Lagos-based team, AS Racines has finally gained promotion into the Nation-Wide League One after an impressive campaign in the Amateur League Two Group A.
The Emmanuel Ibru-lads and former champions of Delta and Lagos FA Cup earned promotion at the expense of Spartans, Indomie FC of Ogun State, Messiah FC of Lagos and Police Machine of Abeokuta. They lost one, drew one and won all other games of the series.
The club’s management at the weekend in Lagos commended the doggedness of the players with an award party.
Emmanuel Ibru, Chairman AS Racine FC
Taiwo Adeyemi was adjudged best goalkeeper of the season, the best defender award went to Mutairu Idris, Ariski Zeme was the club’s best midfielder, Odewale Taiwo got best behaved player award while, Kehinde Gbadegeshin went home with the best striker’s award.
The club’s chairman and former NFF board member, Emmanuel Ibru, boasted that top clubs should watch out for AS Racines as they aim to secure a spot in the elite division in the nearest future.
It will be recalled that Super Eagles striker, Osaze Odemwingie, Fengor Ogude, late Adefemi Olubayo were all products of the club.
Keshi, Osaze Say Eagles Best Yet To Come…WC Debut Excites Ejike
Stephen Keshi – Super Eagles Coach
Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi and striker, Peter Osaze Odemwingie have reviewed the 1-0 win over Bosnia-Hezergovina on last Saturday and came away with the submission that the team was still yet to play to its full potentials in the Mundial.
Osaze said at the post match media parley that the team has what it takes to reach the very final if all of the players play to full potential. “I saw a Brazilian on the street who told he foresaw Nigeria playing the final against Brazil and I said to myself why not, going by the level of our players and the fact that they are yet to peak”.
Osaze Odenwingie goalscorer, Nigeria vs Bosnia-Herzegovinia
The Stoke City forward who scored Nigeria’s only goal in the encounter said the goal also served as a compensation for his missing out of last year’s Nations Cup in South Africa. “But mark my words we have a very resilient defence, a creative midfield and an attack force that can trouble any defence in the world if we play to our potentials we can go all the way”, he declared.
Keshi on his part, said he will not relent at ensuring that he gets the team in the right mood for the championship but said the players are just gradually coming up. “The annoying thing is that they get criticized unnecessarily back home. When that comes from the man on the street you can understand but when people who should know like ex-footballers criticize the team, I don’t enjoy it at all but the players have showed that they are good enough for the World Cup but they are yet to play to full potential”.
Winger Ejike Uzoenyi, who played his first World Cup game against Bosnia, said he was excited at his debut. “It was like a dream but I thank God, the NFF and the coaches for making me realize the dream of playing at the world’s biggest stage in football. I am a fulfilled man”.
Imoke, Unicem Rovers Hail Eagles…Says Maigari Is History Maker
Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, says he has been enjoying the performance of the Super Eagles and believes that the team has the potential to go all the way. Imoke, whose government hosted all the team’s qualifying games was also in Brazil prior to the start of the championship.
“This team has the potential of making Nigeria one of the biggest football super powers in the world and I also believe that the NFF President, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and his board are on the verge of also becoming the best football administrators that the country ever produced”, he was quoted as saying by Sports Commissioner, Hon Patrick Ugbe.
Also newly appointed Chairman of Unicem Rovers FC of Calabar, Maurice Inok, says the entire team and its officials are backing the team to lift the World Cup adding that the club has a bunch of youthful players that he will invite the national team technical crew to come and pick from for the future.
“We are behind the NFF, Keshi and his entire crew and I can promise that when he returns to a garland of celebration we won’t be behind because the team has raised the bar of football in Africa and the world”, Inok said in a statement from Calabar.
Nigeria Police Force
Nigeria Police Shines In Brazil 2014
The Nigeria Police Force has been one of the strong ambassadors here in Brazil representing the country in various categories of the competition and they have been turning out in flying colours.
Apart from national team Chief Security Officer, ACP Abubakar Baba, there are eight other top officers here and carrying out various World Cup task and they could be seen in the different centres of the championship.
Led by the Officer in charge of Sports in the Nigeria Police, Commissioner of Police, Sani Mohammed, the team includes another CP Abimbola Marcaulay, SP Gabriel Alobo DSP Femi Okunowo, Inspector Kikelomo Ajayi, herself a former skipper of the Women National team, the Super Falcons and Inspector Wakili Isah Shall.
They have been everywhere and helping to ensure that the flag of Nigerian is flown in the security circle very high, even preventing a former top sports administrators from Nigeria from being arrested over branding in the stadium. Nigeria is really going places in Brazil.
After weeks of speculation and intrigue, the Nigeria Football Federation today in Abuja released of provisional list of 30 players likely to make it to Brazil for the FIFA Brazil 2014 World Cup.
There are no real surprises on this list, save for the exclusion of Ike Uche, the other major talking point is the return of Captain Joseph Yobo and Osaze Odewingie.
While its a given that Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide will get the first two goalkeeper’s slot, the battle for the third keeper’s position will now be between Chigozie Agbim and Daniel Akpeyi.
Also missing from this list is new boy Leon Balogun Brown Ideye and Portugal based John Ogu amongst others.
Now that the dust as settled it is hoped that all hands will be on deck as Stephen Keshi and his wards head to Brazil.
GOALKEEPERS: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi
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