‘Nigeria ranks as fifth highest exporter of football talents’ – CIES

A study by research outfit, CIES Football Observatory, has revealed that Nigeria is the fifth highest exporter of football talents in the world and the biggest in Africa.

The report, the eight in the CIES Football Observatory’s monthly report, which focuses on international migration in football, reveals that Nigeria’s figure of 596 players scattered in leagues across the world, is only lower to biggest exporter, Brazil (1,784), Argentina (929), France (758) and Serbia (607).

The analysis includes a record number of 6,135 clubs and 458 leagues of 183 countries worldwide.
While Brazil is the most represented origin among foreigners both in Europe (1,137 players) and in Asia (437 players), Argentina is the main exporting country at Latin American level (511 players compared to only 124 Brazilians).

The CIES Football Observatory report entitled “Exporting countries in world football” provide an overview of migration of footballer’s around the world.

It said the dataset was not precisely defined but included “6,135 clubs and 458 leagues of 183 countries.”
“18,660 foreign players of 194 origins,” representing 13 per cent of the total number of players included in the analysis, have been identified.

On regional basis, Brazil by far provides the largest foreign contingent in Asia, with Asian clubs tending to favour foreigners from outside the continent, including Africans, who are well represented in the AFC.

While Brazil dominates exports to other parts of the world, Argentina exports the highest number of players to South America, with about 30 per cent of the foreign players in the region’s leagues.

In Europe, Brazil has the largest foreign contingent (8.5 per cent), followed by France and Serbia. But the most foreigners (56.1 per cent) come from other European nations.

The body devotes a section of its report on the U.S., which shows a “marked diversification of international recruitment.
“The further development of football in the United States will, without doubt, be accompanied by an increase in transfers on a worldwide level. In the race for new talent, US teams will progressively become tougher rivals for European, Asian and South American clubs.”

– TheGuardian

U-17 World Cup: Nigerian Eaglets Land Chile With Intimidating Records

Defending Champions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria landed in Chile yesterday with FIFA officials hailing Nigeria for their records in the youth World Cup.

The Emmanuel Amuneke-tutored record-seekers (Nigeria) have won the U-17 World Cup a record four times.

Nigeria’s intimidating record in the tournament include:

• Winners – Four time at the debut in 1985, 1993, 2007 and in the last edition in the UAE in 2013
• First Runner-Up – Three time in 1987, 2001 and 2009
• Highest points per game (three points for a win, one for a draw) in the history of the competition of 2.34 ahead of Ghana and Brazil with 2.12 and 2.04 respectively
• Total goals scored  – 126 in just 10 tournaments
• Highest wins of 41 games out of 56 total games played
• Golden Ball for Most Valuable Player of the Tournament won record 3 times by Philip Osondu in 1987, Sani Emmanuel in 2009 and Kelechi Iheanacho in 2013.
• Golden Shoe for Highest Goal Scorer in the Tournament won twice behind Mexico’s three time record in 1993 (Wilson Oruma) and 2007 (Macaulay Christanus)
• Fifa Fair Play Award won a record four times in 1993, 2001, 2009 and 2013.

16 years, 11 months and ten days will be the average age of the Nigeria squad when the tournament kicks off on Saturday 17 October, the youngest at Chile 2015. Emanuel Amuneke will be hoping his young charges continue the good progress made by Manu Garba’s champions from 2013, with 12 out of the 21 in their UAE 2013 squad featuring at the FIFA U-20 World Cup earlier this year in New Zealand.

1708 goals have been scored in the history of the tournament, with Chidera Ezeh of Nigeria notching the 1700th strike in the UAE 2013 semi-final, 10,324 days after Brazilian Bismarck scored the very first goal of China PR 1985.

The landmark achievements and statistics were not all about Nigeria.

11 players have gone on to win the World Cup after featuring at the U-17 edition, with Toni Kroos (who appeared at Korea Republic 2007) and Mario Gotze (Nigeria 2009) joining the list after their victory in Brazil last year. The nine other world champions are Frenchman Emmanuel Petit, Brazil’s Ronaldinho, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti and Spain’s Iker Casillas, Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta and Xavi.

South Africa, will be making their debut at a U-17 World Cup in Chile. Syria and Belgium return for their second appearance after both debuting at Korea Republic 2007, while USA and Brazil make a record-continuing 15th appearance at the global U-17 finals.

2000 is the year in which Mali’s Mamady Diarra, who plays for Yeelen in his home country, was born, making him the first player to be named in a squad for a men’s World Cup tournament (U-17, U-20 or senior), who was born after the turn of the millennium.

