Daily Trust - the online edition

Chairman of National Sports Commission, SC, Barrister Abdul-rahaman Hassan Gimba yesterday charged newly recruited Super Eagles coaches led by Amodu Shuaibu to be firm in handling the national team.

Gimba also charged the national team handlers not to toy with the nation’s football future, by allowing the players to hold the country to ransom.

The minister, who gave the charge when the new Super Eagles handlers were presented to him by the Nigeria Football As-sociation officials in his office, said time has come when athletes and officials would learn to put the country ahead of personal interests.

Aside from that, Gimba en-joined the Super Eagles coaches to meet the target set for them by the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) to qualify the country to the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup and take it to appreciable level.

He noted that, though the new assignment is tasking, considering that football is the most contentious aspect of the nation’s sports, he was sure if they play the game according to its rules, they would succeed.

Replying, Coach Shuaibu Amodu assured that they would live up to expectation, saying the assignment is to them the first biggest challenge to indigenous coaches, whom they are representing.

Meanwhile NFA Secretary General, Chief Bolaji Ojo-Oba yesterday announced that Coach Shaibu Amodu and his assistants will be unveiled to the press in Abuja on Friday, during which the contract sum and other terms will be made public.