The recent statement made by Emmanuel Amuneke on why he wasn’t picked as the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has drawn a reaction from the football body, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Amuneke was the favourite for the Super Eagles job alongside Finidi George, but the NFF settled for the latter and it drew a response from Amuneke in an interview with the online edition of Nigerian publication Punch.

He alleged that he was schemed out of the job not because of competence, rather due to other issues which he cited as problems with some officials in the setup of the NFF. He also fired at some of the things that were said about him in the build up to the naming of Finidi as coach.

“All those allegations made in the media online because of the Eagles job are obviously not true, but those who recommended candidates for the job know I will not be easily bullied. I know there is still bad blood with these officials, but its fine”, he said.

Responding to the 53 year old, a member of the Technical Committee who was part of the selection process said Amuneke knows why he wasn’t picked as the coach of the team.

” Beyond everything he is well aware that Finidi was picked because of continuity judging by the fact that he was a part of the former technical setup. We fact checked all that was said about Amuneke and most were true. Goggle and see for yourself”, he said.

” For instance, there is a story about fighting with the agent of Kelechi Iheanacho when he was the assistant coach of the U17 team in 2013. He even slapped him over the boy’s transfer, he admitted it and it’s online. Another case involving the agent of Victor Osimhen and a few others is there.

” Some board members feel he played a part in derailing the team’s qualification for the last world cup by using the former minister to work his way as an assistant to Austine Eguavoen. They haven’t forgiven him. I believe someone told him all of these so he should get a job and work his way back up.  His last successful job was in 2013 and we are in 2024.

” Remember how players of the U20 team which he handled went on strike on the eve of a key game against Sudan in Lagos over unpaid bonuses. A lot of people haven’t forgotten about his past which isn’t favourable for his return now”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The former head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has once again defended his decision not to cap a competitive cap to a single player from the Nigeria Professional Football Federation, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Peseiro was in charge of the Super Eagles for 20 months and during his time not even a single player from the domestic league in Nigeria got the chance to play in a competitive game for the Super Eagles.

He left following the expiration of his contract as coach, a few weeks after guiding the team to a second place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. They were beaten 1-2 by the host in the final.

Back at his base in Portugal, the coach was asked about his time as the coach of the Super Eagles and what was his biggest challenge, while managing in Africa for the first time in his coaching career.

” There was pressure to pick players from the Nigeria Professional League. I get asked all the time about them but I came at a time when the team just missed out of the world cup, so I have to go for the best players. I saw a lot of games and none of the players is as good as the ones playing abroad. You can’t call players for the sake of it”, he said.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria would have rivaled England for the international future of five players currently in the set up of the English national team if not for the attitude and conduct of former president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick.

Pinnick was the president for eight year and saw a lot of players born abroad make the switch to the senior national team of Nigeria, but the number could have been a lot higher.

An aide of the former coach of the team Gernot Rohr told OwnGoalNigeria.com, that the manner Pinnick went about talking players to switch nationality to the senior national team of Nigeria made five players to shun the idea.

” I can tell you that if we used a better approach we probably would have stand a very good chance with Bukayo Saka, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Ebere Eze and Michael Olise. Pinnick’s approach was too autocratic”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com in an exclusive chat.

” For instance, they all saw how it went down with Tammy in the media and became really careful to speak on anything that has to do with switching nationality. Pinnick posted pictures with Eze when talks were going on behind the scene. It made the players to be under huge pressure from family, their agents and the press. It didn’t help us in anyway”, he stated.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The trend of players born abroad playing for the senior national team of Nigeria is one that has been very much the case in the past few years, particularly during the tenure as Amaju Pinnick as the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Pinnick’s idea aligned with that of former coach Gernot Rohr who was at the helm for the majority of his eight year stay as coach of the Super Eagles. There was a massive influx of players born abroad into the team.

That trend was put forward to the new coach of the team Finidi George shortly before he became the assistant coach to erstwhile coach Jose Peseiro, and he gave his opinion about it, saying their is a better way to go about it.

“Now we are running after players that were born in Europe to come back and play for Nigeria. Who will train them for you? You want others to train players, and you wait to convert them to change their nationality so they can come and play for Nigeria? Why don’t you train your own here in Nigeria?” the former Real Betis winger opined in a chat with The Vanguard.

