RandaFooty: Everything Nigerian football, home and abroad

A public service initiative in support of the Federal Government’s, UNAIDS, UNFPA, the National Sports Commission and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) partnership in the fight against Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has been announced by the League Management Company (LMC) as the first in a series of Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) programs of the league body. Chairman of the LMC, Nduka Irabor says the public service campaign will also preach unity, peace and the greatness of Nigeria as a country to strengthen the bond of brotherhood and support nation building which has been best demonstrated through football. President Jonathan had on Monday, May 12 led other top government functionaries to endorse the campaign coordinated by the National Agency for Control of AIDS in partnership with UNAIDS, UNFPA, NSC and NFF.

Eagles line up ( pic courtesy Andrew Randa) Now that FIFA has lifted the suspension from international football activities earlier placed on Nigeria, there are some who believe that we are back to square one awaiting the next full-blown dispute that will lead to another football crisis. There are others who look forward to the August 15 Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) elections as an opportunity to install a leadership which they believe will take Nigerian football to the next level. Personally, I look up to the National Council on Sports, the Nigerian Olympic Committee and the Sports Minister to make good on their promise to set up a domestic Court of Arbitration for Sport in Nigeria. The issues surrounding the setting up a Nigerian Court of Arbitration for Sport (NCAS) as well as the steps already taken in that regard have been discussed in a   previous post .  

Shehu Abdullahi  (1st right)being unveiled. Pic courtesy Al Qadsia Nigeria international, Shehu Abdullahi, has signed a year deal with Kuwaiti outfit, Al Qadsia Sporting Club, for an undisclosed fee. Abdullahi, 21, penned the deal with the Kuwaiti side after he rebuffed overtures from South Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia and a deal with Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon fell through at the last minute. The former Kano Pillars midfielder says he is comfortable with the deal as it affords him a new challenge and an avenue to put himself in the window. "I'm really happy with the deal. It's a new challenge that I am looking forward to," he told 9jafooty from his base in Kuwait. "A lot of people were surprised I chose Kuwait, but I am happy. Kuwait will be a springboard to better things. This is just a stepping stone. "I hope to give my all to the fans of the club and also help the team win laurels during my stay here." Abdullah

Former Kaduna United striker, Jude Aneke has signed the dotted lines for Kazakhstani Premier League side, Spartak Semey. Aneke, who set a Glo Premier League record of 20 goals for a season while with Kaduna United in the 2011/12 season, has been without a club since leaving Egyptian side, Al Masry. He was widely hailed for breaking the record previously held by Ahmed Musa, who scored 18 goals the previous season for Kano Pillars, but his time at Warri Wolves, who he joined shortly after, did not yield the expected dividends. The 24-year-old striker had limited playing time at the Egyptian club and had some injury worries, but will look to bounce back into the reckoning after his move to Spartak Semey. The former Anambra United and Ebonyi Angels player will join up with compatriot, Michael Odibe, who also plays in the Kazakhstani Premier League with FK Atyrau.

Nasarawa United captain Baba Idris, has sounded out the battle cry to the rest of the teams in the Glo Premier League stating that his team is aiming for the league diadem and will do everything possible to get the Lafia based side back into the continent. The tough tackling centre back also wants his team to consolidate on their performance in the first half of the season as they prepare for the second half of the 2014 season. "We want to improve on our showing in the first half of the season and I believe the boys are eager and rearing to go,"he told supersport.com in Lafia. "I won't be out of line to say our plan is to upsurb current leaders Kano Pillars or worse case scenario, come second and get back into continental football.

Out of the 23 players that made Nigeria's squad to the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil, only four were present at the last edition in South Africa in 2010. Team captain Joseph Yobo, goalkeepers Vincent Enyeama and Austin Ejide, and Peter Odemwingie were the only survivors from the first round exit in South Africa, as Nigeria started rebuilding after the exit of the Swede Lars Lagerback. When Stephen Keshi took up the reins, many Nigerians were not sure of what to expect, but the 'Big Boss' went about his business quietly, chopping and changing while introducing some green horns into the team. Those green horns formed the core of Nigeria's team to the 2014 Fifa World Cup, as the likes of Ogenyi Onazi, Godfrey Oboabona, Juwon Oshaniwa, Kenneth Omeruo, who were once unheralded, have become an integral part of the Super Eagles set up. With the Olympics in Rio de Janiero in 2016 on the horizon and the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia in four years, an exciting b

Three years ago, Chelsea's Kenneth Omeruo was at the heart of the defence for Nigeria's Flying Eagles as they crashed out in the quarterfinals of the Fifa Under-20 World Championship in Colombia to France. Ogenyi Onazi however did not make the party to Colombia 2011, after coach John Obuh dropped him from the final squad for the championship, as midfielder Ramon Azeez captained an exciting side that also included Ahmed Musa. These four players, together with another prospect Godfrey Oboabona made Stephen Keshi's 23-man list for the 2014 Fifa World Cup with Omeruo playing every minute of Nigeria's participation at the tournament. With Nigeria's ouster came the expected retirement of Joseph Yobo. The former Everton defender alongside goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, who was arguably the team's best performer at Brazil 2014 made their World Cup debuts at Japan/Korea 2002 and have carried the flag since then.