Monarch Wants Calabar As Eagles Permanent Base

The paramount ruler of Qua people in Calabar Municipality, Ndidem (Dr) Ika Ika Qua, has suggested to the Nigeria Football Federation and the Sports Ministry to make Calabar, the Cross River state capital the permanent home of the national team.

This, according to him will help the team’s concentration and also make victory easy to come by for the team, because according to him, Calabar, is a lucky place for the national team. In the alternative, he said Lagos and Enugu, should be considered because of the positive auras of the cities and the huge followership that the national team enjoys in the cities mentioned.

Dr Qua, spoke in Calabar Wednesday evening when an NFF delegation led by Technical Director, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, paid him a curtesy visit to again inform the royal father that the national team was within his dormain and was desperate for his royal blessings.

Also in the team was Eagles Coordinator, Emmanuel Atta, Psychologist, Dr Robinson Okosun and Media Officer, Ben Alaiya. The royal father said the need to have a permanent base has become pertinent because smaller teams that Nigeria usually dismiss in the past have become a pain in the neck for the national team due to lack of support and a venue that the players are used to.

The former Lagos Marine goalkeeper in the 60s, said he would again raise the issue with the leadership of the NFF, even as he got assurances from Dr Ikpeme, that his observations will be convened to the Aminu Maigari led board of the federation.

Meanwhile, the national team will on Friday round off preparations for the game against Rwanda, with a light work out at the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar. Head Coach Stephen Keshi has been sweating it out with his players and said he was satisfied with the level of fitness of the team ahead of the duel against Rwanda.

Team doctor, Ibrahim Gyaran, while reviewing the fitness of the team said the Eagles have a 100 per cent fitness level. “It’s quite instructive, because we are just coming from an away game and usually away games are fraught with injuries but I’m happy to reveal that none of our players is in any health condition that will prevent him from featuring for the team on Saturday.