Sports
Ilaji Sports Resort hosts Malaga CF Academy coaches as scouting, coaching programme kicks off
I laji Hotels and Sports Resort in Akanran, Ibadan, Oyo State has hosted Malaga CF Academy Head Coaches, Marcos Antonio and Diego Martins, as scouting and coaching programme kicked off today at its sports arena.
Malaga CF Academy Head Coaches and other notable dignitaries had arrived Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort , the organizer of the maiden event.
Speaking during the commissioning of the Programme, its Chief Operating Officer of Hotels and Sports Resort, Prince Adesina Araoye described the scouting and coaching programme that will last for consecutive seven days as one that will help promoting the talents in football and equally add to the knowledge, wisdom and skills of Nigerian football legends who had showcased interest in football coaching.
Araoye welcomed the coaches from Malaga, Spain to the venue of the historical event and also commended the readiness and eagerness of other notable dignitaries who would simultaneously be the participants for the fruition of the programme.
According to Araoye,”To be a leading hospitality and entertainment outfit in Nigeria and Africa as a whole through consistent and classy hospitality and entertainment services to our esteemed guests; and to be a viable platform through which sporting talents are nurtured to stardom.
“Two things which are paramount from the statement above are hospitality and sports.
“Sports and hospitality are like Siamese twins; they are interdependent and inter-related. Research has shown that sportsmen and women thrive better and maximise their potentials if groomed in a conducive environment.
“At Ilaji Hotels and Sports Resort, we have been balancing this wisely by investing in sporting infrastructure as well as decent hospitality structure. Besides our hotel rooms which currently stands at 165, we have also built hostel structure that can conveniently and comfortably accommodate over 300 players.
“The resultant effect of this is there for everyone to verify; we have groomed youngsters who are dedicated, focused and talented; players who within a few years of being nurtured are well ahead of their peers simply because we have put them in an environment that is conducive for the cultivation of football culture.
“The second part of our vision statement (to be a viable platform through which sporting talents are nurtured to stardom) is one that needs strategic thinking and partnership. We have done the needful by investing in sporting infrastructure. With this arrangement, we have discovered and nurtured talented youngsters who can compete well with their peers anywhere in the world. To take our vision further upward from where it is to where it ought to be is the reason why we went into a strategic alliance with Malaga CF.
“Having studied Malaga CF as a club, we share certain similarities in terms of football culture and principles; we love to groom and nurture players to stardom, same thing goes with Malaga. We have no doubt that their visit to us will yield positive results which are in consonance with our ultimate goal.
“I want to implore the coaches that are participating in our coaching clinic to make the best use of this opportunity. Pay attention to your instructors and take time to explore our Resort during your leisure period. We could have limited this huge opportunity to our coaches and players alone but just as Robers South says in his famous quote ‘If there be any truer measure of a man than by what he does, it must be what he gives’, we want to be measured by being that organisation that allows other to grow while it is also growing.
“We are sure of the huge talents our society has and we are not going to close doors of opportunity on them just because they are not in our football academy.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who has come far and wide with a view to witnessing or participating in this programme, may God in His infinite mercy bless us all”, he concluded.
The event, as reliably gathered will showcase the likes of Chief Adegboye Onigbinde, Mutiu Adepoju, Nduka Ugbade, Busari Akeem, Festus Adegoju and other football legends in the country will actively participate.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the appointment of German tactician Bruno Labbadia as the new Head Coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National Team, the Super Eagles.
This development was announced by the NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, in the early hours of Tuesday, following the approval of the NFF Executive Committee based on a recommendation from its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. Labbadia’s appointment takes immediate effect.
Born on 8th February 1966 in Darmstadt, Germany, Labbadia enjoyed a distinguished playing career, earning two caps for the German national team. His club career included stints at prominent clubs such as Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC. Notably, he won the Bundesliga title with Bayern Munich in 1994.
