English Football Association turn down request by NFF for friendly game with Eagles

ENGLISH Football Association officials have rejected an appeal by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to organise a friendly match between the Super Eagles and the England national team.

 

NFF president Amaju Pinnick is currently in the UK and yesterday was at the Wembley Stadium in London for a private meeting with the English FA chairman Greg Dyke. During the meeting, he proposed an international friendly between the two teams but the English FA ruled it out.

 

An English FA spokesman said: "The discussions included reference to Mr Pinnick’s appreciation for English football and his desire to foster closer links between the NFF and The FA. Although there are no plans in the foreseeable future for a senior men’s international between England and Nigeria, it was agreed to keep dialogue open between the countries."

 

Nigeria's Super Eagles last played England in a friendly on November 16, 1994 at Wembley, which the English won 1-0 thanks to a goal from skipper David Platt. Having played better in that game and lost, the match raised the Eagles' profile significantly, leading to several players signing up for English clubsides.

 

Among the Nigerian players who featured in that game that played in the English Premier League included Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha, Daniel Amokachi and Finidi George. England have two crucial European Championship qualifiers against Estonia and Lithuania later this year but may revisit a friendly with Nigeria later on after they have been prosecuted.