Flying Officers Cup 2021: Ghana Police Ladies Coach Talks Tough Ahead Opener With Naija Ratels.

Ghana Police Ladies FC Head Coach, Frank Oswald Sam has stated that his team will perform well at the Flying  Officers Cup. 

Speaking with the media just after his team had their first training session on Friday at the FIFA Goal Project, Package B', National Stadium, Abuja. 

The young Gaffer expressed optimism and satisfaction towards having a memorable and succesful Pre-season tournament in Nigeria.

"At the moment we are fully set for the tournament, we have been training so hard and want to achieve something positive here in Nigeria. 

"We are ready to go. As a team, we are coming for the ultimate and using the Flying Officers Cup to prepare for the Ghana Women Premier League, which begins next month. 

"So far the reception here by the host has been topnotch and we are enjoying the atmosphere here in Nigeria. 

"We have learnt so much about Naija Ratels and had the privilege of getting some information about them. They are a good side and we have to be at our best to defeat them." He concluded. 

Naija Ratels FC and Ghana Police Ladies FC will battle it out in the first game of the 2021 Flying Officers Cup on Sunday, the 10th of October at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja.

Ajegunle Unity Football Tournament Wax Strong to Kick Off Registration Ongoing

By Adeleke Idowu

First of it, the kind Ajegunle Unity Football Tournament tagged Ifelodun Youth Cup 20,21 is, set to exploit talented athletes to the limelight with the verge of strategies implore. 

In press conference done on Tuesday 5/10/2021 at mount view hotel 135 kirikiri road Wilmer Ajegunle Apapa Lagos.

Plans are revealed to pressmen on the ground.

In attendance are LagosLagosvision (LTV), Africa Independent Television (AIT), Jordan FM, Eko FM, Metro FM, ElegbeteTvRadio and loads of journalists comes to grass the conference.

The local Organising Committee (LOC) chairman Ebahor revealed the objective of creating the thCommitteelatform to the city of jejune when interviewed by Sports Exclusive he said.

"Ajegunle is a city where talent is bound when tSportsf grassroots sport with a lot of heroes like Monday Odiaka, Udeze, Moses Amata and lot of them. 

We created this platform, not for only Ajegunle resident alone slot are available for teams all over, Lagos to come in and showcase their talent as we are having a lot of scout from all across the globe to pick players with exceptional tala ent for scouts".

Registration is still ongoing and will come exceptionally from 18th of November to 19th of December 2021 at Signal Barack Football Pitch Mile 2.

Nig 0 vs 1 CAR: Journalist-attacking Iheanacho was shambolic as Wild Beasts feast on wingless Eagles

Super Eagles' 1-0 loss to the Central African Republic on Thursday came as a rude shock to every football lover across the world especially with the Nigerian side failing to get any clear-cut chance in the game. 

The build-up to the match had been blighted with Iheanacho's attack of a journalist but any hope of restitution went up in flames as the former Manchester City forward produced one of the horrific performances in Eagles shirt and it was not surprising he was hauled off for Awoniyi. 

What would have been a free-for-all between the Super Eagles striker, and ‘Brila FM’ journalist, Yinka Oyedele, was averted due to the maturity of the reporter after the Leicester City striker attacked him during the national team first training at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Tuesday evening. 

According to reports, the media was given access to talk to the players after their training with Oyedele one of the journalists present ready to take advantage of the moment by chatting with the striker who clocked 25 over the weekend, scoring a goal in his club’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace in the English Premier League. 

“The media was given permission to talk to players after training and when I approached Kelechi Iheanacho to talk after training, he decided to shove me aside despite the session being an open one,” Oyedele said. 

“He actually ended up not talking to the press in what was a sheer show of ill manner.” 

An eye-witness at the scene, Tobi Peters of ‘TVC’, said it was a sheer arrogance from the player and there was need to put an end to insults from the players to journalists. 

Peters said Oyedele really showed maturity because no one would accept such attitude from someone who is younger than you and also in the line of your duty.

He added: “I don’t think personally that I would accept such an attitude from any player.

“They need us more than we need them because without God and publicity, some of them won’t be where they are today and I will say this, I was highly disappointed in Iheanacho and they need to call him to order.” 

