The Honorable Minister, Youth and Sports Development Sunday Dare, has assured members of the Super Eagles team that President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian football fans believe in them despite their ouster from the AFCON 2021.
The Eagles lost 1-0 to Tunisia in the round of 16 on Sunday thanks to a second half goal by stand-in skipper Youssef Msakni.
After an impressive group stage performance, the Eagles went into the game as favourites but ended on the losing side.
But in a statement from the Sports Minister, he expresses confidence that the future of the team is bright.
Also, he urged football fans to desist from reigning insults on some members of the team following their defeat to Tunisia.
“The Super Eagles’ exit from AFCON was indeed painful. Our hopes were high. In their prior matches, their collective performance had been superlative. We all believed that we would advance and come home with a historic victory in our hands.
“Although we did not reach our goal, as a nation we have reason to be proud and optimistic about the future of our team. This collection of individual talents came together to forge a true team. They played hard and in unison and with a common desire to do Nigeria proud and to prove themselves worthy of representing our beloved nation on and off the field of play. In this, they performed admirably.
“Nigeria has every reason to be proud of this fine group of young men. I am immensely proud of how they performed as players and how they comported themselves as ambassadors of our nation.They have put Africa and the rest of the world on notice. Nigerian football will be characterized by greater team work, effort and cohesion. This team will improve and become a solid and fierce contender in any competition we enter.
Also Read: AFCON 2021 A Wonderful Experience For Me- Sadiq
“Austin Eguavoen and the coaching staff gave a strong performance. They faced the challenge bravely and gave a good account of themselves. They did their very best and that is all we can ask of them.
“We, as a nation win together, and we lose together. Sports is a unifying factor and those that seek to use it as vectors of division, targeting players with hate speech and making irresponsible statements should rise above such behaviour. We are much better than that as a people.
“We will lift the spirit of our boys and as professionals they will look beyond AFCON and continue to work with their technical team to ensure continuous improvement. The overall performance of the team during this tournament shows we have regained our better footing and are heading in the proper direction. Our football, once again was fluid, purposeful and beautiful to watch. We have a good team and Nigeria will help them to get better.
“The Super Eagles distinguished themselves with brilliant soccer displays leading to CAF Technical men voting Austin Eguavoen as the best coach in the first round. He and his team will be given all the support they need to ensure nothing in terms of their capacity development is overlooked.
“I also want to use this opportunity to thank soccer-loving Nigerians who followed the team’s participation at the competition. I thank the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) for rising up to the task and for its commitment to ensuring that every support was given to the team. I have been assured by the NFF leadership that its technical team will conduct a comprehensive appraisal and lessons learned will be exercised on this AFCON experience. We will emerge from this better, stronger, more aware of what we need to improve on and make this team satisfy the aspirations of an eager and hopeful football loving nation.
“I want to use this moment to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his unblinking and fatherly support for the team in every way. The government provided the needed financial and moral support to the team at every juncture.
“The lessons from AFCON abide. Our eyes are set on greater glory with this crop of talented, young and skillful Super Eagles players. The fighting spirit and sense of what we can do are strong. As long as we remain committed to teamwork and a common goal, the Super Eagles will become more and more formidable.
“From all indications, Nigeria believes in them. President Muhammadu Buhari believes in them and I, as Minister, also have full belief in them. They will in fact be encouraged and supported to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup finals later this year and the 2023 African Cup of Nations Tournament in Cote’d Voire next year.
“This Super Eagles team will show the world the great heights to which truly they can soar.
“Honorable Minister, Youth and Sports Development. Abuja. Nigeria.
January 25, 2021.“
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COMMENTS
Good luck to the entire team as we look forward to the playoff in March. God bless Nigeria.
This your long epistle is nothing but pure rubbish….
We suffered and qualify for this tournament with all hope and great expectation that the trophy is coming to Nigeria for the 4th time in history, but you and your fellow selfish and greedy politicians shattered our dreams.
In case you didn’t know, we were destined to lift this trophy in Cameroon so as to serve as a revenge of what happened in Nigeria/Ghana 2000.
