A 17-member team led by Nigeria Police Force player, Daniel Nathaniel who doubles as the captain left Abuja for Côte d’Ivoire. Nigeria boasts of three foreign players which includes; Arinze Nwachukwu (Fernabache of Turkey), Samuel Ogwuche (Asaria of Libya) and Uchenna Ofoha (CVM of Germany). Other home based players to watch out for are; Izu […]
via Nigeria Men’s Volleyball Team Get Ready For All Africa Games Qualifiers. — finixsportsblog
2015 Men’s African Nations Championship
Kenya National men’s team head coach, Geoffrey Omondi has named a strong provisional squad of 16 for the forthcoming CAVB men’s African Nations Championship set to take place from July 22-30 in Cairo, Egypt.
Omondi who last guided Kenya to a second finish at the All Africa Games Qualifiers in Rwanda included two new faces Gideon Kirwa and Ronald Bitok in the Kenya squad that begun their preparation Wednesday with the coach remaining confident that his team which will be led by Qatari based Captain Philip Maiyo with assistance of Kenya Defence Forces setter Elisha Aliwa who has since recovered from an ankle injury he sustained just a few days before Rwandan games will post positive results in Egypt.
The new faces, Bitok and Kirwa replaced Kenya Prisons duo of Silas Kipruto and Rodgers Kipkirui who are undergoing Police Training with Kenya Prisons Service after they were recruited into the service two months ago while Jimmy Ngala of Kenya Ports Authority and Ibrahim Oduor who captained Kenya in her last assignment, All Africa Games qualifiers in Rwanda were also dropped.
Ngala was dropped from the final squad that lost to Rwanda in May while Kenya Prisons Captain Oduor, who was included in the Rwanda squad on the last minute after national team Captain, Philip Maiyo pulled out of the competition on the final day had no place for Omondi who went for a cocktail of young and experienced players.
“We will only have five day training and it will be expensive to call a player all the way from Mombasa then drop him after five days,” said Omondi who will only train the team for five days before leaving for Cairo. The coach also called junior, Peterson Kimani to gain experience at the national team level.
Apart from the new inclusion, the squad wil also be welcoming Maiyo who plays for Al-Arabi Qatar and James Ontere (Oita Miyoshi of Japan) who missed the last assignment that held in Rwanda.
Kenya’s major opponents will be hosts Egypt who qualified to the final of FIVB World Championship after winning Group Three and Paul Bitok coached Rwanda who denied Kenya the AAG ticket just two months ago.
The men’s team which rarely competes at major international competitions unlike their female counterpart, Malkia Strikers, currently in Australia for the World Grand Prix group three semi final will have a big burden to match that kind of performance in Cairo championship whose winner will represent Africa at the world Cup later in October.
Men’s squad
Setters: Daniel kip too, Elisha Aliwa and Nicolas Langat
Right attackers: David Kirwa, Phillip Maiyo and James Ontere
Centers: Hudson Chesoli, Wesley Rono, Ronald Kirwa, Dennis Mokua, Ronald Bitok
Libero: Peter Kabatu, Fredrick Muiruru and Faustine Baraza
Left attackers: Nicolas Kiplagat, Bonventry Wekesa and Michael Njoroge
Geoffrey Omondi- Head coach, David Muthui- Ass coach
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Elvince Joshhua,
After the spectacular of All Africa Games Qualifiers, Rwanda Men’s Volleyball national team head coach Paul Bitok wants a similar performance in upcoming 2015 Men’s African Nations Championship, which is staged Cairo, Egypt in July 20 to 31.
Rwanda will be meeting with African giants like holders Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon and Morocco but Bitok believes that the participation will help the players to gain the confidence.
Rwanda dominated the Easter Africa countries in All Africa Games qualifications after beating Uganda, 3-2 Burundi, 3-0 and Kenya 3-2 to earn the lone ticket of this group.
