ABUJA – The Nigeria Football Association (NFA) on Tuesday assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles technical crew had not been distracted in their preparations for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Musa Amadu, the Secretary-General of the NFA, told newsmen at a news briefing in Abuja that the FA was working assiduously with the team’s technical crew for a better outing.
Amadu said that arrangements had been made for the team to leave their camp for match venues, one day to the encounter.
This, he said, would enable the team to concentrate on their matches during the tournament.
Ahmadu said that air travel arrangements during the tournament had also been concluded to ease the team’s movement for their matches.
“The team base, the hotel Campiness, is on the outskirt of Sao-Paolo and this is where most of the National teams are based.
“This is where the team will stay and will be leaving to match venues in the group stage and they will move a day before these games and return to their base after the game.
“Brazil is a vast country and some of the travels you have to do are more than one, two or three hours but there are chartered flights, not that we will take commercial flights.
“FIFA has made arrangement with all the airlines there; its chartered flight just for the teams and it will take each team to their specific match venue,’’ Amadu said.
He explained that Amb. Adamu Emozozo, the Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil and Stephen Keshi, the Super Eagles Head coach, had inspected the camp.
“The team base camp Hotel was selected by the head coach himself; he has seen everything and he likes what he has seen.
“The Consular-General was also here; we discussed with them and they have said that everything is perfect.
“So, in terms of accommodation and travel arrangements for the Super Eagles, they are absolutely perfect,’’ Amadu said.
The NFA scribe urged Nigerians to pray and support the team as they prepared for the World Cup.
He said that there were no disagreements between the NFA and Keshi over team list.
He pointed out that not even the court matter between it and Sylvanus Okpala could derail the team’s preparation.
Amadu noted that the matter was now at the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS) and that it would be appropriate if Nigerians refrained from making comments on it until it was determined.
Okpala took the NFA to court over alleged wrong termination of his contract.
Okpala was disengaged from the Eagles technical crew in April 2013 by the NFA.
The football body cited poor financial standing which, it claimed, made it difficult for the federation to maintain a 17-man backroom staff. (NAN)