See how your actions ruin our hope of paying Cameroon back in their coin cost us.
This is just a facade. He knows he and Pinnick took a very bad decision, that is why he is doing all he is doing now to present an upbeat front. Everything he is doing now is to play down the whole situation. Deep down I can bet, that he knows they messed up. See, if care is not taken, we may not qualify for WC. Especially if the lab experimentation continues.
For the qualification for this particular AFCON, we actually sweated blood and water to qualify. But the labour of our heroes past (Rohr, Balogun, Osimhen etc) is now in vain. If I knew we will exit as exit as early as this, it would have been better not to quality
Keeping them together is the high point of Minister Dare’s speech. For once, let’s put in place a time tested programme and not just the high and fire style of approach. The good thing going for us now is that we have ever ready domestic coaches, tested and are will to do our country proud. I’m glad the government of president Buhari promised to support them. Good luck the Super Eagles.
Very shameful speech from a politician that is part of the reason we were bundled back home so fast! What is dignifying is your resignation and apologies to the Nigerian populace, we also expect the conman at the head of NFF to also shamefully follow suit! Nothing less will appease all good meaning Nigerians as well as a complete overhaul of our corrupt NFF. I am quite scared that Qatar 2022 for us may be a bridge too far!
The Minister of Sports said and I quote “We will lift the spirit of our boys and as professionals they will look beyond AFCON and continue to work with their technical team to ensure continuous improvement. The overall performance of the team during this tournament shows we have regained our better footing and are heading in the proper direction. Our football, once again was fluid, purposeful and beautiful to watch. We have a good team and Nigeria will help them to get better”. End quote.
This singularly implies the involvement of indigenous personnels who will be responsible for talents scan in our localities. It’s the right thing to do since we have agreed to believe in our own, win or lose. And most importantly, those who are still pained should eschew bitterness and mindful of using foul languages. God bless true Nigerians.
They are known noise makers whose allegiance is elsewhere, a true Nigerian wouldn’t have such mindset. In response to the minister, I think we no longer have much time for delay, the relevant agency should appoint a coach for the Eagles to enable them begin preparations in earnest.
Grant and Kenneth God bless the two of you.These are patriotic Nigerians.I love what the two of you wrote.Keep it up.
What the country needs is continuity in the process. Imagine keeping these ones together for the next 6 years.
https://youtu.be/9NutBXIkSu8
Write this date down or save this my comment bcos I’ll bring this comment back in March 30th after Ghana must have added to our woes and sorrows.
It will take more than a miracle for SE to qualify for the WC in Qatar ahead of Ghana.
I’m not bewitching our boys but the truth must be told bcos something most kill a man.
I was expecting Malawi or S.Leone to be our next opponent in round 16 for our boys to have an easy ride which many in this forum can bear me witness. Time without number I was always asking for prayers to avoid Tunisia bcuz I saw a great doom awaiting us but some fellows that were carried away with those cheap success never listened.
They were like “bring on any team and our boys will tear them apart”.
We can now see the outcome, we’re now enjoying it.
I actually expected our boys to get an easy draw by facing either Mali or DR CONGO, but something must kill a man, boom our long time rival in Ghana.
I see Nigeria being eliminated by Ghana with either away goal rule or head-to-head rule.
Register this in your dairy bcos I’ll definitely remind this forum on March 30th, 2022.
It will take “MORE THAN A MIRACLE” for Nigeria to reach Qatar 2022.
….. COMMENT SAVED…..
***SHALOM***
Why would you be wishing and praying that your country loose (…even to the extent of archiving doom). I tire for you ohhh. Do you know what it means to some innocent people’s families and jobs when the SE don’t do well and I don’t mean the corrupt and blood sucking NFF and other politicians, I mean the genuine hustlers out there on the streets whose little hustles are hinged on SE’s success. You wishing SE failure is like you wishing that your own business fails or your employer go outta business.