172 goals were scored in the previous tournament, UAE 2013, a record high for the U-17 World Cup. That record was achieved in 52 games, meaning an average of 3.31 goals per game, bettered only by Japan 1993 (3.34), Peru 2005 (3.47) as well as the record goals per game scored at Egypt 1997 and Finland 2003 (3.66).

55 centimetres is the difference in height between the shortest and tallest player at Chile 2015. Guinea midfielder Karim Conte stands 140cm tall, with New Zealand defender Hunter Ashworth towering above him at 195cm. Only 12 players at last year’s senior World Cup stood taller than the Kiwi.

Vanguard

Nigerian businessman, Kunle Somane, is the first Nigerian to own a European football club

In the last decade, European football has witnessed a new phenomenon of billionaire owners. Clubs such as Chelsea, Monaco, PSG and Manchester City have all been purchased by private owners or a consortium who in turn invested heavily in the clubs. Even though acquisitions have been made not just at the top end of the football chain but also in lower divisions, the common trend is that most of the investment came from Asia and Europe- until now. Nigerian businessman Kunle Soname has become the first Nigerian to own majority shares in an European football club after concluding negotiations to acquire Portuguese second division side,  Clube Desportivo Feirense.

The purchase was confirmed via an official statement from the club.  “We [have] effected a transformation of our club through the sale of part of the capital to our new partners, Tavisstock Global Resource Ltd, led by Mr. Kunle Soname.”

Soname, who also owns Remo Stars, a Nigerian football club says the takeover was the next step as he grows in the business.

“Securing Clube Desportivo Feirense was the next step in the right direction for me. I love everything about the club: the organisation, the philosophy and the fans I have no intention of changing anything in the club because I am satisfied with their operations. Rather, I want to ensure the progress of the club through promotion to the Portuguese Primera division.”

Soname’s business interests in Nigeria include sports betting as he is chairman of Bet9ja, a market leader in Nigeria’s very lucrative betting industry. According to him, his experience in the Nigerian business space will help grow his new Portuguese club. Soname also hopes to create a viable working relationship between Remo Stars and  Clube Desportivo Feirense.

“Having been involved in Nigerian football over the years by running Remo Stars Football club, I felt it was time to further develop the team. It would also bring benefits for Nigerian football through players transfer, training for officials and administrators, who have proven they have what it takes to succeed in Europe.”

VenturesAfrica

University Don Breaks Record In $295000 Sports Bet Heist Staking Only $4!

In what is undoubtedly the biggest payout ever in the history of sports betting in Nigeria’s history, a University don, Professor of Computer Engineering, Godwin Ighalo at the Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State sets a new record.

MD, 1960BET, Mr Dotun Ajegbile with Professor Godwin Ighalo.
Photo: Nigerian Hive

This sum is the largest ever recorded Sports bet win in Nigeria. The sexagenarian accomplished this feat staking only N800 ($4) in two different stakes of N500 and N300 raking in N36,840,971.25 and N22,104,582.75 respectively. Speaking on how he made it, he said, “Since my childhood days, I used to have strong interests in probability, relationships and special intelligence. All these with adequate sports betting research I conducted over the years helped in making it possible”.

Top Sports OAP, Murphy Ijemba conducting an interview with Professor Godwin Ighalo, alongside Boye Amosu of Complete Sports.
Photo: Nigerian Hive

Liverpool’s New Signing, Taiwo Awoniyi: “It Was Miserable For Me Any Time My Dad Caught Me Playing Football”

Liverpool completed the signing of 18-year-old Nigerian centre-forward Taiwo Awoniyi this summer, and the former Imperial Academy star is primed for a bright future in the Premier League.

“This is the biggest club in the world and I’m privileged to be here,” he said on his arrival.

“I’ll try to develop myself very well so that when I come back to Liverpool I’ll be able to add value to the team.

“When I’m in the red shirt, I will always give my very best to make the fans happy.”

Spending the 2015/16 season on loan with 2 Bundesliga side FSV Frankfurt with a view to securing a UK work permit, Awoniyi is saying all of the right things after spurning reported interest from Porto and AS Monaco.

But who is Liverpool’s new striker, and what can he bring to Brendan Rogers’ side?

If his father had his wish, Awoniyi would not be a footballer.

“It was miserable for me any time my dad caught me playing football or got to know that I went to play football,” the 18-year-old recalled of his upbringing in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital in western Nigeria.

“In school, I was a very intelligent student and my dad wanted me to be a doctor. My teachers and my fellow students called me doctor but they also knew that I was very good when it came to playing football.

