Onazi Seeks FIFA Action Over Matuidi Tackle…,Osaze Queries No Penalty Call

Hardworking Super Eagles midfield General, Eddy Ogenyi Onazi, says he was shocked that despite the protestations of Argentine legend, Diego Armando Maradona, that French midfielder, Blaise Matuidi has not been sanctioned for the hard tackle on him that tore his left leg tendon, by world soccer governing body; FIFA.

Speaking in Brasilia after undergoing surgery on the injured left leg, Onazi said what FIFA has done is not to respect the rules that they themselves have set. “The French side will announce to the world before a game that we are very physical so that they can come and commit murder and get away with it, yet FIFA will fold their arms and do nothing. I am totally in tune with Maradona, who believes that the tackle on me was worst that what Luis Suarez did to Italian Chellini.”

Onazi shows his injured left leg on Tuesday afternoon

“I will please beg that FIFA should go back and watch the tape of the game and apply necessary sanctions for the good of the game, otherwise it’s Nigeria today, it could be another big country tomorrow. Justice must be done”, he declared.

Also an angry Osaze Odenwingie has queried the officiating of American referee, Mark Geiger, describing it as not only appalling but against what the General Coordinator for the game between Nigeria and France, Walter Sieber of Canada came to preach to the Super Eagles in Campinas, the Nigerian team base camp.

“I recall that when the Canadian came to us he showed us a film of a defender holding down a striker in the vital area in the course of a game and he was very clear that it should be a penalty. I was then shocked that when I was held by the waist by a French defender, so much so that I could not move with the referee watching at close range, the man waived play on instead of a penalty and a possible expulsion for the player. “FIFA should not make the world believe that they use double standards at the World Cup, I am shocked that even the media is keeping quiet over the blatant officiating.

He also lambasted the cancellation of Nigeria’s opening goal and the brutish hacking of teammate Ogenyi Onazi. “It was obvious that some forces wanted France to defeat us at all cost but one day Africa will get at par with the rest of the World in football”, he lamented.

Super Eagles Arrive Brasilia Ahead Clash with Les Blues Of France

Eagles Arrive Brasilia, Start Training For France…,Babatunde Bemoans Injury

The Super Eagles have arrived the Brazilian capital city of Brasilia for Monday’s second round World Cup tango against the Les Blues of France.

All the 23 players and technical officials led by Stephen Keshi were on the flight that landed at 4:07pm local time, which is 8:07 Nigerian time. Also on the flight with the Eagles was NFF Vice President, Chief Mike Umeh and Mallam Shehu Dikko.

Following the controversy over the team’s training schedule on Thursday, the team immediately checked into its abode at the serene Plaza Brasilia, which is a stone throw away from where the French side is quartered. After light refreshment the team zoomed off to training to do the catching up on missed time.

Team News:
Youthful midfielder, Babatunde Michael, will however be the only player who will not taste action and he said he feels bad following the injury he sustained on the wrist, upon which surgery has since been carried out. “I will be praying for the team and I am sure they will do the nation proud in this World Cup”, the soft spoken star declared.

Babatunde Undergoes Successful Surgery…,…Out Of Mundial…Moses Resumes Training

Babatunde Undergoes Successful Surgery…,…Out Of Mundial…Moses Resumes Training

Super Eager burgeoning midfielder, Babatunde Michael has undergone a successful surgery on his fractured wrist and has since returned to the team’s Camp base in Campinas, ahead of the trip to Brasilia for the second round duel against France.

Though, his team mate Ogenyi Onazi, whose shot did the damage jokingly said that Babatunde stopped his goal bound shot. “I swear that was a sure goal if not for Tunde’s hand, I wish him quick recovery”, he said.

Micheal Babatunde
Photo Credit: FIFA

“Unfortunately, he is ruled out of the tournament because it will take at least three weeks for that surgery to heal”, Head Coach Stephen Keshi told Team’s Media Officer, Ben Alaiya. He added that Nigerians should not fret over the development as there are capable replacements for the player.

“It’s not looking good that he will feature again in the tournament ,we are sad about that but we have people who can fill in for him very well and I think we have to go win for him now”, Keshi added.

The player has since joined his teammates in Campinas ahead of the trip to Brasilia for the second round game against France.

The national team boss also dispels insinuations that he has any personal issues with Victor Moses, hence he is not being featured. “It’s purely medical, my last child is older that Moses, so why will I quarrel with my son?. People must find out facts and not speculate especially when we have a capable media person in our midst.

