The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is under pressure not to extend the contract of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Peseiro’s one year deal will expire in June and with results not at it’s best after just three wins in ten games, it’s looking likely that the Portuguese will be relieved of his role at the expiration of his deal.

However, the football house is not finding it easy to take a definite stand on his future with fears over the section of his contract that states that he can be fired, if he fails to win the AFCON, which has been shifted to next year.

Also they are owing him around four months of unpaid wages and sacking him will means paying him as well as paying whoever that will succeed him as coach. The situation hasn’t deterred coaches from signifying their interest in his job.

OGN exclusively gathered that representatives of coaches have been in contact with the NFF proposing their clients in the event that the coach is axed from his job in June. Already coaches have started submitting their resume.

Brazilian giants Flamengo have completed the process of the signing of Nigerian teen sensation Shola Ogundana from Nigerian Academy side Beyond Limit FA, OGN understands

The academy is the nursery team of Nigeria Professional Football League side Remo Stars, owned by business tycoon Kunle Soname, he is also the owner of second division Portuguese side Feirense.

Shola was sighted by the Brazilian team during the last Viareggio youth tournament in Italy, where he represented the academy. He was at the stadium to watch the team play in their last game in the Brazilian championship.

We gathered the idea is for him to start with the B team of the side, where his progress will be monitored for a possible promotion to the first team in the nearest future. He is the latest in a long list of young players who have been snapped up by foreign teams from the academy that is based in Ikenne.

The duration of his contract with the team wasn’t made public as at the time of this report but sources said it’s a year loan deal with the option of further years if he makes his mark at the club in his first year.

In a not too distant future Nigerians will likely get to see another player in the Spanish top division to join the the duo of Samuel Chukwueze and Sadiq Umar at Villarreal and Real Sociedad respectively.

Real Valladolid owned by football icon Ronald de Lima who are 15th on the La Liga table and favorite to remain in the top division next season with four points separating them from the drop zone, currently occupied by Espanyol.

If they stay up then it’s very possible that they will line up a Nigerian in their ranks in former Nigeria U17 ace Akinsola Babatunde Jimoh, who we reported joined the team in September from NLO side Valiant FC.

He was moved to the B team but such is the rise of the 19 year old that he has already been moved to the first team and was recently in the squad for the La Liga game against Valencia two weeks ago. A game they lost 2-0 against their fellow relegation battlers.

Next season, the winger who was a part of the Nigeria title winning WAFU U17 team of 2019 will be hoping to cement a spot in the first team after making progress that has taken all by surprise.

Daniel Martins

The Nigeria U17 team started their campaign at the U17 Africa Cup of nations on a winning note by picking up a slim 1-0 win over Zambia courtesy of a strike by Favour Daniel in the 76th minute.

OGN editor in chief Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman who saw the game live and can be said to be an authority on the team selects five key things from the game as the head shit their attention to the next game against group leaders Morocco.

1. These Boys Can Play – The 1-0 scoreline didn’t do justice to the performance of the Nigerian team as they totally dominated their opponent with a brand of football that can easily passed as entertaining and breathtaking. The way they moved the ball and their close ball control was a beauty to behold.

Maybe the team still need to be more clinical in the final third and more decisive with the final box into the box but one thing is certain. These boys can play.

2. Solid Centre Backs – Seeing how the Nigerian team dominated the game one might be tempted to think that it was a one way traffic sort of game but it wasn’t. Zambia on their part threatened with their pacy forwards especially in the second half. However they met a brickwall in the pair of Jeremiah Olaleke and Tochukwu Joseph Ogboji.

The duo were solid in tackles, ball movement and build up play from the back. The ease with which they covered up for the overlapping full backs was also another thing that stood out and helped the team to a 1-0 win.

3. Midfield Lacks Creativity – Although Hope Linus impressed with his ability to receive a pass under pressure and beat the press. He was something guilty of trying the spectacular where a simple pass would have been a better option. It’s clear to see that the team is missing the creativity of the three key midfielders who are not part of this team after failing the MRI Test. They were the creative force behind the team’s success at the WAFU tournament.

4. No Much Faith In Substitutes – That it took around 80 minutes before coach Nduka Ugabde made his first substitution, even when it was apparent that those on the pitch were tired is a pointer to the lack of faith in the substitutes at this tournament. At the WAFU tournament that wasn’t the case and it almost proved costly yesterday with Zambia introducing fresh legs and they immediately seized control of the game.

5. Well Coached Team – From the way they progressed the ball from defence to midfield and attack, it’s clear to see a pattern that was rehearsed and perfected on the training ground. The overlapping full backs, build up from the back and balls into the box can’t be said to be a a coincidence. It is actually training ground stuff in full flow.

The U17 Africa Cup of Nations got underway yesterday with host Algeria defeating Somalia 2-0 in the first game of the tournament which is the qualifiers for the U17 World Cup to be hosted by India.

Later today, the U17 team of Senegal will take on Congo in the first game of the day which is set for 2pm Nigerian time. It is the second group game of group A, which has the host leading us into the tournament as stated above.

