The international future of red hot Monaco forward George Ilenikhena is one that will pitch the senior national team of Nigeria against the French national team in the coming weeks, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Signed from Belgium side Antwerp two weeks ago , the 17 year old has hit the ground running with two goals in two pre season games making mockery of the €20m that was paid for his services by the principality side.

Born in Nigeria but migrated to France at a very early age, Ilenikhena is eligible for both countries but he is yet to be capped at any level by both countries, that might however be a thing of the past in the coming months.

He is however leaving his options opened and according to sources close to him he won’t turn down the chance to play for Nigeria, if it arrives as he feels proudly Nigerian.

” He ( George) won’t say no to Super Eagles. He is Nigerian and very proud to be one but that isn’t on his mind now because he just moved to a very top team at a young age”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com in an exclusive chat.

On reports of former coach of the Nigerian U20 team Ladan Bosso approaching George to join up with his team for the U20 World Cup last year, the source explained why the then 16 year old turned down the chance.

” It wasn’t a direct approach. A journalist working for the coach approached me and I said it’s better for him to focus on his club career as he was at that time making his way into the first team of Amiens. He didn’t say no, I did on his behalf because it’s the sensible thing to do”, he explained.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Barring a last minute reversal Belgian tactician Tom Saintfeit will be named as the new coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, a job he claimed he was denied by then president of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick.

“Yes, in 2012 first of all, the minister of sports decided he wanted a local coach when I was already announced as the new technical adviser chosen by the technical committee at that time, which had (Austin) Okocha, Garba Lawal, and Christopher Green. Again in 2016, I was close to the job, I was to get the job with the local coach Salisu Yusuf, but they chose Paul Le Guen for the job”, Tom Saintfiet was quoted as saying.

“He refused and it would have been normal that I would have been there with Yusuf. I considered myself as the second or third choice, but it was Amaju Pinnick who didn’t follow the technical committee’s decision and went for Gernot Rohr, who was not shortlisted; it was a big disappointment.

“Then I went to Bangladesh and got a lucrative offer for a short term, but the ambition was always there to coach Nigeria and guide them to a successful AFCON and also guide them to World Cup success.”

The above were the words of Tom Saintfeit in April 2023 during an interview with the online edition of Punch newspaper. Although Pinnick later denied the claims made by the 51 year old.

This time around, the coach who is presently in charge of the Philippines wasn’t the anointed choice of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), with Malian coach Eric Chelle picked ahead of him and former Manchester United assistant coach Steve McClaren.

Talks on engaging Chelle broke down due to a disagreement on the composition of his backroom staff. He was said to have demanded total control in who works with him using his experience in his last job with Mali as a reason why he wants more control.

His request didn’t go down well with the hierarchy of the NFF, who are notorious for wanting to impose players and also backroom staff on coaches of the national team of Nigeria.

Saintfeit who was second in the recommendation made by the technical committee kept his faith and despite the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Musa Gusau refusing to meet his representatives, the coach still didn’t throw in the towel.

Gusau went after Herve Renard, but the coach who recently left his role as coach of the women’s team of France declined the offer citing the poor pay offered by the NFF, which fell below his minimum salary of $1.5m a year.

It left the NFF with no choice than to turn to the two times CAF coach of the year nominee, who as expected was excited to be finally getting the chance of getting his dream job.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The search for a new coach for the senior national team of Nigeria has unexpectedly turned into a soap opera of some sorts with so many twist and turns powered by politics and power play among key stakeholders in the Nigerian football circle, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

When the decision to replace Finidi George was taken after the poor results in the world cup qualifiers games against South Africa and Benin Republic respectively, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had no plans in place before he was let go off his duties.

They instead returned to the earlier shortlisted coaches who were snubbed in favour of Finidi following the exit of Jose Peseiro as coach after the AFCON. That decision wasn’t approved by the president Ibrahim Musa Gusau and a whole new process started for a coach.

The technical committee shortlisted three coaches in Steve McClaren, Tom Saintfeit and Eric Chelle and had a virtual interview session with the trio. Chelle was picked by the committee but the Gusau has other ideas and opt against handing the job to the former coach of Mali.

Gusau was talked into believing that French coach Herve Renard will be interested in the Super Eagles job by a former president of the NFF. He was advised to wait for the coach to be free after his decision to quit his job as the coach of the women’s team of France after the Olympic games.

As expected Renard quit his role following their exit at the Olympic games and made it clear that his desire is to get back to coaching in men’s football.

His preferred option is to work in Africa once again, after the success he achieved handling Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire respectively to AFON glory. He also achieved considerably success with Morocco and also Saudi Arabia.

Talks for him to take over as coach of the Super Eagles were on with his representative with the coach left to focus on his job with the French team. Following their exit he was briefed about the interest from Nigeria and what they are proposing to pay as his wages.

The coach made it clear that the offer is way below what he expects as it falls outside his minimum demand of a yearly salary of $1.5m. His refusal made it impossible for a meeting planned yesterday to fail.