The coach then added that Moses has a muscle strain that was discovered by the team’s medics after the first game against Iran and he was advised to rest it so that he can come out better in subsequent games.

“We can understand that all players want to play at the big stage but it’s up to us and the medical team to manage their career and balance it with due diligence regarding their health and that is why we have not played him.

We hope he should be back in training later on Thursday”.

Moses it would be recalled watched the last game from the stands with technical officials and was not dressed for the encounter but he looks ready to join the fray in the game against France.

FIFA World Cup: Benzema Tops Castrol Index As Enyeama Maintans Fifth position

Castrol Index Top Ten

Karim Benzema of France Tops the Castrol Index with 9.77 points, the french forward is closely followed by Robin Van.Persie who has 9.72 points.

Third on the Index is Dutch Dynamo Arjen Robben with 9.67 points, in fourth place is Brazilian Defender David Luiz on 9.63.

In fifth place we’ve got the highest ranked Goalkeeper, African, and Nigerian Vincent Enyeama with 9.59.

Sixth is Croatian Midfielder Ivan Perisic, on 9.56 points. Perisic is also ranked number one in the midfielders Rankings.

Ranked Seventh is Ecuador Forward Enner Valencia with 9.53 points, followed by the Amazing Mexican Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa on 9.49 on Eight.

Nine and Ten Sees Colombian Midfielder James Rodriguez on 9.46 and England’s Phil Jagielka on 9.44 points

Vincent Enyeama of Nigeria
Photo Credit: FIFA

1 – BENZEMA
Forward
FRA
9.77

2 – V. PERSIE
Forward
NED
9.72

3 – ROBBEN
Forward
NED
9.67

4 – DAVID LUIZ
Defender
BRA
9.63

5 – ENYEAMA
Goalkeeper
NGA
9.59

6 – PERIŠIĆ
Midfielder
CRO
9.56

7 – E. VALENCIA
Forward
ECU
9.53

8 – G OCHOA
Goalkeeper
MEX
9.49

9 – JAMES
Midfielder
COL
9.46

10 – JAGIELKA
Defender
ENG
9.44

About the Castrol Index:

Castrol, Official Sponsor of the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™, are experts in using pioneering technology and data analysis to understand the performance of their oils and have used similar expertise to create the Castrol Index, the definitive system for rating player performance.

Previously used at the FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 and 2013 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Castrol Index uses the latest FIFA tracking technology to capture data on each player, which will then be analysed by a team of Castrol Performance Analysts. Every pass, tackle and move on the field is measured and assessed to see if it has a positive or negative impact on a team’s ability to score or concede a goal. The team of Castrol Performance Analysts crunch all the data to award each player a Castrol Index score out of 10 – the stronger the player’s performance, the higher their score.

Maigari lambasts speculators of Keshi’s ‘foreign assistant’

President of Nigeria Football Federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, on Thursday lampooned those who invented the talk of a ‘foreign technical assistant’ for Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, and then took their imagination to the public space to deceive the generality of Nigerians.

“At no time did anyone in the NFF, whether myself, the Executive Committee or the Management, contemplated, suggested, recommended or even tried to impose the idea of a ‘foreign technical assistant,’ ‘foreign technical adviser,’ ‘expatriate assistant,’ or whatever, on Mr. Keshi.

“Some idle souls with fertile imagination invented this, sold it to their friends in the media and those chaps took it up with aplomb. It
is a shame. The NFF made it clear long ago that it would not impose anyone on Keshi, and that will remain so. It is even more shameful that a number of disco critics had gone further to hurl insults at the NFF for this speculation that we know nothing about,” Maigari said in Abuja.

“

Insisting that the present NFF administration deserves credit for the way it has stuck by indigenous Coaches and for the successes it has recorded to regain Nigeria’s pride of place in the international game, the NFF President called on football-loving Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to discountenance the silly campaign and treat it for what it is – idle speculation of opponents of Nigeria football.

“The present NFF has, in thick and thin, kept faith with indigenous Coaches. It is the first administration in the history of the NFF to
do so. And over time, we have pledged full support to Keshi and the squad for them to make a very big impact at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil.

“Nothing has changed. Our full support will be available for Keshi and the team at all times and since he has not mentioned the issue of a ‘foreign technical assistant’ or ‘expatriate expert,’ no one in the NFF is thinking along that line.