NIGERIA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Nigerian fans react to government’s suspension of the national soccer team

Record ID: 235153

  • Title: NIGERIA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: WORLD CUP 2010: Nigerian fans react to government’s suspension of the national soccer team
  • Date: 1st July 2010
  • Summary: LAGOS, NIGERIA (JUNE 30, 2010) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM SUPPORTERS CLUB HOUSE NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM SUPPORTERS CLUB LOGO VARIOUS MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL SOCCER SUPPORTERS CLUB DISCUSSING THE MATTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) OTUMBA OLATUNDE, THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, NIGERIA FOOTBALL SUPPORTERS CLUB, SAYING: "How are we going to select out team? Take for example there is the Nations Cup coming up…we won't take part in Nations Cup, that will not mean that two years when we select a team they will win the World Cup. We should go by asking the old players to leave and probably bring in new players and play friendly matches so that we can groom the younger players. That decision (the presidents') is in haste, and I don't think it is better for our football." VARIOUS OF GODWIN DUDU-ORUMEN, SOCCER COMMENTATOR PLAYING POOL AT HIS SPORTS BAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER COMMENTATOR, GODWIN DUDU-ORUMEN, SAYING: "To be sincere we have spent twenty years or more just taking part in competitions, we have won bronze medals at the Nations Cup 7 times, hell no, it is a bloody waste of money at time, so lay off the competition and sit down and plan towards coming back. If government does not have a plan, if it doesn't put a body in place to make recommendations and actualise or another body actualise those recommendation, then you begin to say he was hasty, right now in the proper balance this is what has been done, but it not a question of disbanding the team, it is not a football club, it is a national team, the players have done their best, it is not enough, and government thinks that 900 million naira down the drain, loads of emotions gone with it, look, put a stop to all of this waste, let's lay off these competitions we are not doing anything impactful other than just getting disgraceful results, and I am pretty certain that government is going to come out with a committee or a body that will deal with what you call the interim if you like, and make recommendations to government, on how to revitalise the game by way of developmental schemes, by way of financial engineering, and actually getting the right personnel, because as a matter of fact, the biggest problem the Nigerian football has is poor administration." MORE OF GODWIN DUDU-ORUMEN PLAYING POOL
  • Embargoed: 16th July 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Domestic Politics,Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVABCSN9MVJD81FOB2FHO1OTZCJS
  • Story Text: Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the national soccer team from international competition for two years following their poor performance in the World Cup, his office said on Wednesday (June 30).
    Nigeria were knocked out in the first round.
    After meeting the country's World Cup organising committee, Jonathan also said the accounts of the committee should be audited.
    Jonathan's decision came a day after the executive committee of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) met to review the team's first round exit, in which they picked up a single point and finished bottom of their group also containing South Korea, Greece and Argentina.
    The country's soccer supporters club in the commercial capital Lagos said the president's decision was welcome but were concerned about the long term effects it would have on soccer in the country.
    "How are we going to select out team?," said Otumba Olatunde, National Chairman Nigeria Football Supporters Club.
    "Take for example there is the Nations Cup coming up…we won't take part in Nations Cup, that will not mean that two years when we select a team they will win the World Cup. We should go by asking the old players to leave and probably bring in new players and play friendly matches so that we can groom the younger players. That decision (the presidents') is in haste, and I don't think it is better for our football," he added.
    Godwin Dudu-Orumen, a Lagos based sports commentator and sport bar owner said the government has the right to correct any issues affecting the country's image locally or abroad.
    He added that the poor performance by the Supper Eagles at the world Cup which was a near disaster did not surprise him.
    "To be sincere we have spent twenty years or more just taking part in competitions, we have won bronze medals at the Nations Cup 7 times, hell no, it is a bloody waste of money at time, so lay off the competition and sit down and plan towards coming back," he told Reuters.
    "But it not a question of disbanding the team, it is not a football club, it is a national team, the players have done their best, it is not enough, and government thinks that 900 million naira down the drain, loads of emotions gone with it, look, put a stop to all of this waste, let's lay off these competitions we are not doing anything impactful other than just getting disgraceful results."
    "I am pretty certain that government is going to come out with a committee or a body that will deal with what you call the interim if you like, and make recommendations to government, on how to revitalise the game by way of developmental schemes, by way of financial engineering, and actually getting the right personnel, because as a matter of fact, the biggest problem the Nigerian football has is poor administration," said Dudu-Orumen.
    Nigeria were set to begin their bid to qualify for the 2012 African Nations Cup finals in September against Madagascar.
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