Labbadia’s coaching career has seen him manage top-tier clubs such as Hertha Berlin, VfB Stuttgart, VfL Wolfsburg, Hamburger SV, and Bayer Leverkusen, among others. He holds a UEFA Pro License and is well-regarded for his tactical acumen.
With his appointment, Labbadia becomes the sixth German to lead the Super Eagles, following in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke, Gottlieb Göller, Manfred Höner, Berti Vogts, and Gernot Rohr. Höner notably guided the Super Eagles to a runner-up finish at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Rohr qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Labbadia’s immediate task is to prepare the Super Eagles for their upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches.
Nigeria will face Benin Republic on Saturday, 7th September in Uyo, and Rwanda on Tuesday, 10th September in Kigali. The team will also play four additional qualifying matches in October and November as they aim to secure a spot in the 2025 AFCON, scheduled to be held from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
The Super Eagles, placed in Group D, will face familiar foes Benin Republic, who recently defeated Nigeria in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The draw for the AFCON qualifiers, held in Johannesburg, South Africa, last month, also sees Nigeria taking on Libya and Rwanda, both of whom are also part of the Super Eagles’ group for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers set to be hosted in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Labbadia’s appointment comes at a crucial time as the Super Eagles look to regain their dominance on the African continent and secure qualification for both the AFCON and the World Cup.
Finidi George has stepped into a new role as the technical manager for NPFL side, Rivers United, following his resignation as coach of the Super Eagles.
During his brief tenure with the Eagles, George’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in Uyo and a 2-1 loss to Benin Republic in Abidjan cast doubts on Nigeria’s World Cup qualification, prompting calls from fans for his dismissal.
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Nevertheless, Rivers United, the 2021-22 champions, expressed optimism in a statement on Wednesday via their official handle about having the former Eagles international manage their team.
“Finidi brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our team, having had a distinguished playing career spanning over fifteen years,” the statement read.
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Dr. Okey Kpalukwu, General Manager of Rivers United FC, welcomed George, stating, “We are delighted to have Finidi George join our team. His appointment marks a new chapter in our club’s history, and we are committed to working together to achieve success.”
Expressing his gratitude to the club, an elated George remarked, “I am honored to have this opportunity, and I thank the Sports Commissioner, the General Manager, and the supporters for their confidence in me. I am committed to working hard and making the team win.”
Inter Milan were taken over by US fund Oaktree on Wednesday after the Serie A champions’ outgoing owners Suning missed a deadline to repay a debt worth hundred of millions of euros.
In a statement, Oaktree announced they had “assumed control” of Inter after the non-repayment of a “three-year loan to Inter Milan’s holding companies that matured on 21 May 2024 with a total balance due of approximately 395 million euros ($428 million)”.
Chinese conglomerate Suning have relinquished control of Inter to Oaktree three days after the team were officially crowned Italian champions for the 20th time.
Suning borrowed 275 million euros at over 12 percent interest three years ago to pay staff and players as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the finances of clubs across Europe, putting up their controlling stake in the club as collateral.
“Oaktree is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for the long-term prosperity of Inter Milan, with an initial focus on operational and financial stability for the Club and its stakeholders,” Oaktree continued.
Inter became a powerful force at home and abroad after Suning acquired the club in 2016, with seven trophies including two Serie A titles and two European finals.
Simone Inzaghi’s team cruised to this year’s championship, winning the Scudetto with five matches remaining by beating AC Milan in a thrilling local derby.
Oaktree, which manages $192 billion in assets, said they are “committed to working closely with Inter Milan’s current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the Club is positioned for success on and off the pitch”.
Inter ended up in the hands of Oaktree in a manner similar to the way another US fund, Elliott Management, took control of their local rivals Milan in 2018.
Elliott became Milan’s owners when Chinese businessman Li Yonghong was unable to repay a loan he had taken out when he bought the club from the late Silvio Berlusconi’s Fininvest the previous year.
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