Maigari orders full service for Balogun
President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari has instructed the medical doctor of Super Eagles, Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran, to ensure full attention and necessary service is provided for injured Germany-based right back Leon Balogun.
Balogun fell hard while challenging for a high ball, after coming in to replace Efe Ambrose in the second half of Wednesday’s international friendly clash with Mexico at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America.
The fair-skinned stopper, a virtual unknown in Nigeria’s football firmament before being called up by Coach Stephen Keshi in place of
injured skipper Joseph Yobo, showed excellent spirit in flying to America at short notice, and was brilliant in the two training
sessions and the few minutes he starred against the El Tri.
“The NFF is pleased with the attitude, general conduct and potential of the young defender Leon Balogun. It is unfortunate that he got
injured when he went for that ball.
“All the same, I have instructed the Team Doctor, Ibrahim Gyaran, to keep in contact with the player and ensure that he is able to provide for the boy, or promptly advise the NFF, towards his full recovery. We are happy that afterall, he will not be needing any surgery on the leg.
“A player of Balogun’s attitude, discipline and dedication is an asset to any team in the world,” Maigari said at the weekend.
The Fortuna Dusseldorf of Germany defender left Atlanta in crutches, from the impact of the incident, but retained his high spirit of
making Nigeria’s squad to the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
“I have been told that this could take a few weeks, but definitely my focus remains making the squad to the World Cup. I believe I will be fine,” Balogun said at the team’s W. Buckhead Hotel on his way to the airport on Thursday.
Maigari has also promised to personally visit the player in Germany to spur his recovery.
“I will find time to go and see the boy in Germany. He has shown brilliant spirit and we are keen on his recovery and general
development.”
NFF proud of Eagles’ outing against Mexico
The Nigeria Football Federation has expressed satisfaction with the Super Eagles’ performance in the international friendly against Mexico at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, USA on Wednesday.
“The match ended scoreless but I can tell you that the NFF is happy with the output of the players and it was well worth the effort to
arrange this game,” NFF President Aminu Maigari said in Atlanta, minutes after the game that ended 0-0 but saw the nearly 70,000 crowd applaud both teams into the dressing room.
Maigari was especially delighted with the performance of new boys Michael Uchebo, Leon Balogun, Imoh Ezekiel and Ramon Azeez in the prestige encounter.
“The new players did not show any stage fright, and the old guard provided them with the confidence necessary to stand up to the
Mexicans. We must remember that Mexico is one of the strongest teams in the world, and our ability to stand up to them on a neutral soil means we are gradually getting into the form for the FIFA World Cup finals,” Maigari added.
The Eagles next play Scotland in London on May 28 before flying to Philadephia for the first of two friendly matches in America, with the second coming up in Jacksonville few days to the team’s departure to the 20th FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.
In Brazil, the Super Eagles will stay at the Vitoria Hotel Concept in Campinas, 70 minutes’ drive from Sao Paulo International Airport, and play Iran in Curitiba on June 16, Bosnia-Herzegovina in Cuiaba on June 21 and Argentina in Porto Alegre on June 25 – exactly 20 years to the day Nigeria and Argentina first squared up at the biggest stage, in Boston, United States of America.
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