The NFF have now beamed their searchlight on former coach of Gambia Tom Saintfeit, who is presently in charge of the Philippines but has made it clear that the Super Eagles is his dream job and he won’t hesitate to leave his present place if given the job.

Eric Chelle who was picked by the technical committee of the NFF ahead of Belgian is said to have made some demands, which led to a breakdown in talks over handing the job.

We exclusively gathered that he demanded more control, free hand to pick his entire technical crew and also his backroom staff. His demands didn’t sit well with the football house who are notorious for wanting to interfere in the job of coaches of the Nigerian national team.

The last resort was Belgian coach Tom Saintfeit who has never hidden his desire to handle the Super Eagles and was seen as more flexible to decisions, which will be made by the football house when it comes to players recommendation and also if their are issue rising in regard to his wages.

One thing that also worked in his favor is his hardwork as seen over the years, when he coached the national team of Gambia and twice got nominated for the award of coach of the year in Africa by CAF.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The preferred choice for the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Herve Renard has turned his back on the offer to take over as the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria. com can exclusively reveal.

Renard quit his role as coach of the women’s team of France following their exit at the Olympic games and made it clear that his desire is to get back to coaching in men’s football.

His preferred option is to work in Africa once again, after the success he achieved handling Zambia and Cote d’Ivoire respectively to AFON glory. He also achieved considerably success with Morocco and also Saudi Arabia.

Talks for him to take over as coach of the Super Eagles were on with his representative with the coach left to focus on his job with the French team. Following their exit he was briefed about the interest from Nigeria and what they are proposing to pay as his wages.

The coach made it clear that the offer is way below what he expects as it falls outside his minimum demand of a yearly salary of $1.5m. His refusal made it impossible for a meeting planned yesterday to fail.

The NFF have now beamed their searchlight on former coach of Gambia Tom Saintfeit, who is presently in charge of the Philippines but has made it clear that the Super Eagles is his dream job and he won’t hesitate to leave his present place if given the job.

Eric Chelle who was picked by the technical committee of the NFF ahead of Belgian is said to have made some demands, which led to a breakdown in talks over handing the job.

We exclusively gathered that he demanded more control, free hand to pick his entire technical crew and also his backroom staff. His demands didn’t sit well with the football house who are notorious for wanting to interfere in the job of coaches of the Nigerian national team.

Arsenal will tomorrow take on German Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in their first pre season game at home at the Emirates following their return from a training tour of the USA, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The game will be the homecoming for one cap Nigeria international winger Nathan Tella who is in the Bayer Leverkusen squad for the high profile pre season game. The 24 year old started his career at Arsenal.

Tella was released at the age of 17 after the club decided against offering him a new contract, he moved to Southampton from where he had the breakthrough that earned him a move to the German side last summer.

He won the double with the team last season, and reflecting on his career since he was let go by Arsenal, Tella who was teammate to the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson who are all in the Arsenal first team setup opened up on how he turned the disappointment into his fuel for a breakthrough.

“That was a really difficult time for me because at 17 years old, Arsenal was all I’d ever known. I’d been at the club since I was seven and all of my friends were there too, we’d grown up together and we all shared that dream of playing for Arsenal one day. But when my time at Arsenal came to an end, I knew I had to step things up and make a name for myself elsewhere”, he was quoted as saying on the official website of Arsenal.

“I told my family that I want to prove people wrong and I don’t want it to be a case of ‘oh, he’s not made it at Arsenal, so he’s not going to have a career.’ I’ve always said and believed that I could be a professional footballer. I wanted to play in the Premier League and I wanted to play against the best teams in the world. I went on a few trials and thankfully Southampton gave me the chance that I needed, but that didn’t make me relax. It made me want to work harder than ever before.

“You can’t let a ‘negative’ moment like that shape you or determine how your career is going to be. Use it as fuel to prove people wrong and make the best for yourself. Don’t take it as you not being good enough, try to reframe it and tell yourself that it might not be the right time for you. Remain positive and tell yourself that it might be a blessing in disguise and a challenge to become the best version of yourself.

“I could have allowed that moment to bring me down, but now I’m coming back to Emirates Stadium as a champion of Germany. Playing on this pitch was always my childhood dream. It’s crazy to think about really. Whatever happens in my career, I’ll always remember that”, he rounded up saying.

William Troost-Ekong has agreed to join Saudi Arabia side Al Khalood from Greek side PAOK in a deal that will see the player triple his wages in the Gulf region, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 30 year old Nigerian defender who was voted the most valuable player at the last Africa Cup of Nations only joined the Greek side last summer from English Championship side Watford.

Ekong who has been very key to the games played by PAOK in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers has however decided to dump the team in favor of a huge career pay cheque in Saudi Arabia.

Al Khalood recently gained promotion to the top division in Saudi Arabia and Ekong is seen by coach Paulo Duarte as an experienced defender, who will help their course next season in the top division.

Traditionally not among the heavy spenders in the league, it is reported that they offered the captain of the Super Eagles three times his present wages aside bonuses.

PAOK were reluctant to sell but after talks decided to let the defender, who also pleaded with the club as he sees the move as a chance to earn big before his career winds up.