I really do not get how we Nigerians think at times. The nation is greater than any individual. Rorh’s ship has sailed already regardless of if it was right or wrong to sack him but the SE remains our beloved brand that unifies us and gives everyone of us succour and joy when they do well. And you are here fervently praying that Nigerians will not know that JOY the SE brings us all.
Bros, abeg go repent, renew your mind
@GentleD, abeg forget that guy with all his monotonous, disjointed yadayada. Make you dey know comments wey you go skip and read better thing. These ones’ comments are fuelled by a brusied ego and the morbid desire to be proved right. What is his empirical proof? Comoros beat Ghana, Nigeria beat Egypt, so on what basis. If e sure am, make he go bet Ghana N1m for Bet9ja when the time reach and post the slip here.
See, Nigeria will beat Ghana in Ghana 2-1. I won’t say more than that.
I also share in your fear. To be honest with you, long before the draw was made, I didn’t want Nigeria to meet Ghana. Because one, people of Ghana for whatever reason are very envious of Nigeria and always see themselves as being in competition with Nigeria. So, if we draw them, that means, they will play with their last blood,……in fact for most of them it would be better for them to die than lose to us. Then secondly, with the disgrace they got at this AFCON, they are now like wounded lions and bet you me, they would do everything to bounce back. And to make an already bad matter worse, we are going to be their first prey/predator, depending on how prepared and organised we turn out. Ghana will surely be out to prove a point after the big disgrace in this AFCON
https://youtu.be/pf2F0I5TtQ8?t=11
@Grant, that’s true. Keeping them together with their coaching staff is sure to deliver dividends. See the training tape above.
Wonderful. And this amongst others was put together within 2 weeks. Eguavoen and his crew should be given more time since there’s an understanding between the players and their coach.
Thanks for the clip. Super Eagles is going places.
@Grant, continuity in the process is the takeaway statement. The Belgium Blueprint which I have been advocating is strictly based on continuity though time conscious. It also requires 100% local participation with freedom to seek materials from anywhere. I am of the view that Eguavoen and his team will be appointed on a permanent basis but it should be a minimum of a 6 year contract for maximum effect.
@Grant, continuity in the process is the takeaway statement. The Belgium Blueprint which I have been advocating is strictly based on continuity though time conscious. It also requires 100% local participation with freedom to seek materials from anywhere. I am of the view that Eguavoen and his team will be appointed on a permanent basis but it should be a minimum of a 6 year contract for maximum effect..
Obviously many of you guys commenting on this thread haven’t learnt anything from our history of failed local coaches even with their continuity.
It is either that or the system in place profits your pockets. I cannot fathom the idea of every one here that has praised the failed minister of sports and the failed technical crew of Eguavoen.
It is like gladly jumping on a live transformer and killing yourself in the process.
You have seen Eguavoen lacks tactical ideas yet you want him to continue to show us how shallow he is as a coach competing with other skilled compatriots.
For Plus Obiemen campaigning for the Belgium blueprint to be adopted by our national teams, please go and sell it to the NFF and Ministry of Sports and then tell us your experience in that process.
It is only a stubborn fly that will follow a dead carcass to the grave.
Your challenge is you don’t know when to out of the box. Fortunately, the execution of the Belgium Blueprint is more that 2 weeks, it requires a minimum of 6 years. So, right thinking Nigerians weren’t supposed to expect too much from a 2 week given to Eguavoen to prepare the team. That is why it has now become important for establish continuity in the process. Please do yourself well to go back to my initial comment.
Don’t mind the idiot, I don’t think he knows what the blueprint is about. Tell them to read, it’s a problem. My own is, whether the country wants a local coach or foreign they should sha make announcement instead of waiting till another two weeks to the match against Ghana. I live here and they are boasting that they will defeat us. But local coach with the boys is sure better.
@Segun Dejo and Pius Obirmen.
Is it today you are hearing of a football blueprint should be adopted??
You think the Belgium blueprint is the first ever blueprint to be mentioned in footballing circles for adoption???
It is not that I can’t think out of the box. It is the fact that both the NFF and Sports Ministry are filled with thieves that ar3 only looking out for their pockets now.