“My father tried severally to stop me from football but my other siblings and twin sister especially, always covered up for me.”

But following his son’s big-money move to Merseyside, Solomon Awoniyi will be proud that the lofty centre-forward has achieve a degree of success.

Making his name in the Imperial Academy, founded in 2009 by former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Seyi Olofinjana, Awoniyi was soon picked up by Nigerian international bosses, garnering the praise of former Arsenal striker, Nwankwo Kanu.

Drawing comparisons to legendary Nigerian forward Rashidi Yekini, Awoniyi has remained humble.

“I am not under any pressure. I will play my game and whatever will be will surely be,” he said in July.

“It is an honour to be compared to a legend like Rashidi Yekini and for Nigerians to expect so much from me.

“I will not shy away from any responsibility given me but only God can tell what I will be. All I know is that I will continue to work hard and leave the rest to God.”

An intelligent, well-grounded young player, Awoniyi still harbours hope of earning a university degree in the future, but his education may have to take a backseat while his footballing potential skyrockets.

Taiwo Awoniyi came to limelight after winning the FIFA U-17 Football World Cup with his Nigerian team mates in the UAE two years ago.

Read more on ThisIsAnfield

Nigeria wins first ever African basketball title, qualifies for Rio Olympics

Finally, Nigeria’s national male basketball team, D’Tigers showed their talents by winning a first ever FIBA Afrobasket Championship on Sunday night in Tunisia when they beat 10-time champions, Angola 74-65.

And the added bonus after winning a first title and beating Angola for the first time in 10 matches was that the Nigerians also qualified directly for the 2016 Rio Olympics and it was all down to a better conversion in the free throw shooting, which went above 70 per cent for the first time in the 12-day tournament.

Chamberlain Oguchi scored 19 points and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was also named in the team of the tournament alongside teammate, Al-Farouq Aminu.

Oguchi was curtailed on his three-point shooting as he only made three, compared to the eight he made in the semifinal against Senegal.

The Angolans were very aggressive and made 33 fouls compared to just 14 from D’Tigers with the Nigerians also dominant on the glass with 60 rebounds – 24 offensively and 36 on the defensive end. Alade Aminu led the team in blocks with 12 and he added four points

Captain of the team, Olumide Oyedeji, had said the team was the most talented of the teams that came to Tunisia and that claim was justified even though one of their best players, Ike Diogu, did not play a single minute of the competition because of a twisted ankle.

Afterwards, Oguchi, the MVP, said: “It’s the best moment of my life, to be able to come here after missing the last AfroBasket, to be able to come here and do this with my brothers, it feels amazing.

“I’m happy to be able to share this moment with them and for me personally, it’s just really great.”

It is also a great triumph for the coach of the team, William Voigt, who was named the substantive coach of the team just in July and he has fulfilled the first part of his contract, which was to qualify the team for Rio.

He will now be expected to prepare the team to do better in Brazil.

Premium Times

Incredible! Three different Nigerians hold the 100m sprint records for Africa, Asia and Europe

Three different Nigerian-born track champions are the fastest men for Africa, Asia and Europe.

Nigeria’s Olusoji A. Fasuba celebrates after winning the men’s 60m final at the 12th IAAF World Indoor Athletics Championship in Valencia March 7, 2008. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard (SPAIN)

That’s right—one country on one continent has three different athletes representing three different continents. How to explain this? You can blame a badly-run sports administration and a scarcity of resources needed to keep finely-tuned athletes at the top level. And, of course, personal ambition is also a factor.

Take the case of the European record holder, Francis Obikwelu, 36, who left his homeland as a teenager and settled in Portugal. He continued to represent Nigeria until 2001. The circumstances that led him to switch nationality were unfortunate. After he suffered a career-threatening injury at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, the Athletics Federation of Nigerian abandoned the star in his hour of need. Not only had he to foot the medical bills himself but he also spent a few months in hospital recuperating after surgery complications led to a blood clot. A year later he became a naturalized Portuguese citizen. His silver medal performance at the 2004 Athens Olympics was his career best, as he set a European record of 9.86 seconds. The record is still standing.

Francis Obikwelu

Asia’s fastest man is Femi Ogunode, 24. He has said the move to become a Qatari national in 2010 was a calculated risk that paid off. He alleges nepotism and corruption in Nigerian athletics. Last year, he set a career best of 9.93 seconds at the Asian Games. This April he ran a few seconds faster to set the Asian record of 9.91 seconds at the Asian Athletics Championships.

