EAGLES TO ENTER DURBAN IN BRANDED AIRCRAFT

Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba
The Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to enable the Super Eagles to arrive in South Africa for the World Cup in grand style.

Our correspondent learnt reliably that the soccer ruling body has chattered an aircraft that will take the officials and final 23 players to the former apartheid enclave.

The NFF General Secretary, Dr. Bolaji Ojo-Oba, who confirmed the story, said the deal with the Private Jet Chattered Company based in London had been concluded.

'We have paid $150,000 for the chattered plane and they are ready to meet all our conditions for the trip to Durban,' Ojo-Oba said.

In addition, Ojo-Oba said that the chattered plane would be branded in Nigerian colours for the London-South Africa trip.

'The NFF is working hard to make the players happy and ensure the team enters the World Cup venue in high spirits. The deal has been sealed for the chattered flight and we are also working on all other forms of motivation to prepare the team well for the task ahead in the competition,' he said.

The Eagles are billed to leave London on May 31 for South Africa after two friendly games in Austria against Saudi Arabia and in London against Colombia.

Meanwhile the NFF chieftain also revealed that the body has paid $250,000 for the accommodation at the Five Lakes Hotel in the United Kingdom.

'We are not owing the hotel. We don't want any problem in our camp and so we intend to maintain this till the end of the competition,' Ojo -Oba added.

The team arrived London on Saturday and will stay nine days for intensive preparation for the forthcoming World Cup.

Eagles have Argentina, South Korea and Greece to contend with in Group B of the global football showcase.