The Eagles went on to lose the game at home against the Central African Republic on Thursday, putting an end to the 40-year-old record of not losing a World Cup qualifier at home. 

The second leg will be taking place on Sunday, October 10 in Douala, Cameroon, the adopted home of CAR.

Flying Officers Cup 2021: Teams Arrive As Competition Set To Kick-Off On Sunday

All is now set for the start of the 2021 Flying Officers Cup, billed to Kick-Off on Sunday, the 10th of October at the Area 10 Sports Complex, Abuja. 

All the 16 teams participating are expected to arrive on Saturday, with the opening game between Naija Ratels FC and Ghana Police Ladies scheduled on Sunday by 3pm at the same venue. 

2021 Ghanaian Women Premier League first runner-up Police Ladies, arrived the country yesterday morning via the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja and will have their first training on Friday morning at the FIFA Goal Project Package B', National Stadium, Abuja.

Naija Ratels, Ghana Police Ladies FC, Royal Queens FC, Honey Badgers FC are all in group A, while Bayelsa Queens, FC Robo Queens, Osun Babes and Kazeem Eletu Queens are in group B. 

Group C has Rivers Angels, Confluence Queens, Sunshine Queens and Oasis Ladies , while Group D consist of Nasarawa Amazons, Edo Queens, Lakeside Queens a d Dannaz Ladies.

Ratels Sports Development Foundation Set To Honour Arotile, Ukaigwe, Mabo, Jegede, Kujebola Others.

Names of Awardees for the Ratels Sports Development Foundation Heroes Awards 2021 was revealed during Flying Officers Cup draw ceremony held in Abuja on Thursday. 

The award Committee headed by Moses Nagogo Bako followed a set of eligibility criteria which considers factors such as achievements and pedigree of the nominees.

The prestigious award is conferred to those personalities who have rendered outstanding meritorious services to the development of sports and women’s football in the country and beyond.

The award comes in two categories of Special Posthumous Awards and the Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Four people were remembered and honoured in the Posthumous Awards category: 

Tolulope Oluwatoyin Sarah Arotile: 

The first-ever female combat helicopter pilot in the Nigeria Air Force. She contributed significantly to combat operations against insecurity in the northern states of Nigeria. Arotile died from a head injury sustained in an accident at the Nigerian Air Force base.

Henrietta Ukaigwe: She was a veteran sports journalist cum women’s football promoter. Started FFIG – Female Football Interest Group comprising individuals, who actively promoted and energetically projected the women’s game and made it an item of consequence in the media and public space across the nation from the nineties. This group did not only report the game; it coalesced efforts and resources to organize women’s football tournaments and provided much-needed stout and meaningful support to administrators at that incipient stage. 

Chief Larry Eze: Pioneer of women’s football in Nigeria and the Proprietor of defunct Larry Angels, It should be noted that Larry Angels and the likes of Rivers Mermaids metamorphosed to Rivers Angels in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership. 

Chief Sunny Eghaghe Inneh: Pioneer of women’s football in Nigeria and the Proprietor of defunct Inneh Babes. Inneh babes metamorphosed to Edo Queens in the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership

Lifetime Achievement Awards:

Chioma Ajunwa: Former athlete, notable for being the first Nigerian to win gold at 1996 summer Olympics. The first black African woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event. She remains only woman to compete at the FIFA world cup both  as a footballer and the Olympics as a track and field athlete.

She is now an assistant commissioner of Police.

Princesses Bola Jegede: Pioneer of women’s football in Nigeria played a pivotal role in Organizing the first women Inter-club competition in Nigeria in 1990. The establishment of her female football Club, Jegede Babes in the late 1980s culminated in the establishment of other female football Clubs in the country producing players for the nascent Super Falcons squad to the inaugural FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991.

Ismaila Mabo: He was the head coach of the Nigeria women’s national team at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup, 2000 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics. He led Nigeria to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, the team’s best ever result

Eddington Kujebola: Pioneer of women’s football in Nigeria and the Proprietor of defunct Ufuoma Babes of warri. Notable players for Ufuoma Babes were Florence Omagbemi, Mavis Ogun, Patience Avre, Uche Eucharia, Mercy Akide, Omo Love Branch, Nkiru Okieseme, Florence Iweta, Phoebe Ebimienkumo, etc.

