Olawale Ajimotokan
25 June 2008
Lagos — Super Eagles coaches claim they have not been briefed on the proposal to raise a team to play against Manchester United for the UEFA Champions League winners' itinerary of Nigeria.
Man United is the major attraction at the Tinapa Invitational Soccer Fiesta in Calabar from July 23- 28.
The tournament which is organized by the Tinapa Business Resort to boost eco-tourism in the area in addition will see English FA Cup winners, Portsmouth a local team join the Red Devils and the Super Eagles for the five day fiesta.
Man United have confirmed their enthusiasm to make the Nigerian trip which comes after their summer tour of South Africa for the Vodacom Challenge.
The club is reportedly holding out for 1.5 million pounds (about N375 million) as appearance fee.
Man United have also confirmed that they will only be playing one game, against Portsmouth in Calabar, while Pompey which have two Nigerians, Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka, are also set to play the winner of a game between the Super Eagles and the local club, which will be chosen by fans in a text message vote.
But a member of the national team technical crew, Daniel Amokachi told THISDAYSports yesterday that the coaches are not aware of the proposed role for the Eagles at the Tinapa tournament as the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) is yet to brief the crew on such arrangement.
"The secretariat has not told us about the tournament or any plan for the Eagles to meet Man U or Portsmouth. We have not been put in the picture" Amokachi declared last night.
While Man United have said they would only meet Portsmouth, the tone of the advert placed by the organizers yesterday: "Can Rooney Bully The Super Eagles"? implied Nigeria would play the visiting English team in Calabar.
The Eagles are currently on a recess after their 2-0 victory over the La Nzalanga Nacional (National Lightning) of Equatorial Guinea on Saturday in an Angola/ South Africa 2010 qualifier and are not likely to regroup until the first week of September to prepare for their next match against South Africa in Johannesburg on September 6.
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