Olympic team:Stuck in the "ATL"

[Benedict Iroha]

What a country we call Nigeria

Now realize why my cousin couldn't give a $#% about the match.

[marko]

The sports minister messed up big time and the country has been embarrassed but one has to wonder if the team was cleared to camp in Atlanta in the first place. I am sure raising funds or booking a flight could have been easier if the players were to leave from Nigeria. The idea of camping the team in Atlanta was suspicious from day 1. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not by force to camp outside Nigeria to prepare for a tournament especially when you know there is no money.

yes i also questioned the validity of having a training camp outside Nigeria, the weather in both countries are similar, it would have been far cheaper to camp them in Abuja and charter a plane direct to the venue in Brazil, once you have to start paying for accommodation, feeding, transportation and what not, Nigeria is not a country known to be organised, the simplest of things in this planet, Nigeria will make it look like rocket science

I just hope they can perform and try and come out with a result, even a draw will be quite nice

Strange one if you ask me. I heard it was to psychologically motivate the players considering our relationship with the city and this year being the 20th anniversary of that triumph. This was not necessary. There are so many remote places in Nigeria that the players could have camped if they did not want the distractions that come with camping in Abuja. As you said it would have been cheaper and flights could have been easily booked.

what about the Obudu ranch? that place looks world class and would have provided the peace and tranquility needed, They just love big things in Nigeria when they lack the basic common sense to plan, why training camp in Atlanta? what are the reasons behind this bizarre decision? why not training camp in Brazil so they get used to the surroundings, that would have made more sense, you dont need to be psychologically motivated once you are picked to represent the country, I just knew there will issues with the team camping there, Atlanta itself is a distraction, it is where black americans go to party and what not

[Chxta]

Is there any need to complain if foreigners troll us? We have PhDs in self-trolling.

[fabio]

The sports minister messed up big time and the country has been embarrassed but one has to wonder if the team was cleared to camp in Atlanta in the first place. I am sure raising funds or booking a flight could have been easier if the players were to leave from Nigeria. The idea of camping the team in Atlanta was suspicious from day 1. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not by force to camp outside Nigeria to prepare for a tournament especially when you know there is no money.

The sport minister didn't know about the Atlanta camp.

[Purity]

CNN just did a piece:

CNN)With just hours to spare, the Nigerian Olympic football team will travel to Brazil on Thursday to make its match against Japan in Manaus.

Thanks to a tab temporarily picked up by Delta Air Lines for the charter flight, the stranded team is expected to land in Brazil at 2 p.m. local time. This gives the team just enough time to clear customs and stretch before kickoff at 9 p.m.
Originally, the team was supposed to fly out July 29, manager Samson Siasia said. But an unpaid charter flight bill kept the team grounded in Atlanta, according to CNN Atlanta affiliate CBS 46.
"[The Nigerian Olympic football team] were stranded at the airport and almost not going to make their match against Japan," said Reese McCranie, director of policy and communications for Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta. The airport decided to work with Delta to make sure the team made its match on time, he said.
Delta has not only footed the check for a private charter flight for the team from Atlanta to Manaus, but the airline also has put the team up in a hotel for the night in Atlanta.
All this came down to a moment's notice, according to Delta.
"This is a special occasion, not only because it's the Olympics," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said. "Exactly 20 years ago, on this day, the Nigerian football team needed a miracle to beat Argentina to win the gold medal in Atlanta at the Olympics. Today, we are happy to help them with another miracle."
The Nigerian Football Federation posted a video of the historic moment in Atlanta on August 3, 1996, captioning the video: "Our Dream Team won gold in the football event of the Atlanta Olympic games #20YearsAgoInAtlanta
ON THIS DAY IN 1996: Our Dream Team won gold in the football event of the Atlanta Olympic games #20YearsAgoInAtlanta pic.twitter.com/Ew8aZLsc0I

— The NFF (@thenff) August 3, 2016
The team told Delta it chose to train in Atlanta because of that gold win 20 years ago. In an interview with CNN when team members arrived to train in Atlanta, Siasia expressed his happiness at being in Atlanta and foreshadowed the team's difficulty in getting on a flight: "Well, we are here [Atlanta], that's a good thing ... we are having struggles here and there like every federation but the [Nigerian Football] Federation is behind us to make sure we are prepared well to the Olympics."
The Nigerian team is flying down on a charter that takes sports teams to their destinations. This makes the players happy, Siasia said. "The players will have more leg room and they will be able to sleep on their way to Manaus."
After the team rushes to get to their match on time Thursday, all bills will be paid back by the Nigerian Football Federation.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/03/sport ... index.html

[Purity]

Extract from CNN:

Delta has not only footed the check for a private charter flight for the team from Atlanta to Manaus, but the airline also has put the team up in a hotel for the night in Atlanta.

The last line reads:

After the team rushes to get to their match on time Thursday, all bills will be paid back by the Nigerian Football Federation.

[Gotti]

Delta has not only footed the check for a private charter flight for the team from Atlanta to Manaus, but the airline also has put the team up in a hotel for the night in Atlanta.
All this came down to a moment's notice, according to Delta.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/03/sport ... index.html

Thank you Delta (Naijas have given you mucho dollars )...
So sad that a poverty of leadership capacity has reduced us to a beggar nation. SMDH

[papilo]

The sports minister messed up big time and the country has been embarrassed but one has to wonder if the team was cleared to camp in Atlanta in the first place. I am sure raising funds or booking a flight could have been easier if the players were to leave from Nigeria. The idea of camping the team in Atlanta was suspicious from day 1. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not by force to camp outside Nigeria to prepare for a tournament especially when you know there is no money.

The sport minister didn't know about the Atlanta camp.

I thought as much

[Robbynice]

The sports minister messed up big time and the country has been embarrassed but one has to wonder if the team was cleared to camp in Atlanta in the first place. I am sure raising funds or booking a flight could have been easier if the players were to leave from Nigeria. The idea of camping the team in Atlanta was suspicious from day 1. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not by force to camp outside Nigeria to prepare for a tournament especially when you know there is no money.

The sport minister didn't know about the Atlanta camp.

So is this an excuse? My people what is not good is not good bro...I mean make una fear God haba...smdh

[Otitokoro]

Glad Delta stepped up when the chips were down for this team.
However, like you rightly stated, this is all down to poor leadership and incompetence on those in charge, including the NFF.

Delta has not only footed the check for a private charter flight for the team from Atlanta to Manaus, but the airline also has put the team up in a hotel for the night in Atlanta.
All this came down to a moment's notice, according to Delta.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/03/sport ... index.html

Thank you Delta (Naijas have given you mucho dollars )...
So sad that a poverty of leadership capacity has reduced us to a beggar nation. SMDH

[Purity]

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

[juventuss]

What do these id1ots do with their time ? How is it difficult to plan a trip ? It is not as if the dates were not set months ago. What are they doing from 9-5 on a daily basis?

[metalalloy]

The sports minister messed up big time and the country has been embarrassed but one has to wonder if the team was cleared to camp in Atlanta in the first place. I am sure raising funds or booking a flight could have been easier if the players were to leave from Nigeria. The idea of camping the team in Atlanta was suspicious from day 1. Cut your coat according to your size. It is not by force to camp outside Nigeria to prepare for a tournament especially when you know there is no money.

The sport minister didn't know about the Atlanta camp.

So is this an excuse? My people what is not good is not good bro...I mean make una fear God haba...smdh

there are somethings you just read on this site and shake your head...

[pajimoh]

What do these id1ots do with their time ? How is it difficult to plan a trip ? It is not as if the dates were not set months ago. What are they doing from 9-5 on a daily basis?

Give 5 ministers and governors the task of meeting at a chop bar in Abuja for 1pm lunch and I guarantee that one them them will be 3 hours late, 2 will not locate the place, 1 will think the date is for 2017 and the last will be found in a hotel with a young girl.

Brazil ke? msshhhheewww

[fabio]

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

Was the Atlanta trip planned with the ministry of sports?

The Basketball team camped in America, why are they not facing the same issues as the football team. What did the basketball team do different?

[oglex30]

They are officially en route to land at 2:15pm which is 6hrs before the match

[Purity]

The Nigerian basket ball team, the Tigers like thier football counterpart had thier final camping in the USA. Infact the Tigers played thier last match against the USA before flying to Brazil.

The Nigerian football team was meant to travel to Brazil since last week Friday, but kept delaying because of Funds.. The story on Mikel supporting the team is true.

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

Was the Atlanta trip planned with the ministry of sports?

The Basketball team camped in America, why are they not facing the same issues as the football team. What did the basketball team do different?

[marko]

The Nigerian basket ball team, the Tigers like thier football counterpart had thier final camping in the USA. Infact the Tigers played thier last match against the USA before flying to Brazil.

The Nigerian football team was meant to travel to Brazil since last week Friday, but kept delaying because of Funds.. The story on Mikel supporting the team is true.

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

Was the Atlanta trip planned with the ministry of sports?

The Basketball team camped in America, why are they not facing the same issues as the football team. What did the basketball team do different?

I hope they give Mikel back his money, he should keep receipts and insist he gets full refunds, he is a charity, those officials are a disgrace to mankind!!

[mcal]

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

Was the Atlanta trip planned with the ministry of sports?

The Basketball team camped in America, why are they not facing the same issues as the football team. What did the basketball team do different?

...because basketball is not big to Nigerians.
I bet if you dig deep you will find out they are worse off than the football team. How about the track and field team, and other sports.

[mcal]

What do these id1ots do with their time ? How is it difficult to plan a trip ? It is not as if the dates were not set months ago. What are they doing from 9-5 on a daily basis?

...dull, sitting around when they are in their offices, just like you'll see at any Nigerian consulate abroad. Late to work, and early to go home without accomplishing anything for the day, and still get paid. That's Nigeria.

[Rawlings]

The sports ministry and not NFf in charge of Olympic.

Was the Atlanta trip planned with the ministry of sports?

The Basketball team camped in America, why are they not facing the same issues as the football team. What did the basketball team do different?

basketball team is being run from the US (not Naija)

[Bigpokey24]

please ban fabio

[General Trousers]

GT, it appears the FG, through the VP, made the arrangement after the players rejected the first plane charted by the Sports ministry saying it was too small.

Timi Ebikagboro

Timi Ebikagboro‏ @ebikagboro
Players were not too comfortable with the size of craft so made an appeal which the FG listened to and so hired the flight, it leaves 2/3

Me that has been giving you blow-by-blow of what happened and una never see.

1) Delta transported the team to a new Hotel by the Airport.

2) Delta carried the expense of the flight to Brazil, the Nigerian Government has not spent a kobo.

3) If they were in Nigeria, they would have missed the tournament, for sure (look at our U20 team).


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