Sports
NFF misled me about Emenike, he’s a nice guy – Oliseh
Former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh has revealed that he was tasked with putting out fires immediately after taking on the role by the NFF, as three senior players were causing problems.
Oliseh had a storied career for the Nigerian national team, and upon retirement and going into coaching, he was given the chance to commandeer the Super Eagles.
However, his 14-game stint in charge was far from stellar. Although he only suffered two defeats in charge, his reign witnessed a breakdown in relationships with key players. Eight years after leaving the role, Oliseh has come out in his own defence, narrating the fissures from his point of view.
What Oliseh said
Speaking in an interview with ELEGBETE TV, Oliseh claimed to have inherited problems concerning key players in the squad from his predecessor, Stephen Keshi.
Oliseh said the NFF warned him upon handing him the job that three players: John Mikel Obi, Emmanuel Emenike and Vincent Enyeama were causing trouble, and he was advised by the federation to axe them.
“When I was signed to coach the Super Eagles, they told me that they had not qualified because they were having problems with certain players,” Oliseh told Matthew Edafe. “These players also had problems with Keshi, and that’s why Nigeria did not qualify [for AFCON 2015].”
The 49-year-old offered to hand the players a clean slate instead, according to him, moving to speak to them before concluding. He said he found Emenike to be amenable; however, neither Mikel on Enyeama were compliant.
“Now what I told them was, ‘You know I myself as a former captain, I know NFF is not easy,’ so I told them to let me talk to the players. Let me talk to them. Let me try to get them on board. Let me share my philosophy with them and let’s see how it goes.
“When this happened, what I did was call the captain of the team, which was Enyeama. I took my own car and drove almost 200 km to his players… with my assistant coach. Took him out to lunch, paid for it, watched him train in the morning, spoke to his coach, spent a whole day with my captain and spoke to him and gave him the philosophy of how it was going to be.
“Now the three players the NFF had problems with, they told me it was Enyeama, John Obi Mikel and Emmanuel Emenike.
“To start with, the biggest regret as Super Eagles coach was when Emenike called me and said ‘I am retiring as a national team player.’”
“Working with Emenike was one of the best things I had as a Super Eagles coach. He was a great guy. He was a nice guy. And when I saw what some media people had written about this boy, I was shocked because I could speak with Emenike, he was willing, but he felt he could not take it anymore. He said, ‘Coach no, I have to stop.’”
“That is why I am so happy each time I see Emenike doing well… it was totally opposite of what some people at the NFF had told me about him.”
Mikel and Enyeama defiant
Continuing the conversation, Oliseh said, “ On the other hand, I sent a message to Mikel, he never answered my call; he never called me back. He never did anything. He totally ignored and played a super diva.”
“I took my car, got onto a train with my assistant, drove to London to see John Obi Mikel and to see Moses. At the time, they were both playing at Chelsea. Gave them appointment at the hotel.
“Two teammates of the club, Moses came to the meeting; we had a drink and we spoke. The boy told me some private things I won’t share about why he was no longer too interested in the Super Eagles and I tried to change his mind.
“The other one refused to come; what could I do? So the boy was already causing problems.
“I also had problems with Enyeama. Just before the game against Tanzania. We were playing the game on Friday, everybody came into camp. On Wednesday, the man was still not there, only to phone us on Wednesday evening that he wanted to bury his mother, who died three months ago.”
“We had to rush in and go into that game; we were lucky we got a draw and I had already invited Karl Ikeme. Well, the story is history now. Ikeme was unbelievably good, so we were able to survive.
Oliseh insisted that to make it as a coach, one must have personality, stating that his principles and strong persona made him difficult to digest for the stars of the team, whom he accused of lacking commitment.
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen is facing fresh controversy after a Ghanaian player accused him of faking an injury to minimize his playing time with the Nigerian national team.
Asamoah Gyan, a former Ghanaian striker, made this accusation after Osimhen missed Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Tuesday. Click link to continue reading.
Osimhen had previously returned to Galatasaray following a leg injury sustained during the Super Eagles’ 1-0 victory over Rwanda in a World Cup qualifier last weekend.
Consequently, the 26-year-old did not participate in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with Bafana Bafana on Tuesday evening at the Free State Stadium.
Galatasaray later issued a statement asserting that Osimhen had suffered an ankle ligament injury.
However, Gyan is skeptical about the legitimacy of the injury.
He said, “I know these tricks. Someone might have said to Osimhen, ‘Look, we invested a lot of money in you. The Champions League is coming up. We’re not keen on you going to Africa, but go there, play a little, then get injured and act like it’s serious. The next day, you’ll be back in Türkiye.’” Gyan was quoted by habersarikirmizias saying.
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has charged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to urgently address the growing problem of age cheating at editions of the National Youth Games (NYG) to safeguard its credibility and ensure fairness.
Oborevwori made the call on Saturday at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, during the closing ceremony of the 9th edition of the Games, which he described as a festival of unity, discipline and excellence.
“What began days ago with great excitement has now come to a glorious conclusion. Today, we celebrate not only the medal winners but also the triumph of sportsmanship and national pride that this festival of youth has demonstrated,” the governor said.
He commended the athletes for their resilience, stressing that whether they won medals or not, they had inspired the nation through their courage and determination.
While praising Team Delta for sustaining its tradition of sporting excellence, he said the Games also provided a platform for discovering new talents from across the country.
The governor, however, lamented that the continued practice of states fielding over-aged athletes undermined the vision of the games.
He urged the NSC to urgently introduce stricter measures to restore integrity and ensure the event remains a true nursery of young talents.
