed the Manchester United defender who gave him a tough time during the derby.

Iheanacho speaking alongside teammate Kevin De Bruyne who won the man of the match award in the game, revealed the back line of Manchester United were tough to play against as they were very physical.

” We had to be at our best as they were very hard and physical, Eric Baily was tough, he gave me a rough time. My goal was all about been at the right place at the right time, am glad I took my chance” He told ESPN.

De Bruyne also agreed with the Nigerian teen on the physical nature of the Manchester United defender before expressing his joy at winning the man of the match award.

Ironically the award was handed over to him by Kelechi Iheanacho shortly after the game but the teen star was all smiles not showing any sign of feeling short changed. Even though he picked up an assist and a goal in the game, that should ordinarily make him a contender for the award.

Highly rated Nigerian teen forward King Udoh will spend the rest of the season in Italy with third division side Pontedera on loan from Serie A giants Juventus.

Last season Udoh was on loan to Lanciano, making the step up from the U-19 of the Serie Champions to a team where he could have a taste of professional football.

He didn’t have such a good time at the club and upon his return to Juventus at the start of this summer. He still didn’t fit into the plans of manager Massimo Allegri who sanctioned his loan move to the Lega Pro-Girone A side, where he is guarantee to get game time.

His loan to Pontedera includes a buy option for the third division side but Juventus also have a buy back clause in the deal. A sign of how high they rate him.

Born in Italy to a Nigerian father, the 19 year old is eligible for both nations although he is yet to be called up by any of the nation.

The chances of Nigeria capping highly rated 1860 Munich teen prospect Felix Uduokhai, ahead of Germany has taken a hit with the defender now a main stay with the Under-19s of the World Champions.

The Nigeria Football Federation has been involved in talks with parents of players eligible for Nigeria, who are based abroad and has succeeded in luring Arsenal teen star Alex Iwobi from England.

However, any move for Uduokhai to switch allegiance to the West African Nation was laid to rest when his fine performances for the U-18 of 1860 Munich earned him a call up to the German Under-19s.

He made his debut in November and with reports of an extended role in the first team of the second division team next season, he could make the step up to the German Under-21s, before the end of the year.

In January, the 18 year old snubbed an offer from Bayern Munich to sign professional terms with 1860 Munich. The team he has been with since he was 8 year old, with 50 appearances to his name for the various youth ranks of the team.

The international future of Dutch wonderkid Nigel Ogidi Nwankwo is sure going to spark a war between Nigeria and the Netherlands going by recent reports gathered by Owngoalnigeria.com.

17 year old Nwankwo plays for the U-19s of Dutch side ADO Den Haag and has been tip to represent the Netherlands at U-17 level but recent reports suggest contacts has been established with Nigeria where his parents hail from.

We gathered one of his family member sounded out his Nigerian roots to a member of the football family in Nigeria who has now set the wheel in motion to lure the talented teen to Nigeria.

Comfortable as a left full back,winger or central defender he is regarded as one of the best left full back under the age of 18 in the Netherlands according to a report on Haaglandenvoetbal.nl.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have been very busy of late luring talented players with Nigerian roots to switch allegiance to the Nigeria national team and so far they are making efforts to woo England youth internationals Chuba Akpom and Moses Odubajo.

Former golden boy of Nigeria football Macauley Chrisantus says he has regrets over his time at German side Hamburg, where he spent six years during the formative years of his career.

The shy talking forward came to limelight during the 2007 Under-17 Championship where he emerged as top scorer and silver ball winner. However nine years on from that time, he is yet to make the step up to the senior national team of Nigeria.

Chrisantus who presently plays for Spanish second division side Reus Deportiu told Owngoalnigeria.com that the years he spent at the German side, without getting to play in the first team cost him the chance to still be at the top.

” What I went through at Hamburg was crazy, six years, 10 different coaches. I was always close to the first team but as it is in football, most managers have what they want, so every new manager always comes with special demands” He told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” I know people will always compare my career growth to that of Toni Kroos at Real Madrid, but if it wasn’t for coach Jupp Heynckes who gave him his breakthrough at Bayern Munich because he spent three years at the club, who knows as just like me, he also had four different spells away from the first team”.

Nigeria Rio 2016 star Sadiq Umar was largely expected to make his debut for Serie A side Bologna when they took on Cagliari, but the 19 year old was totally absent from the match day squad.

Umar joined Bologna on loan for the rest of the season from fellow Serie A side Roma, where he had his breakthrough last season with two goals in the six games he played in the league.

In his absence Bologna were able to defeat 10 man Cagliari 2-1, courtesy of goals from Simone Verdi and Federico Di Francesco.

The forward revealed to Owngoalnigeria.com that his debut has been pegged back by a further two weeks following an ankle injury he picked up during training last week.

” Am out with an ankle injury. According to the doctors, I won’t resume playing until two weeks time. The injury stopped me from my debut”. He told Owngoalnigeria.com.