Sports

Qatar 2022 Race: Musa says Eagles will cope well with pressure against Sharks

Published

5 years ago

November 15, 2021

Captain Ahmed Musa has assured that the Super Eagles are matured, professional and ambitious enough to deal with any pressure when taking on the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde in Tuesday’s ultimate game of Group C of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifying African series.

“There will always be all kinds of pressure when you are out there on the football field, as a professional sportsman or woman. You just must have strong fibre to cope with the pressure from everywhere, focus on getting the result and get the job done. Pressure is never an excuse not to put out your best; sometimes, it helps you to get beyond your level best,” Musa told thenff.com just before the Super Eagles had their last training session at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Monday evening.

At a pre-match press conference earlier in the day, Nigeria’s record international caps’ holder also said the big motivation to go all out in Tuesday’s encounter is that a number of players in the squad are yet to feature at the FIFA World Cup finals.

“The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage for every professional football player. They all want to be there; you don’t need any more motivation than that. We said after the match with Liberia in Tangier on Saturday that we will not be going for a draw against Cape Verde. Nothing has changed.”

Musa also assured that the Eagles will not be under-rating the Sharks but will go all out as from the first whistle of Algerian referee Mustapha Ghorbal.

Head Coach Gernot Rohr, who will be in charge of his 54^th game for the Nigeria senior men’s team on Tuesday, expressed confidence that the three-time African champions will collect all three points against the Sharks, just as they did when both teams met at the Estadio Municipal Adérito Sena on the island of Mindelo on 7^th September.

“We have a job on our hands and that is to win tomorrow. It is important to win so as to be sure of where you will be at the end of the day. We are top of the table now and a win keeps us there and sends us to the final knockout round.

“I really don’t think we are under any pressure. We have 12 points, two more than the opponents. They are the ones with the big pressure to come out and look for a win. Our approach for tomorrow will be to win. The players are looking forward to doing that.”

Forward Odion Jude Ighalo, who was unable to play any part in Saturday’s encounter in Tangier because he arrived in Morocco only two days to the match as he was taking his second dose of the covid19 vaccine in Riyadh, is likely to be involved against the Sharks at the Teslim Balogun Stadium. It would be his first run-out with the squad since he announced his retirement from the international scene after the 2019 AFCON, where he was tournament top scorer.

Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks, who lost 1-2 to the Eagles on their own soil two months ago, are staying at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja.

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Sports

Nigeria Targets Grassroots Sports Revival as Tinubu’s Aide Adeboye Unveils National Sports Grassroots Summit

Published

10 hours ago

November 5, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Grassroots Sports Development, Adeboye Adeyinka, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of grassroots sports development in Nigeria, urging stakeholders to prioritise youth empowerment, education and national development alongside medals and trophies.

Adeyinka stated this on Thursday in Abuja during a press conference while announcing the 2026 National Grassroots Sports Summit, scheduled for November 18 and 19 at the Banquet Hall of the State House, Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The summit, with the theme, “Creating a New Pathway for Sustainable Grassroots Sports Development,” is expected to bring together government officials, sports administrators, state and local government representatives, private-sector investors, development partners, coaches, athletes and other stakeholders.

The presidential aide stressed that sports development must be measured not only by international achievements but also by the number of young Nigerians whose lives are positively transformed through participation in sports.

He noted that while sporting excellence could lead some athletes to Olympic medals and World Cup glory, sports also offered millions of young people opportunities for education, personal development, employment and social inclusion.

“Sometimes, when we discuss sports development, we speak about stadiums, trophies, medals and international competitions.

“But I want us to remember that at the heart of every sporting achievement is a human being,” Adeyinka said.

He explained that participation in sports could help young Nigerians secure university scholarships, develop discipline, build confidence, acquire life skills and stay away from negative influences.

According to him, sports should be recognised as an important instrument for building character, strengthening communities and creating opportunities for young people, irrespective of their backgrounds.

On talent identification, Adeyinka expressed concern that Nigeria continues to lose potential sporting talents because many children lack access to adequate facilities, qualified coaches, encouragement and organised talent-discovery programmes.

He emphasised the need for an inclusive grassroots sports system that would provide equal opportunities for children in rural communities, public schools, underserved areas and different socioeconomic backgrounds.

The presidential aide maintained that a child’s sporting prospects should not be determined by geographical location, family background or connections to influential individuals.

He warned that without a coordinated approach to identifying and nurturing young talents, the country could continue to miss opportunities to discover future champions.

Adeyinka said the forthcoming summit was designed to develop a sustainable national framework for identifying, nurturing and supporting sporting talents across the 774 local government areas.

He added that the gathering would seek practical solutions to the challenges affecting grassroots sports administration rather than focus solely on speeches and ceremonial activities.

A major objective, he explained, was to move away from fragmented talent-discovery initiatives towards a coordinated national structure connecting school and community competitions with clubs, national competitions and international sporting opportunities.

The two-day summit will deliberate on five key areas: sports participation, talent development, infrastructure, the sports economy and international pathways.

Adeyinka expressed optimism that the recommendations from the summit would provide a roadmap for strengthening grassroots sports development, expanding youth participation and positioning sports as a viable contributor to Nigeria’s economic and social development.

He called on relevant stakeholders to support the initiative and work collectively towards building a sustainable grassroots sports system capable of identifying and developing talents across the country.

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