Daniel Martins

Enterprising Nigerian striker, Meshack Ubochioma has been announced as the new player for Scottish Premier League, SPL side, Dundee United from Hungarian club side, Zalaegerszegi TE.

The 22 year old Ubochioma has signed a two year deal with the Tangerines subject to international and Scottish FA clearances.

The former PSG youth team player joined Zalaegerszegi TE after leaving PSG and went on loan at Slovenian side NK Nafta.

Ubochioma took the division by storm, scoring no fewer than 12 goals in just 17 appearances as his temporary employers finished just one point off the promotion play-offs having lost just four games throughout the term.

His stint at the Lendava Sports Park also brought a first hat-trick, rippling the net three times in a comfortable victory over Beltinci.

Ubochioma would soon returned to his parent club in Hungary and became the poster boy for the next two seasons.

He featured in all games except three in the course of two seasons scoring eight goals and provided four assists which helped Zalaegerszegi TE winning the their first Magyar Kupa of the club’s 104-year history thereby earning them a space in the UEFA Europa Conference League for the first time in over a decade as a result.

The young attacker expressed his delight to have completed the move as he’s looking forward to developing his football career as well as helping the club to achieve glories.

“I’m so excited, it’s great to finally be here, I’ve always wanted to make the next step in my career and as soon as I got the call from Dundee United I knew this was my chance.

“Scoring and assisting as many as possible are my targets for the season ahead on a personal level, and as a collective we have goals to work towards which will need everyone on the team to contribute,” Ubochioma told club official website upon his arrival.

He has become the club’s 10th new signing of the season following ye acquisition of other top talents including Vicko Sevelj, Kristijan Trapanovski and David Babunski.

By Rabark Bakare

Aside the well reported move to employ Herve Renard as the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have also reached out to the former coach of Gambia Tom Saintfeit, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The NFF are looking for a coach to replace Finidi George and are running out of time with the September AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic in Uyo less than a month away.

Like we exclusively reported yesterday, talks have been held with two times AFCON winner Herve Renard on taking over as coach with the president of the NFF keen on hiring him but the move is down to the Frenchman accepting a massive pay cut.

Renard is the preferred option of the president, who is willing to set aside the recommendation by the technical committee of the football house who were unanimous in picking former coach of Mali Eric Chelle as their preferred option after interviewing three coaches for the role.

Chelle was favoured ahead of Tom Saintfeit and Steve McClaren but recent post by Nigerian journalist Tobi Adepoju on his handle on X formerly known as Twitter, says Saintfeit has been told to submit his financial demands.

Presently in charge of the Philippines after leaving Gambia, the 51 year old who has been keen on handling the Super Eagles was asked to state his demands alongside Renard according to Tobi.

Below is his post on the vacant job.

Super Eagles vacant job:

The NFF have asked two coaches for their financial terms.

1. Hervé Renard.

2. Tom Saintfiet.

Who should be the next Super Eagles coach?

Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen has agreed a five year deal with French giants PSG according to respected journalist Nico Schira, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Osimhen is largely expected to leave Napoli before the close of the summer transfer window with all camps keen on honoring the gentleman agreement reached before he signed an extension to his deal at the club in December.

The move has stalled in recent days with PSG not willing to pay the €130m that Napoli are demanding for his release. They also want to create an exit for one of the duo of Concaldo Ramos or Randal Kolo Muani before striking any deal for the Nigerian.

Despite the impasse, Schira insist that Osimhen has already reached agreement on all terms of his move to PSG which will be a deal that will run till the summer of 2029. He said before reaching that agreement Osimhen rejected big money offers from two teams in Saudi Arabia in Al Ahli and Al Hilal.

Known for his precision on reporting transfers the journalist made this known in a post on X formerly known as Twitter. ” Osimhen has rejected the advances of Al Hilal and Al Ahli, he wants to stay in Europe. Arsenal is monitoring the situation but the Gunners are not the main objective for the Italian striker”.

For the time being, Osimhen is still at Napoli but not taking part in tactical or technical training sessions with coach Antonio Conte also leaving him out of the squad for the five games they have played so far in pre season.

Daniel Martins

The delay in appointing a new coach for the senior national team of Nigeria as the the September AFCON qualifiers draws near has triggered talks over having an interim coach, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Nigeria will take on Benin Republic in their first game of the qualifiers and there are concerns that a new coach who will replace Finidi George who left after the poor results in the world cup qualifiers might not be in place before the game.

Although talks have advanced in recent days, fears still abound over reaching an agreement and it could see an interim coach take over for the games, while further talks and search continues for a new coach by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The idea from what we gathered had gained grounds the past few days with president Ibrahim Musa Gusau keen on having Herve Renard, as against the recommendation of the technical committee for former coach of Mali Eric Chelle to be handed the job.

Gusau feels there is a good chance of getting the Frenchman who recently quit his role as the coach of the women team of France following their exit from the ongoing Olympic games. Talks are centered around a pay cut for the two time AFCON winner.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman