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Swedish coach Lars Lagerback is not keen on continuing as the Coach of  the Nigerian Football Team and has turned down an offer for a renewal of  his contract

Lagerback led Nigeria to the World Cup, but despite managing just one point from three games, was offered a fresh four-year deal.

NFF spokesman Robinson Okosun said that the Swede sent in the letter early this week

“He said he was not keen on taking up the offer even though he enjoyed his time in Nigeria,” Okosun said.

Samson Siasia, who led the Under-23 team to silver medal placings at the 2008 Olympic Games and 2005 Under 20 World Cup tournaments, is the favourite to take over.

// The National Chairman of the Peoples Dem-ocratic Party (PDP), Dr. Okwesilize Nwodo, left Nigeria yesterday to attend a two-day conference on Nigeria’s Golden Jubilee  holding in London on Monday and Tuesday. According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant, Media, to the PDP Chairman, Mr. Ike Abonyi, President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to deliver a keynote speech at the summit. But THISDAY learnt last night that the President  may not be attending the summit because he was scheduled to use the opportunity to see the Bristish Prime Minister whom he had already seen during the G8 summit in Canada. The summit will also be attended by about 18 state governors and over a dozen ministers as well as strategic chief executives of agencies and commissions in the country. The statement said issues expected to be discussed at the conference included power, infrastructure, corruption, health, education and agriculture. Jonathan has come under attack for allegedly jacking up the N600million proposed for the golden jubilee celebration by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua regime to N10 billion. But denying the accusation, Information and Communications Minister, Prof. Dora Akunyuli, had said the committee for the celebration put together by the late President Yar’Adua had proposed the sum of N10 billion. She, however, did not say how much President Jonathan had approved for the celebration. According to the statement,  Nwodo is scheduled to have interaction with a cross-section of members of PDP in London where he is expected to intimate them with his reform agenda for the party particularly the new registration policy being put together to sanitize the party. The PDP chairman is expected back in the country by weekend.

Teams that have qualified for the next round:

Argentina

Brazil

England

Germany

Ghana

Mexico

Netherlands

South Korea

Uruguay

United States

Teams that have been knocked out of the World Cup:

Algeria

Australia

Cameroon

France

Greece

Nigeria

DPR Korea

Serbia

Slovenia

South Africa

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), says nothing short of adoption of the report of the Electoral Reforms Conference headed by Justice Uwais would be acceptable to it, as this is the only way to   guarantee free and fair election in the country, as it was the only genuine way of reconstructing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). (more…)

Mr. Okeke, a public affairs analyst, writes  on the need to immortalise  Late M.K.O Abiola the winner of the annuled June 12, 1993 Presidential elections in Nigeria

All over the world, great men who made their mark on the sands of time of their country, be it in politics, economy, religion or any other human endeavour have institutions of learning, airports or other memorable structures in the country named after them.

Hence, there is Charles De Gaulle International Airport Paris France, J.F. Kennedy Airport in New York, etc. (more…)

South Koreans face a daunting task ahead of them tomorrow as they face the Argentine National Team in a Group B world cup match

Messi, the 2009 FIFA world player of the year, made a major impact on day two of the World Cup with a dazzling performance in a 1-0 win over Nigeria. He failed to score, but only because Nigerian goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama made some spectacular saves.

The Barcelona forward’s darting runs and ability to draw in opponents will be key to Argentina’s bid for a third title, and he looks determined to silence those who say he struggles to reproduce his brilliant form for Barcelona when wearing his country’s colors. (more…)

Argentina coach Diego Maradona says he has a lot of respect for the Nigerian National Football team- the Super Eagles, and its Coach Lars Lagerback describing them as  “a strong and direct outfit” under an experienced Swedish coach

“They are very athletic and physically strong – and they have some quick players.”

As the Argentinan team prepares to take on its Nigerian counterpart this saturday in World cup 2010, Diego Maradona is still keeping his exact plans for the match at Ellis Park under lock and key.

But the rumours flying around the camp are Maradona will play a 3-4-3 formation.

The attack will likely comprise Carlos Tevez as a third forward complementing Gonzalo Higuain and Lionel Messi, of whom so much is expected at this tournament.

Samuel says the team is ready to hit the ground running, despite poor qualifying form.

“I have confidence in this team’s chances at this World Cup,” insisted the defender.

The Nigerians have not shown the greatest of form coming in – they beat fellow World Cup qualifiers North Korea 3-1 at the weekend in an encounter overshadowed by a crowd stampede but previous encounters saw a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia and a 1-1 stalemate with Colombia.

One of the leading Online Sports website bleachreport.com has predicted that Nigeria’s Super Eagles will top Group B ahead of favourites Argentina, South Korea and Greece

According to Bleachreport.com, ‘On paper, Group B is one of the most wide open. Argentina struggled to qualify, South Korea reached the semifinals in 2002, Greece won Euro 2004, and Nigeria is possibly the strongest African nation in the finals’ (more…)