Babangida Says Bye to Eagle) Indeed sad day for him....
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Babangida Says Bye to Eagle) Indeed sad day for him....
Babangida Says Bye to Eagle
Vanguard (Lagos)
January 13, 2004
Posted to the web January 13, 2004
Tony Ubani
Tijani Babangida has had a fair share of his place in the Super Eagles. During those roller-coaster period, he enjoyed the adulation and invested his money knowing that old age would one day be banging on his door.
Apparently, the time for him to say goodbye to the Super Eagles is now. And he knows it. "I'll definitely quit the national scene after the Nations Cup in Tunisia", Babangida said at the lobby of Ria Park Resort Hotel in Portugal. He is among the 27 players fighting for a place to carry Nigeria's banner to Tunisia for a third Nations Cup victory
"One is not getting younger again and besides that, we have to give chance to the younger players. Can you imagine that I don't know the players in camp, here. It took me time for me to get adjusted to knowing them by name and face. That's an indication that times are changing. I'll go after the Nations Cup and concentrate on club football. And when the time for club duties are over, I'll concentrate on my business. I've made plans for that and I'll face it full time", he said with a tone of an accomplished business man. With the facts at his finger nails that he won't play for Nigeria again, Babangida said that he would do his best to see that he made the team to Tunisia. "I plan to be in the squad and I'm putting in my best".
He knows that Tunisia would not be a piece of cake and said that they would expect greater opposition than ever before. "It is going to be real hard for us in Tunisia. I'm optimistic that we will win the cup but it will not come on a platter of gold".
He has already singled out Cameroon, Tunisia and Senegal as their greatest enemies to lifting the cup. "Tunisia are the host and no host country go out easily. They are going to be a hard nut to crack. Then you think of Cameroon who are the defending champions and Senegal which suddenly is a rising force in African football. These are the teams that would look straight in the face but I still believe that we would survive and win the cup. I say this because of our level of preparation and the spirit of the players in camp. They are united and determined to win. I see it in our training and in my discussion with them. When you see a team that is destined to win, you see it from the players attitude. I can confidently say that their attitude is that of winners and it will be a good way to end my career by being in the winning team", he said.
Relevant Links
West Africa
Soccer
Nigeria
Though he has a burning desire to excel for Nigeria, somewhere beneath, however, he still frets for the treatment that the older players got in Mali. "Our problem started from Mali. That was where they decided to drop some older players. No country treats its players the way we are treated. You cannot drop all your experienced players once. It is a gradual thing so that the young would blend with the old and experience would be transfered to them. But for us, it is different. NFA officials know that they are the reason for the trouble that brewed in Mali. They know what happened and what they denied the players. I cannot say it now. Maybe, after retirement, I'll say the truth. Open the can of worms. Or maybe, I'll wait for another person to say it.
"They know exactlywhat they did to us. How they cheated us. And when some players said no, they turned against them and sowed the apple seed of discord against them. Sunday Oliseh, for instance deserves an apology. He meant well for Nigeria, spend his time and money to ensure that Nigeria qualified for the World Cup. After that, we all were dropped. We went through hell to see that Nigeria go to Korea/Japan World Cup. That's not the way to treat your players. NFA knows what I'm saying. But I won't hit the nail at the head. It was because of that trouble with older players that even affected Nigeria's performance in the World Cup and even in the FIFA ranking. See how Cameroon and Senegal have closed the gap of having more players in Europe and doing so well. If your home is not organised, it will affect the chances of your players even travelling abroad to play soccer. I'm happy now, that there is no problem of ticket refunds and delay in paying camp allowances. These are good omen for the future but the NFA should be looked into to ensure that they do good all the time". Babangida's glorious career started from Ajax and has hit it's twilight with his moving to one unknown club in China. His trade mark, running from the flanks is still part of his game, though, the bones are weaker his spirit is strong
WELL IT'S GREAT THAT HE THINKS NIGERIA CAN WIN...
Vanguard (Lagos)
January 13, 2004
Posted to the web January 13, 2004
Tony Ubani
Tijani Babangida has had a fair share of his place in the Super Eagles. During those roller-coaster period, he enjoyed the adulation and invested his money knowing that old age would one day be banging on his door.
Apparently, the time for him to say goodbye to the Super Eagles is now. And he knows it. "I'll definitely quit the national scene after the Nations Cup in Tunisia", Babangida said at the lobby of Ria Park Resort Hotel in Portugal. He is among the 27 players fighting for a place to carry Nigeria's banner to Tunisia for a third Nations Cup victory
"One is not getting younger again and besides that, we have to give chance to the younger players. Can you imagine that I don't know the players in camp, here. It took me time for me to get adjusted to knowing them by name and face. That's an indication that times are changing. I'll go after the Nations Cup and concentrate on club football. And when the time for club duties are over, I'll concentrate on my business. I've made plans for that and I'll face it full time", he said with a tone of an accomplished business man. With the facts at his finger nails that he won't play for Nigeria again, Babangida said that he would do his best to see that he made the team to Tunisia. "I plan to be in the squad and I'm putting in my best".
He knows that Tunisia would not be a piece of cake and said that they would expect greater opposition than ever before. "It is going to be real hard for us in Tunisia. I'm optimistic that we will win the cup but it will not come on a platter of gold".
He has already singled out Cameroon, Tunisia and Senegal as their greatest enemies to lifting the cup. "Tunisia are the host and no host country go out easily. They are going to be a hard nut to crack. Then you think of Cameroon who are the defending champions and Senegal which suddenly is a rising force in African football. These are the teams that would look straight in the face but I still believe that we would survive and win the cup. I say this because of our level of preparation and the spirit of the players in camp. They are united and determined to win. I see it in our training and in my discussion with them. When you see a team that is destined to win, you see it from the players attitude. I can confidently say that their attitude is that of winners and it will be a good way to end my career by being in the winning team", he said.
Relevant Links
West Africa
Soccer
Nigeria
Though he has a burning desire to excel for Nigeria, somewhere beneath, however, he still frets for the treatment that the older players got in Mali. "Our problem started from Mali. That was where they decided to drop some older players. No country treats its players the way we are treated. You cannot drop all your experienced players once. It is a gradual thing so that the young would blend with the old and experience would be transfered to them. But for us, it is different. NFA officials know that they are the reason for the trouble that brewed in Mali. They know what happened and what they denied the players. I cannot say it now. Maybe, after retirement, I'll say the truth. Open the can of worms. Or maybe, I'll wait for another person to say it.
"They know exactlywhat they did to us. How they cheated us. And when some players said no, they turned against them and sowed the apple seed of discord against them. Sunday Oliseh, for instance deserves an apology. He meant well for Nigeria, spend his time and money to ensure that Nigeria qualified for the World Cup. After that, we all were dropped. We went through hell to see that Nigeria go to Korea/Japan World Cup. That's not the way to treat your players. NFA knows what I'm saying. But I won't hit the nail at the head. It was because of that trouble with older players that even affected Nigeria's performance in the World Cup and even in the FIFA ranking. See how Cameroon and Senegal have closed the gap of having more players in Europe and doing so well. If your home is not organised, it will affect the chances of your players even travelling abroad to play soccer. I'm happy now, that there is no problem of ticket refunds and delay in paying camp allowances. These are good omen for the future but the NFA should be looked into to ensure that they do good all the time". Babangida's glorious career started from Ajax and has hit it's twilight with his moving to one unknown club in China. His trade mark, running from the flanks is still part of his game, though, the bones are weaker his spirit is strong
WELL IT'S GREAT THAT HE THINKS NIGERIA CAN WIN...