“I am not saying Nigerians born outside should not play for Nigeria, after all, in the past, we had Reuben Agboola and others, but they were just one or two. We were not rushing on anybody born in Europe and playing football.

“All we need do is to work on our home bred players; maybe when you find one or two good ones from outside there, they can come and join the team.

“Not when you read about one player in the UK, and you will want to speak with the father to have him come and play for Nigeria. If you train your team very well, it is they who are born in Europe that will run to identify with the Super Eagles. Put your house in order, and they would, on their own come. Let them be fighting to come.

“If our league is good and our players are top class players, it is their parents who will be telling them to go join the Nigerian national team. So the level is so bad now that nobody wants to play for Nigeria and we are sending people to go and beg parents, please, your son is a Nigerian, let him come and play for his country of origin.

“So let us put our house in order, revive the league, and you will see most of these people running to Nigeria and our national team will be stronger,” the 1994 AFCON-winning midfielder concluded.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

A lot of Nigerians have been expressing their desire to have Luton Town forward Elijah Adebayo represent Nigeria at senior international level after his impressive performance in his debut season in the English Premier League.

Adebayo returned from a two months injury lay off to find the back for the net for Luton in their 1-1 draw against Everton. The goal was his 10th in the English Premier League for the newly promoted side.

26 year old Adebayo who is eligible for Nigeria and England but is yet to be capped by any of the nations at any level has however settled the case of his international future by picking Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.comcan exclusively reveal.

A source close to the forward revealed that Adebayo told him about contact from the the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) before the last round of international games, where Nigeria played against Ghana and Mali respectively.

He (Adebayo ) said the contact was in respect to a call up to the squad for the games, but he picked up the injury that has kept him out until last weekend a few days before he was contacted by the NFF.

Now back to full fitness he has thrown his hat in the ring for a future call up to the team, targeting a spot in the game against South Africa in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. He could however be playing in the English Championship then or for another team in the English Premier League.

Luton Town are struggling to keep their top flight status but Adebayo will hope that he has done enough to attract the attention of a team in the top division if they eventually go down.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The head coach of newly promoted English Premier League side Leicester City Enzo Maresca has revealed why Nigeria international striker Kelechi Iheanacho fell out of favour upon his return from the Africa Cup of Nations, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Iheanacho represented Nigeria at the AFCON despite not being fully fit, which we were made up understand was against the wish of Leicester City who wanted him to be fully fit by snubbing the tournament to focus on his rehabilitation.

He didn’t get to play games for Nigeria until the quarter final and with the team going all the way to the final, he was a part of it all as a second half substitute when they were beaten 1-2 by the host Cote d’Ivoire in the final.

Since returning from the tournament, he has only played in two games with a combined minute less than 30. A situation that is traced to his decision to represent Nigeria at the AFCON and Maresca was asked about his situation particularly with his contract set to run out in the summer.

“I already mentioned in January, during the window, when we had some issues. I said it was not the moment. At the end of the season, we can talk about it. The same thing with the financial problems. Nobody told me, which I don’t think is the right thing to do. There are things we need to clarify. For the rest, we are fantastic. We are all happy,” Maresca was quoted by Leicester Mercury.

The 27 year old Nigerian wasn’t listed in Leicester City’s last five matchday squad ahead of their successful promotion bid back to the English Premier League, a year after relegation from the English Premier League.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The newly appointed coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George is expected to officially resume in his new role later this week, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Finidi was named as the new coach of the team last week by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but has to stay behind at his current work place Enyimba, while they trash out the terms of his exit.

An agreement has been reached with Enyimba and he will be allowed to meet with the hierarchy of the NFF in Abuja to work out the terms of his deal, which we are made to believe will be a one year deal with the option of another year based on the success of the team at the next AFCON.

The meeting will also be the chance for him to pick his assistants, after which he will be expected to get down to work by submitting the list of invited players for the World Cup qualifiers game in June against South Africa.

One name that is high on the list of players who will likely get an invitation is Rizespor of Turkey midfielder Ibrahim Olawoyin, who has been a revelation this season with 11 goals contributions this season coming via eight goals and three assists.