The one who stayed is sprint master Olusoji Fasuba, 30, whose 9.85 second record is yet to be broken since 2006. This was one hundredth of a second better than the old record of 9.86 seconds that was set by Namibian track and field legend Frankie Fredericks a decade earlier. Fasuba is currently the ninth fastest 100m runner ever with a time below the 10-second mark.

Femi Ogunode

It’s becoming something of a more frequent narrative for African athletes to leave their home countries and switch nationalities after facing perennial frustrations with how their local sports bodies are managed. Career civil servants with no sporting background bungle the administration of the sport by turning them into citadels of corruption and inefficiency.

 In 2011, the African 100m record holder, Fasuba, predicted African sprinters will continue to be underachievers unless they get proper training facilities and adequate remuneration. As a result well-funded athletic bodies from rich countries eager to be competitive and boost their national pride by any means necessary exploit the situation by coming to lure Africa’s young talent.

QuartzAfrica

Diamond League: Okagbare wins 100m in Shanghai

Despite not beginning the Diamond League season in Doha, Qatar last week, Blessing Okagbare got her season underway with a win at the 2015 Shanghai Diamond League on Sunday.

Okagbare, who won the long jump and 200m events in Shanghai last year, arrived at a time of 10.98 seconds ahead a star-studded line-up that included Olympic champion, Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, and other Jamaicans and Americans.

USA’s Tori Bowie came second after finishing with a personal best of 11.07 secs, Michelle-Lee Ahye of Trinidad and Tobago, who clocked 11.13 secs,was third, while Veronica Campbell-Brown was fourth with 11.22 secs and Fraser-Pryce finished fifth in 11.25secs.

Blessing Okagbare – Currently Nigeria’s most prolific athlete.

Sunday’s result was an improvement for Okagbare this season after she finished second in a time of 11.05 secs at the Jamaica International Invitational last week.

With the end of the Shanghai meet on Sunday, the Diamond League series will resume on May 30 in Eugene, USA.

“My race was pretty good,” Okagbare said after the event. “It is not easy to compete with the best of the world – but I won. I focused on my start. Normally I don’t have the best start, but now I was leading from the beginning.”

Blessing Okagbare is currently Nigeria’s most prolific athlete and one of allt-ime bests. Her portfolio of records include

• 1 x Olympic Games Bronze medallist
• 1 x World Championships Silver medallist
• 1 x World Championships Bronze medallist
• 1 x All-Africa Games Gold medallist
• 2 x All-Africa Games Silver medallist
• 6 x African Championships Gold medallist
• 1 x African Championships Silver medallist
• 3 x Olympic Games finalist
• 5 x World Championships finalist
• 10 x Diamond League meeting winner
• 2 x Current African Record holder – 100m, 4x200m

“It was one of those races,” she said. “I have time to get it right.”

Asked if she would now have her work cut out in defending her title in Beijing later in the year, Fraser-Pryce said, “I always have my work cut out. No one hands anything to you.”

Fraser-Pryce
Credit: scmp.com

Triple jumper, Tosin Oke, has commended the organisers of the Doha Diamond League. Oke, who went out in the first round at the Doha meet, attributed his performance to rustiness.

He tweeted on Sunday, “The @dldoha was truly world class from the organisation, medical staff through to the competition and performances. It was great to be a part.

“My race was pretty good. It is not easy to compete with the best of the world – but I won.” – Okagbare after the event

“I did my best ever opener in round 1, but did not get to show my worth that day due to being rusty. I am looking forward to the next one.”

Tosin Oke
Credits: athelticsafrica.com

In Port Harcourt, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria will take a major step in its plan to develop young talents and also provide a good training environment for star athletes who are based in the country as it commissions a High Performance Centre at the University of Port Harcourt on May 25.

The centre which is equipped with standard facilities also has quality accommodation for athletes. The President of the Confederation of Africa Athletics Hamad Kalkaba Malboum and the AFN president Solomon Ogba are expected to declare the centre open.

Credits:

http://www.punchng.com/sports/diamond-league-okagbare-wins-100m-in-shanghai/

http://www.diamondleague.com/athletes/14292330.html

Nigeria: Okagbare Leads Nigeria to Win World Relays Gold

Nigerian quartet of Blessing Okagbare, Regina George, Dominique Duncan and Christy Udoh on Saturday night emerged as the 4x200m World Relay champions and also set a new national record of 1:30.52seconds.

It was a race where the Allyson Felix-led USA and a Jamaican team comprising the likes of Veronica Campbell-Brown were favoured to carry the first two positions, but Team Nigeria dusted the favourites to take the limelight and claim the top spot.

