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President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has reiterated that the football –governing body will soon institute a welfare foundation for former Nigeria international players in order to guarantee ready funding for them in case of unexpected health challenges.
The NFF supremo, also the 1st Vice President of the Confederation of African Football, gave this assurance in London on Thursday, hours after receiving former Nigeria captain Christian Chukwu alongside his wife and sister after Chukwu arrived for medical treatment.
“You would recall that at the last AITEO/NFF Football Awards in Lagos on 1st April 2019, we had announced that a welfare foundation would be instituted for our legends to take care of them in times of their need. At that time, we didn’t even have any idea that Chukwu would be faced with this kind of health challenge.
“I am happy that he is here now and we have made adequate arrangements for his surgery, medication and general after-surgery care. He will get the best treatment possible and we are confident he will return to Nigeria hale, hearty and sound of mind and body.”
Chukwu arrived in London on Thursday in company with his wife Lilian Nkeiruka, his sister Mrs Edith Chinelo Motanya and Dr. Ibrahim Gyaran, who is medical doctor of the Super Eagles.
He will have the surgery and immediate after-surgery care at the Wellington Hospital on Circus Road, in St. John’s Woods.
PHOTO: Chukwu, seated with wife Lilian at the hospital in London on Thursday. Behind them are NFF President Pinnick, Mrs Motanya and Dr. Gyaran.
Go to Poland and conquer – Pinnick tells Flying Eagles
. Boys in another Bull-fight, fly to Poland on Sunday
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has charged the Nigeria U20 boys, Flying Eagles, to do the nation proud on and off the field at the FIFA U20 World Cup starting in Poland on Thursday.
Pinnick, in company with NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, arrived at the Flying Eagles’ The Monarch Hotel camp in Bad Goegging, Germany on Friday morning, ahead of the team’s departure to the World Cup on Sunday. The duo later joined the team at training.
“I have spoken to the head coach and he has assured me that you guys have made tremendous progress since arriving at the training camp here in Germany. Let me state clearly that as an U20 squad from Nigeria, so much is expected of you at the world stage. Nigeria has been in the final of the FIFA U20 World Cup on two occasions and won the bronze medals once before.
“The NFF and Nigerians generally, as well as the football world, expect so much from you in Poland. You must perform very well on the field while showing good attitude and sense of fairplay, and also make discipline, diligence and decency your watchwords off the field, in order to fly Nigeria’s flag high.”
On Friday, the Flying Eagles engaged Red Bull Leipzig of Germany in their final pre-World Cup friendly, three days after drawing 1-1 with Red Bull Salzburg in another friendly in Austria.
The Flying Eagles delegation will fly from Germany to Tychy on Sunday. They will take on Qatar in their first match of the FIFA U20 World Cup on Friday, 24th May, before other Group D games against USA (27th May) and Ukraine (30th May).
PHOTO 1: Pinnick with another Nigeria legend, Wilson Oruma, who is welfare officer of the Flying Eagles
PHOTO 2: Pinnick, Dr. Sanusi and Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr pose with the players and officials of the Flying Eagles in Germany on Thursday morning.