Olawoyin is said to be high on the list of players the coach is eyeing to bolster his options in midfield with his ability to also play from the wings, another reason why he is likely to get a look in for the games.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The newly appointed coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Finidi George is expected to officially resume in his new role later this week, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

Finidi was named as the new coach of the team last week by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) but has to stay behind at his current work place Enyimba, while they trash out the terms of his exit.

An agreement has been reached with Enyimba and he will be allowed to meet with the hierarchy of the NFF in Abuja to work out the terms of his deal, which we are made to believe will be a one year deal with the option of another year based on the success of the team at the next AFCON.

The meeting will also be the chance for him to pick his assistants, after which he will be expected to get down to work by submitting the list of invited players for the World Cup qualifiers game in June against South Africa.

One name that is high on the list of players who will likely get an invitation is Rizespor of Turkey midfielder Ibrahim Olawoyin, who has been a revelation this season with 11 goals contributions this season coming via eight goals and three assists.

Olawoyin is said to be high on the list of players the coach is eyeing to bolster his options in midfield with his ability to also play from the wings, another reason why he is likely to get a look in for the games.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

As teams geared up for the summer transfer window Italian Serie A champions Inter Milan are expected to be among the teams who will be very busy in the market as they seek to bring in more young player particularly in attack.

The duo of Alexis Sanchez and Marko Arnautovic are expected to not be at the club next season, and their replacements according the sources has to be a young player who will have an extended stay at the club.

Already the club have secured the free signing of Mehdi Taremi from Portuguese giants FC Porto, he is expected to take the place of Sanchez who will be allowed to leave when his contract expires. For Arnautovic a decision is yet to be arrived at but the club have their eyes on possible options as his replacement.

On the list is 18-year-old Nigerian forward George Ilenikhena, who has been a revelation for Belgium side Antwerp since his move to the team from second division French side Amiens.

The forward was Born in Lagos but grew up in France, he is yet to be capped by both countries at any level but that might change quickly with his current rate of 14 goals this season. That form is also why he is on the radar of a lot of teams in Europe.

According to the Gazzetta, his form has caused the coach of Inter Milan Simone Inzaghi to pay attention to him with the idea of signing him in the summer, with a plan to help him blossom to his potential. He will reportedly cost Inter Milan €20 million.

Daniel Martins

As Liverpool get set for a new era with the expected arrival of Arne Slot as coach with Jurgen Klopp set fo leave in the summer, the expectation is that the club will be very busy in the summer transfer window.

Aside from the arrival of Slot, it will also mark the beginning of the tenure of Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes at the helm in their new roles as chief executive officer (CEO) and Sporting Director respectively.

One area they will focus on from the way this season is going is the attack of the team , with their floundering form in front of goal largely the reason why their title charge faded out like it did. The duo of Darwin Nunez and Luiz Diaz have been guilty of wasting too many chances.

Mohammed Salah who is the club’s talisman hasn’t been at his best this season with Diego Jota another who is very good in front of goal also missing a huge number of goals, Cody Gakpo hasn’t settled in as quick as expected.

It means bolstering the department is a concern heading into the window, and they reportedly have Nigeria international striker Victor Osimhen on their radar, with the 25 year old expected to leave Napoli this summer.

According to Corriere dello Sport Osimhen’s dream is to join a club in the Premier League, and Liverpool are among the club’s considering a move for the Nigerian’s services.

He is a player that Edwards tried to sign in the past before his move to Napoli four years ago, but a funny scenario played out according to Giandomenico Costi, who worked with the Napoli’s director Cristiano Giuntoli.

He said Giuntoli ‘locked’ Osimhen inside a hotel to persuade him to join Napoli instead of a move to Anfield. ” “The signing of Osimhen is Giuntoli’s biggest masterpiece”, he told Italian outlet Tuttosport.

“He [Osimhen] was locked in a hotel for three days. Giuntoli knew Liverpool were interested, and Jurgen Klopp had made his move, but Cristiano spoke to Osimhen in the hotel for three days until he convinced him to accept Napoli”.

Daniel Martins.