Group B will take center stage by 5pm with Nigeria, the most decorated team at the tournament at world level with five titles taking on Zambia. The next group game will be by 8pm between the two other teams in the group Morocco and South Africa.

The games will be shown live on television for Nigerian audience on Supersport with yesterday’s game broadcasted by the satellite network outfit. It will also be shown live on a Facebook handle (KE Tube) for those who want to watch it online.

For people based abroad the game will be live on the official YouTube channel of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It is however not available for people residing in Nigeria as was the case yesterday.

Mohammed Mowiz

Head coach of the Nigeria U17 team Nduka Ugabde has picked 26 players to represent Nigeria at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Algeria, which is the qualifiers for the U17 World Cup in India.

Ugbade picked three goalkeepers, seven defenders, nine midfielders and seven forwards in the final 26 man list which has now been pruned to 21 with five players dropping to the standby list.

CAF permits teams to go to the tournament with 26 players but only 21 will be registered for each game. The remaining five can be included by the coaches if they feel like taking a player out of the 21 man list.

Below is how we analyse the team’s defence and attack ahead of their first game against Zambia tomorrow. A game they need to win to put them in good stead before the other group games against Morocco and South Africa respectively.

Defence & Goalkeeper – This area is now seen as one of the strengths of the team with the midfield decimated by the mandatory MRI test. From goalkeeper Richard Odoh to the ever running Yahaya Lawal, very technical Emmanuel Michael down to who pairs with Jeremiah Olaleke the team is very much settled in this area.

Midfield- A lot has really changed in this department no thanks to MRI test. However Ifeoluwa Olowoporoku is a breath of fresh air, already he is provoking memories of Austin Okocha. Simon Cletus is another who have caught the eyes particularly as he can also play in central defence. Free scoring Umar Abubakar rounds up the top options available to Ugbade.

Attack – Fearsome is the right word to use as even Light Eke who is a substitute can wreck havoc with ease. The starting trio will likely be lead by captain Precious Williams, Abubakar Abdullahi and Charles Agada. The one thing they bring to the team is goals.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Nigeria U17 team will begin their quest to pick a ticket to the U17 World Cup with their opening game against Zambia at the U17 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria will be hoping to at least get to the semi final of the tournament which will guarantees a spot as one of the four representatives of Africa at the world stage in India. Nigeria currently holds the title of the team with the most title at the tournament with five, one more than Brazil.

OGN takes a look at five players from the Nduka Ugabde led team who are going to be key to the team’s aspiration of picking a world cup ticket or possibly winning tournament taking place in Algeria.

Abubakar Abdullahi – Already showing that he is a notch above this level. Scored the brace that helped the team to win the WAFU tournament. From then to now he has continue to impress with back to back goals in test games. He wears jersey number 8.

Richard Odoh- Number 1 of the team. The shot stopper has everything required of a modern day goalkeeper. He is very comfortable with the ball at his feet and his reflexes are top notch. He was voted man of the match in the 2-1 win over Burkina Faso in the final match of the WAFU tournament.

Emmanuel Michael – The left full back who had a hand in all but one of the goals scored by the team at the WAFU tournament. Deadly from set pieces and can whip in pin point crosses. His shirt number 3 was the most seen at the WAFU tournament as he won three man of the match awards in the four games they played at the tournament.

Yahaya Lawali- Full of energy and drive. The vice captain of the team who loves to join the attack from his full back position where his ability to whip in crosses becomes a weapon. He keeps his shirt number 2 for the AFCON.

Precious Williams – Captain of the team who didn’t have the best of time in front of goal at the WAFU tournament. On a very good day, the jersey number 9 can single handedly wreck any team. He will be hoping for more of the good days at the AFCON.

Mohammed Mowiz

As Nigeria steps up preparations for the U20 World Cup in Argentina, head coach of the Nigeria U20 team Ladan Bosso has picked 15 foreign based players in his expanded 50 man provisional list for the tournament.

The coach will trim the list to 23 in three weeks time with the tournament set to get underway on the 20th of May with Nigeria opening their campaign on the 21st with their first group game against the Dominican Republic.

Their second game will be against Italy and there is the likelihood of an Italian born Nigerian lining up against the country of his birth following the decision of Bosso to hand a call up to Aleesandro Odobo Osakpolor.

Recommended by former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni , the former Benevento youth teamer currently plays for the U19 of top division Polish side Lechia Gdańsk. He joined the team in the summer after making a brief stop at the reserve team of Austrian side FC Wacker Innsbruck.

According to one of his trainers at the Austrian, he did not meet the age requirements to be signed and the team could not register him without breaking FIFA rules. Added to this was the confusion with the bankruptcy of the club – Wacker players and players did not receive salary for half a year.

However, the coach spoke very flatteringly about the player’s football skills. In his opinion, Alessandro is a very talented player with great potential. He is also seen as one with a great temperament, which always helped him. According to the coach, he always played well in friendlies and for this reason he often trained with the senior team.

He is one of the players Bosso is hoping will ease the goal scoring issues of the Nigerian team that was very visible during the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where they finished third to seal a spot at the World Cup.

Mohammed Mowiz