The last time Rwanda competed in 2007 where finished on eighth position which was held in South Africa under Frenchman Gerard and the best position back in 2005 under Major Patrick Rugambwa and Emmanuel ‘Casius’ Ndungutse, where Rwanda finished on fifth position.
The National team has not participated for the event in last seven years because they were no plan for the each year of the national team.
Bitok wants the team to start the preparation of the men championships early June as the way of preparing the All African Games, which will be staged in Congo Brazzaville from 4-19 September.
The president of Rwanda Volleyball Federation Gustave Nkurunziza said that “We have talked to our sponsor, ministry of sports on how we can compete in this event is and normally we have to send the team because we need to see our level against top teams in Africa”
“We want to compete in this tournament because we want to give more experience to our young players, we will use it as the preparations of All Africa Games,” he added.
The 2015 Men’s African Nations Championship will act as a qualifier for the 2015 FIVB Men’s World Cup which will be staged in Japan 8 – 23 September.
The 8 titles record holders Tunisia will be competing with their arch rival seven time champions Egypt who won the last five editions. Among other strong teams are 2 time champions Cameroon and Algeria beside the emerging Rwanda.
Meanwhile Kenya will host the Women’s African National Championships from 10 to 21, June. Rwanda will not compete in this tournament as the Volleyball Federation will first organize two months camp for the women from August to September after that the team will start to compete in continental events.
The competition will also act as the qualifier for the 2015 FIVB Women’s World Cup to be hosted in Japan August 22 to September 6, 2015.
Seven time champions Kenya is the defending champions as they won the last title in their homelands in 2013.
Peter Kamasa
The Technical Director of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation; Olatunji Fasimoye has announced their plans for the All Africa Games Qualifiers in Lome between the 6th and 7th of June which will be followed by the Africa Cup 1C in Lusaka, Zambia between 22nd and 27th of the same month.
Speaking in Lagos, he reiterated the federations resolve to qualify the nation for the AAG through early and adequate preparation as the NRFF will commence players call up for the Black Stallions 7s and 15s squads in April.
“As the Technical Director of Nigerian Rugby, I want the best 7s and 15s players in the country putting that jersey on whenever it’s available,”
Fasimoye said the federation has reassured all eligible players based home and abroad that the Technical department will work with the Black Stallions’ Technical crew to get the best representation for the country on the field.
The former national team player agreed that players’ morale can be dampened through questionable selection processes, he promised that the final team list will be solely based on current form and merit.
Selection of players for camp will begin in April as call up letters will go to the right players including our overseas based players.
The Federation directed that overseas players interested in playing for Black Stallions should visit the NRFF website http://www.nigeriarugbyunion.com and contact the technical team regarding their availability for the national team assignment on info@nigeriarugbyunion.com as air tickets and hotel accommodation will be provided for invited players.
Former U-20 international Gero Abdullahi was the surprise exclusion from the 21 –man list released by the Head Coach of U-23 National Team Samson Siasia for this weekend’s All-Africa Games qualifying game against Gabon in Libreville.
Others who failed to make the team are Aminu Umar, who arrived late to camp and Warri Wolves’ forward Freedom Omofonma who also arrived camp late after his club’s CAF Confederation Cup game in Burkina Faso.
The list of 16 home boys and five overseas- based professionals are expected to depart the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednesday evening for Gabon aboard an Ethiopia Airline flight.
The 21 players for Gabon:
Goalkeepers: Daniel Emmanuel, Akande Abiodun
Defenders: Obanor Erhun, Okorom Stanley, Oduduwa Segun, Sani Faisal, Sincere Seth, Atanda Sodiq
Midfielders: Azubuike Okechukwu, Godwin Savior, Tiongoli Tonbara, Saliu Popoola, Oshobe Oladele, Mohammed Usman, Kingsley Sokari
Forwards: Etebo Oghenekaro, Ajayi Junior, Peter Onyekachi, Iwobi Alex, Paul Onwachu
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