RandaFooty: Everything Nigerian football, home and abroad

Following reported breach of security around Match Officials in Kaduna by members of the Kaduna United Supporters Club after the Match Day 6 encounter between hosts Kaduna United and Heartland FC, the League Management Company (LMC) has banned the Official Supporters Club of the team from all league games for a period of one year. Kaduna United in addition to some financial sanctions have also been ordered to install or restore electricity supply and proper lighting in the tunnel and dressing room area before their next home game  or be made to pay N100,000.00 for each game during which this situation persist. These decisions and others have are the outcome of the LMC investigation after consideration of the Match Commissioner’s report and have been communicated vide a letter signed by the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar who also announced a decision to fine Kaduna United the sum of N250, 000.

Sitting on the pews at the Estadio Olimpico in Rome, Onazi gazes at the stands where thousands of Lazio fans cheer the team each time they play. Ogenyi Eddy Onazi is grateful. From the highlands of Jos, Nigeria to one of the most recognisable football edifices in the world, he has come full circle in a very short time albeit through various channels like Sweden, Switzerland, Greece and England. The diminutive midfielder was also a key component as Nigeria defied the odds to win the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations hosted by South Africa. He appears calm for someone who is like a terrier on the field of play. His intrepid performances have endeared him to the hearts of Nigeria and Lazio fans and Onazi says he loves to give his all on the field of play. "I'm a fighter. I play to help my team win,"he told supersport.com. Onazi has been through a lot to get to where he is today. Growing up on the streets of Jos, he honed his ...

Stephen Keshi is the man saddled with the responsibility of leading Nigeria to the 2014 Fifa World Cup in Brazil, and to say he has his work cut out is an understatement. The 'Big Boss' was the obvious choice for many when Samson Siasia failed to qualify Nigeria for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, and when he was appointed in late 2011, a new chapter in Nigerian football was heralded. Keshi, who had also had stints with Togo and Mali prior to his appointment, has gone on to be arguably one of the most successful coaches in Nigeria's rich football history albeit without a barrage of issues despite his successes. Supersport.com takes a look at Stephen Keshi, the man who is expected to lead Nigeria's charge at the Fifa 2014 World Cup. We delve into his triumphs and travails, and also examine what to expect from the 'Big Boss' when the football fiesta kicks off in June. Nigeria qualifys for Brazil Keshi, an enigma of sorts When Keshi wa...

Glo Premier League defending champions, Kano Pillars on Wednesday, March 26 became the first Club to comply with the Nigeria Professional Football League 2013/14 registration requirement of providing a financial performance guarantee. The Club in a letter to the League Management Company (LMC) attached a Performance Guarantee for N25 million (N25, 000, 000) from a Fidelity Bank Plc, Kano Branch with reference number FB/007/OBG/0314/1034 and dated March 17, 2014. The performance guarantee represents the first tranch of the quarterly guarantee of the total N100m that Clubs are required to provide under the season's licensing requirements. "We demanded the performance guarantee from clubs as evidence of their capacity to meet financial obligations to playing staff, other employees and vendors. It will eliminate the scourge of accumulated indebtedness especially to players by clubs", LMC Chairman, Hon. Nduka Irabor had explained at the introducti...

This year's Federation Cup competition will kick off with the State preliminaries on Saturday, 5th April, according to a release from NFF's Head of Federation Cup, Miss Ruth David. The State finals are scheduled for Sunday, 4th May across the federation, while the play-off matches will be played over the days of 14th and 15th May. The Draw for the National finals will hold in Abuja on 29th May. Miss David also warned that deadline for submission of 2014 Federation Cup licenses remains Monday, 31st March. "Late submission of licensesis allowed from 1st April - 11th April, 2014 and will attract a fine of N300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand Naira Only) by the defaulting club(s)," she explained.

Kelechi Iheanacho and Isaac Success have been named in a 35-man provisional squad expected to reconvene on Sunday ahead of a 2015 African Youth Championship qualifier. Iheanacho is on the books of Manchester City, while Success has just recently teamed up with Granada CF in Spain. Several other overseas-based players including Musa Muhammed (Besiktas,Turkey), Chidiebere Nwakali (Manchester City, England), Chidera Eze (FC Porto, Portugal), Musa Yahaya (Celta Vigo, Spain) and Sunday Alampasu, who is undergoing trials in Belgium, are also picked. The squad is made up of the bulk of the 2013 FIFA U17 World Cup-winning squad.

World Cup Under-17 Champions, Golden Eaglets of Nigeria are on the march again as the screening of new players that would defend the title won last year in the United Arab Emirates begins in Abuja on Thursday. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has finalized arrangement for the smooth take off of the usual gruelling exercise at the practice pitch of the NFF/FIFA Goal Project Site.