Tunis match, most
expensive for NFF - Ogunjobi
By Dimeji Ojo - 26.06.2009
’WIMBLEDON OPEN’... American star,
Serena Williams, tries to avoid stumbling
during her second round match against
Jarmila Groth in the ongoing Wimbledon
Championship. Serena won 6 - 2, 6 -1.
Photo: Getty ImagesCHAIRMAN of the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi, has revealed that last Saturday's World Cup qualifier involving the Super Eagles and the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia played in Tunis is the most expensive match the federation has prosecuted since the 2010 World Cup qualifiers started.
Chief Ogunjobi, who disclosed this during a chat with Tribunesports, stated that the money expended by the NFF after the match against Kenya in Abuja to prepare the Eagles for the crucial match was the most expensive in recent times.
He said that the chairman of the Federation, Alhaji Sani Lulu Abdullahi, was very focused towards achieving success with the make or mar match, which has rekindled Nigeria's hopes of qualifying for the Mundial slated for South Africa next year.
“The NFF leadership wanted to do everything possible to qualify for the World Cup. That was why the chairman decided not to leave room for failure by spending the money to prepare the team adequately," Ogunjobi said.
He disclosed that immediately after the Kenya match the team was camped at the Sheraton Hotel before leaving for the training camp in Malta ahead of the Tunis game.
Chief Ogunjobi revealed that the Federation expended N9million on accommodation and feeding at the Sheraton Hotel to guard the players against unnecessary distractions from members of the public.
According to the foremost football administrator, the team on landing in Malta was booked straight into one of the best hotels to allow for maximum concentration on the part of the players and officials.
He added that when the team also arrived in Tunisia for the match, it was also lodged at the five-star Laico Hotel, formerly known as Abu Nawaz Hotel, saying that this allowed the Eagles to enjoy the best facilities available in the North African country.
On match day, Chief Ogunjobi said that the NFF had to make special arrangement for the feeding of the team outside the hotel to avoid food poisoning which also cost a fortune.
He, however, commended the NFF chairman for giving the team all it required to achieve a positive result in Tunisia despite all odds which he attributed to the administrative acumen of the Kogi-born man.
"The chairman really impressed me with his forthrightness and focus towards the match. He made sure the team was properly taken care of without any distraction that might scuttle our chances."
He said futher,"the chairman made sure the players received their full match bonus without any bickering from any quarters. The 18 players who were dressed for the match were paid their full bonuses while the others who did not dress were all paid half of the money."
He stressed that the development of the game in the country is uppermost in the mind of the chairman with his passion and focus and that the man is ready to do his best to achieve the ultimate goal of seeing the country in South Africa next year.
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