Alhaja Ayo Omidiran: Pioneer of women’s football in Nigeria and the Proprietor of Omidiran babes, which left the football scene but are now back. She became a member of the Nigerian Football Association Board and remained there till 2005. Since 2006, she has been a member of the FIFA Women Committee.

Other Awards Include:

Heroic Icon Of The Year: Leah Shuiabu.

Women Football Promoter of the year: Phillip Shuiabu.

Women Football Grassroots Icon of the year: Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi.

Women Football Trailblazer of the year: Aisha Falode.

Flying Officers Cup 2021: Naija Ratels To Face Ghana Police Ladies In Opener

The 16 teams, which comprises of teams in Nigeria and neighboring country Ghana were today drawn into four different groups which will compete for honours from the 10th to the 24th of October 2021, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The tournament which was formerly known as Ratels Pre-season Championship was re-named the Flying Officers Cup to celebrate and immortalize the late Flying Tolulope Arotile, whose remarkable Achievements and impactful story of bravery, courage , heroism and gallantry has continued to provide a beacon of hope and inspiration to many girls who aspire to achieve their dreams regardless the challenges that exists in their quest. 

Speaking at draws, Chairman Ratels Sports Development Foundation, Barrister Paul Edeh urge the football community to embrace further quotas to increase the number of women in decision making roles in order to help secure the future of the game.

“We have been responsibly preparing for this wonderful event and have done our best for players and everyone coming down here for the Pre-season Championship to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of splendid football feast and of course we hope they will enjoy their stay here in Abuja.

The time for talking has stopped. We must move on and start to make impact in the development of women’s football.

Today, I urge the football community to embrace further quotas to increase the number of women in decision making roles in order to help secure the future of the game.

I am extremely proud that FIFA, the world governing Football body has implemented more positive policies to promote gender equality and foster sports through education in women’s football.”

The official ball for the tournament was revealed featuring various colours and pictures variant of Tolulope Arotile and logo of Ratels Sports Development Foundation.

GROUP A:

Naija Ratels FC (hosts)

Ghana Police Ladies FC

Royal Queens FC

Honey Badgers

GROUP B:

Bayelsa Queens

FC Robo Queens

Osun Babes

Prince Kazeem Eletu Queens FC

GROUP C:

Rivers Angels

Confluence Queens

Sunshine Queens

Oasis Ladies FC

GROUP D:

Nasarawa Amazons FC

Edo Queens

Lakeside Queens FC

Dannaz Ladies.

Flying Officers Cup 21: Teams To Undergo Compulsory Covid-19 Test On Arrival

Organisers have announced that players and officials of all the sixteen (16) participating at the 2021 Flying Officers Cup are to undergo the compulsory Covid-19 test before the tournament kicks off on Sunday, the 10th of October 2021. 

In order to facilitate swift testing of all players, the Ratels Sports Development Foundation (RSDF) has entered a partnership with the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC), for the teams to undergo their COVID-19 test on arrival at the Public Service Institute Of Nigeria (PSIN), Abuja. 

Furthermore, players and officials of teams who are interested in getting vaccinated are to indicate while registering on the registration portal, which will open on wednesday, the 6th of October on the Tournament's website, Www.FlyingOfficersCup.com.

The General Coordinator of the competition, Barrister Victoria Nlemigbo noted that all teams should ensure that they register online in time , as soon as the portal is opened, to enable the LOC get the players licences ready before arrival of the teams. 

"I am happy to confirm that our partnership with NCDC has been activated and this will enable teams undergo their COVID-19 test on arrival in Abuja. 

"This is in line with the policies of the Federal Government and  footballing body in Nigeria, NFF and the women's football league body, the NWFL. 

"We have also made arrangements through our portal on the website for those who are interested in getting vaccinated at the same venue. 

"The portal registration will be opened for team's registration today, the 6th day of October 2021. I urge all participating teams to ensure they complete the form to enable the LOC get the players licences ready before arrival of the team. We wish all the participating teams the best of luck.

The Flying Officers Cup will kickoff on the 10th of October at the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja and will have 16 teams participating.