Oborevwori expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the NSC, the Local Organizing Committee (LOC), coaches, officials, and volunteers for their roles in ensuring a smooth and successful outing.
He also thanked the visitors for making Asaba their home during the period the Games lasted, assuring them of Delta’s readiness to host the 10th edition of the Games in 2026, in line with the agreement that gave the state hosting rights for four consecutive editions.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Delta State, I congratulate every participant and wish you safe travels back to your various destinations,” he concluded.
In his remarks, Chairman of the NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko, represented by Chief Amaka Asiofu, Director of Grassroots Sports and General Coordinator of the Games, described the Asaba edition as “an incredible experience, marked by fair competition, determination, exciting adventures, and inspirational sportsmanship.”
He praised the Delta State Government for its robust sports development system, noting that the Games had once again provided Nigeria with a fresh pool of athletes who would eventually replace aging national players across various sports.
He assured that the Commission would continue to implement policies to nurture the talents while promoting a sports economic ecosystem that will add value to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Dikko also expressed profound gratitude to Governor Oborevwori, the Federal Government, participating states, sponsors, and stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the Games, while lauding President Tinubu for his unwavering support for sports development under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
In his own remarks, Chairman of the Delta State Sports Commission, Mr Onoriode Oborevwori, said the Games had showcased not only the competitive spirit of Nigerian athletes, but also the values of friendship, resilience, and cooperation.
He thanked the NSC, organizers, and stakeholders for their commitment and called for continued collaboration to drive development and excellence in sports.
Meanwhile, in the final medal table, Lagos State emerged overall winners for the first time, with a total of 110 medals comprising 52 gold, 32 silver, and 26 bronze. Delta State finished second with 114 medals (37 gold, 38 silver, and 39 bronze), while Edo State came third with 79 medals (33 gold, 18 silver, and 28 bronze).
Overall, 33 states won medals at the Games, with a combined total of 802 medals, comprising 246 gold, 236 silver, and 320 bronze.
Sports
Why I dumped Nigeria for Turkey – Favour Ofili breaks silence, mentions AFN, NOC in hard decision
Favour Ofili, a talented track and field athlete known for her impressive performances in the 100m, 150m, and 200m sprints, announced on Monday that she has officially changed her nationality from Nigeria to Turkey.
The 22-year-old athlete made her announcement through a thoughtful post on her X handle, expressing the significance of this pivotal moment in her career.
Speculation about Ofili’s switch had been circulating since July when it became clear that she was considering a move to the European country, a decision driven by her ongoing struggles with the Nigerian athletics authorities.
A particularly distressing episode occurred during her attempt to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, where she was unable to participate due to Nigerian Olympic authorities failing to inform her about the essential drug-testing requirements needed for eligibility.
Compounding her frustrations, another administrative error from the Athletics Federation of Nigeria thwarted her aspirations of representing her country in the 100m event at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics; they failed to submit her name by the required deadline.
In her heartfelt series of tweets, Ofili revealed that her journey had been marred by a pattern of negligence and miscommunication, leading her to make the difficult but decisive choice to switch her allegiance in hopes of a brighter and more supportive athletic future in Turkey.
“Wrapping up my 2025 season has been a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions. Racing back-to-back across amazing cities and learning from the best has been incredible,” she wrote.
“As some of you have heard, I’m also starting a new chapter representing Turkey.
“I am proud to have represented Nigeria for many years in a highly successful way! Having won SIX gold medals, TWO silver medals and TWO bronze medals in championship meets and a 200 meter Olympic finalist while experiencing the biggest disappointment from AFN and NOC towards me. Negligence towards me in Olympic (Tokyo/Paris). I have made this decision.”
The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist also said financial incentive was not behind her decision to switch allegiance to Turkey.
“While that means sitting out this year’s championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives. I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey,” she added.
Ofili joins the list of high-profile former Nigerian athletes Gloria Alozie and Francis Obikwelu who abandoned Nigerian colours for Spain and Portugal respectively in the 2000s.
In a significant turn of events, Victor Boniface, the talented 24-year-old striker for the Super Eagles, has been left in limbo after his highly anticipated transfer to the esteemed Italian club AC Milan fell through at the last moment.
The aspiring forward had returned to training with high hopes, only to face disappointment when the Serie A giants officially withdrew their interest due to unexpected complications that arose during his medical examinations.
The failed deal has left Boniface visibly upset, as many had regarded this transfer as a pivotal moment in his burgeoning career....Click link for details
Liverpool have reached agreement on a British-record deal to sign striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United, according to ESPN.
Premier League champions say they have had a £125 million ($170m) bid accepted to sign the Sweden international, though Newcastle sources state the deal is worth £130m. Click to continue reading
Erik ten Hag has been dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen after merely two league fixtures.
The German football club has appointed the former manager of Manchester United to succeed Xabi Alonso, the esteemed Liverpool icon who transferred to Real Madrid at the start of the current season.
Nevertheless, following a difficult initiation to his role in Germany, during which he attained only one point from his first two Bundesliga matches, Erik ten Hag has been dismissed from his position.
A statement issued by the club confirmed: “Bayer 04 Leverkusen has mutually agreed to part ways with head coach Erik ten Hag. This decision was reached by the shareholders’ committee, the club’s supervisory board, based on the recommendation of the management of Bayer 04.”
“Training will be overseen by the current backroom staff on an interim basis.”
Meanwhile, the club’s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, commented: “This decision was not an easy one for us. Nobody wanted to take this step.
“However, the past few weeks have shown that building a new and successful team with this setup is not feasible.
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