That’s why I said go and sell it to them and tell us your experience in the process.
I have dealt with NFF before hosting the 2000 Glo/CAF awards at Eko Hotel.
Common international delegates transportation was a problem for them to manage, is implanting a blueprint that will be easy for them???
It’s obvious you have not dealt with them before or you will know the level of corruption and unpreparedness they exhibit on a daily basis.
Omission: think out of the box
@Ife Oni, I tried to download the video you posted it didn’t work as I could only play it. It there another URL? Thanks.
UWC. Google IDM and first download it.
Pius Obemhen:
Yes, six years contract is good but if I was the NFF president, I will give our local coach eight years so that he will have time enough to visit all the villages in the country to seek out talents. Then train them very well, this is good to develop individuals who can gain employment on clubs instead of wasting away in the village.
8 years of doom. Finish with Ghana first.
That cassava sport minister is the reason why we are here.
U17 dead
U20 dead
U23 dead
Super eagles that was giving us slow and steady Progress they finally killed it.
I blame this on the Minister who hated ROHR at all cost, the confused pinnick who listened to Dare, join with the clueless and sentimental fans who needed tiki taka football against purpose driven football.
I laugh in Swahili, I wonder if history is still taught in schools. I wonder when Nigerians will sit down and do critical analysis before taking action.
In life is needles to rush and destroy what you cannot fix. In Engineering we are taught never to dismantle what we cannot assemble alone.
I can’t blame any member of this team because their calamity was caused by their leaders and sentimental fans.
With retainance of about 75% of this AFCON team, Cerezo,(removal of Alloy Agu) and the inclusion of few ones like Balo, Osi, Dennis, Amoo, Lookman, Ejaria, Dele-Bashiru, Amoo, Nwobodo, Adeleye etc.
WC Qualifiet..
Ghana 1 Nigeria 2 (Nigeria will not loose the first leg), the least we get in Ghana is a draw)
Nigeria 3 Ghana 0 (Second leg)
You will never stop to deceive your self. Thought you said you will beat Tunisia 3:0 because your team is playing fluid, purposeful football as your minister rightly said. Now you are in quarter final enjoy your ride.
You are always dreaming and making very bogus prediction. I believe in the possibility of winning Ghana 3-0, but definitely not with Mr. Pour and Play, or Yobo or any of the other jokers that make up the consortium or whatever they call themselves.
It is quite unfortunate that Cerezo just used this AFCON to experiment, after Rohr and others suffered under Pontius Pilate to qualify us. In fact, winning Egypt not AFCON, was his target
VM “the game changer” will be back for Ghana.
I thought Rohr was the problem so now it is the retired VM that will need. Isorait.
You will never stop to deceive your self. Thought you said you will beat Tunisia 3:0 because your team is playing fluid, purposeful football as your minister rightly said. Now you are in quarter final enjoy your ride.
So according to the minister we have gained a better footing. Meaning that the minister is of the opinion that this is a better performance than previous Afcons. Wow, so the minister doesn’t know that this is our poorest performance since 1982. To add insult to injury we list out to a Tunisian team that was without at least 12 of its players and their head coach. We also had the advantage of having more time to rest. We didn’t have to travel from one city to the other. Besides all the North African sides have struggled with the hot climate, yet we lost and the minister can spew this rubbish. They all should be ashamed of themselves. Nonsense.
I have been waiting for Segun Odegbami’s episode on this Afcon, hope he’s fine, someone should please check up on him ooo….radarada!!!
Heads-up ” i don’t respond to people who try to gaslight by framing up lies or use derogatory terms ”
If you are expecting me to respond to your comment or do a back and forth with you, you need to ask folks like Drey, Glory, Kel, Jimmy, omo9ja, DE-star, sunny b, Chineue, BigD, keneth etc to help you and other notice me on, what to do before they can
“Bamba” or chill with the big boiz” on this platform”
If you like jump on my comment with different IDs, I don’t care and will not respond because I am picky with comments and just don’t respond to every jack and Harry.