Blessing Okagbare – Currently Nigeria’s most prolific athlete.

World Championships’ 200m bronze medallist, Blessing Okagbare got Nigeria off to a perfect start in lane 4.

By the time she handed the baton to Regina George it was getting clearer that she had closed the gap on the Team Bahamas in lane 5. She safely handed the baton to Duncan, who ran the third leg well, to give 2012 Olympian for Nigeria, Udoh, the lead to defend in the final 200 metres.

Udoh was able to hold off the approaching Bahamians at the end, who were later disqualified, leaving Sherone Simpson to bring Jamaica home in second in 1:31.73s, with Germany finishing in 3rd in 1:33.61s. Team USA did not finish the race, as Jeneba Tarmoh and Alysson Felix collided on their final changeover.

George had decided to sit out the women’s 4x400m just minutes earlier to stay fresh for the 4x200m.

Okagbare will be hoping to lead Team Nigeria to yet another medal in the women’s 4x100m this time, after missing out on bronze by a hundredth of a second last year.

Nigeria’s 4x400m men, comprising Orukpe Erayokan, Robert Simmons, Amaechi Morton and Miles Ukoama finished 7th in Heat 2 in 3:06.92s, while the 4x400m women, parading a much changed quartet from the bronze medal winning team last year – Rita Ossai, Patience Okon George, Ibukun Mayungbe and Ngozi Onwumere could only manage 4th in Heat 1 in a time of 3:32.16, also missing out on the finals and an automatic place in the 4x400m at the Rio Olympics next year.

Okagbare will be hoping to lead Team Nigeria to yet another medal in the women’s 4x100m this time, after missing out on bronze by a hundredth of a second last year. If the team can finish in the top 8 they will gain an automatic qualifying spot for the Rio Olympics.

Akwa Ibom Stadium – The Nest of Champions

December, 2014 | Akwa Ibom, Nigeria – The Akwa Ibom International Stadium is an all-seater national sports stadium located in Uyo, the state capital of Akwa Ibom. The stadium serves as a home to the Nigerian Super Eagles as well as a center for various social, cultural, and religious events. The contract for the construction of the Akwa Ibom International Stadium complex and Games Village was awarded in 2012 to Julius Berger and was completed in 2014. The 30,000 seater ultra modern multipurpose sports complex was modeled after Allianz Arena.

Construction and Architecture

The contract for the design of the stadium was awarded to Julius Berger a structural engineering firm based in Nigeria. They were responsible for the architectural design, execution planning, as well as constructional supervision of the stadium,as well as maintenance. The stadium which seats on 48 hectares of land has some unique features such as bullet proof VIP/VVIP sections, collapsable seats, two digital score boards, digital playback screens, digital flood lights, and 30 emergency exits.

AKwa Ibom Stadium – Under Construction by Msrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

Structure

The stadium structure is in two phases which includes a 400m-running track for athletic events, and is the pilot part of Uyo Sports Park development, and is enclosed by a white triangular-shaped outer covering that encircles the whole spectator stand. The East Stand and Curves can seat approximately 22,500 people. The Governors’ Lounge has sitting capacity for between 30 and 40 VVIPs and is located in the Grand Stand on Level Two. It is constructed to carry little more than 30,000 spectators whether for soccer or track and field events, while the Grand Stand can comfortably accommodate about 7,500 spectators, including the VIP/VVIPs. There is also a six-lane track built specifically for athletes to train.

The Nest of Champions

Facilities:

The Stadium itself consists of:

• 30,000 capacity covered main bowl
• Bullet Proof VVIP/VIP areas
• Box office
• Media facilities
• Two scoreboards that comprise electronic scoreboard and video facilities for replays
• Floodlights
• Eight-lane 400m standard track
• Warm-up facility with six-lane 400m track
• A standby power supply system
• 30 emergency exit points
• 7,500 seater Grand Stand
• Helipad
• Two dressing rooms
• Ambulance bay

The Akwa Ibom International Stadium meets the requirements of the International safety standards; it is equipped with emergency service units(to enable exit within 6 minutes), closed circuit security cameras as well as crowd control steel fencing. There are also stand-by fire fighting equipment and metal detectors which have been put in place to avoid any misfortunes. The stadium has been slated to host the AFCON qualifying series against South Africa on 17 November.

This is by far the most modern Sports stadium in Nigeria and West Africa at large. A great feat in engineering, sports and tourism.

The Nest of Champions

Additional notes from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akwa_Ibom_Stadium