 Well, we're back with the breakfast and always on Fridays. We like to talk sports just briefly before we join the newsroom and This morning Africa's top ranked table tennis star. I run a cordy has moved up one spot from 14 to 13th in Latest international table tennis Federation world ranking for men single now this comes after Cordy's quarterfinal finish are the just concluded and WTT a Singapore's smash where he became the first African to reach the quarter Final of the competition. Meanwhile, all the Nigerians like Taiwo Marti dropped three points in the latest ranking for men with 17 year old ranked 101 in the world and in the women's single for Timor Bello dropped seven points to place 72 or 72nd of young Adam lost three places to end the mounted 136 Boss a day or do so. I also lost three points spots you and the month 243 just as Cecilia Akpan is also now around 276 after losing two steps We have of young Adam who is joining us this morning. Of course. She dropped like three points of young is good to have you join us Good morning Good morning. Thanks for having me. Yes, please. So let's share your thoughts on the recent ranking the ITTF Ranking and of course looking at the men's single and also the women's single Aruna has actually Gone up the right there and he's still maintained his status for Africa and also The general case especially when you have Nigerians including yourself. What are your thoughts on this? First of all, I would like to start with Aruna because my thing the ranking I think there's some a Little fourth because already played in the quarter-final. It should be in top 10 if I'm not mistaken But I don't know how they do the ranking because a plane a tournament does not guarantee you to have a good ranking. I If I could remember a multi-time will this the this year he has played about three or four tournaments And he's dropping so For us table tennis player We don't really know how they they do the ranking because sometimes it's very confusing Like a lot of players So I will use Sarah more fully for instance. She has played more than seven tournament And she's still dropping in the ranking. So for me, he's quite strange I don't know should be in top 10 and every other player like if you have the opportunity to participate in the tournament Of which is very difficult this this this days because because of the icos of the tournament if you have to play tournament You have to spend nothing less than one one thousand five hundred or one thousand eight hundred euros Which is very difficult So I think they should look into the ranking because I think something is not just right however for other players like Fatima is quite unfortunate because She had the opportunity to be in a very good ranking, but the problem is she needed a little push from the from the The ministry or the Nigerian table tennis federation Likewise high myself I won't really talk about myself because I have been there I have played but all these young players also They need a little push because Already they are there you can't do it on your own it was About table tennis you need you need a sponsor you need somebody to push you This is why you see that I don't know is doing very well because he has all the support with all his effort also It's not really easy. I'm not saying I think at some time last year you were in you know around 112 And now you 89 yes 89 okay, and then towards the end of the year you'd went to 112 then drop to 115 You know now we're seeing the slide what accounts for for your situation. You're a good tennis player You know what accounts for this this slide for you Personally for me is I am not sad because There is nothing I can do if you're not attending tournament, of course you would drop It's quite unfortunate. The only tournament we can really really Hope for and really be sure of playing is all African games Commonwealth games and probably if you qualify for Olympic games, okay You can play but as outside that you have to play all that tournament like kudos like all this open German open This that that you need a lot of fun to go around And now it's quite difficult because the utility is not like before before now you can play tournament with four hundred you can decide to to To pay Your own hotel and now it's like a mandatory if you have to go for a tournament You have to pay three days compulsory or tell even if you lose From the beginning is it doesn't matter. You must stay for three days and you have to pay for three nights So it's it's quite Complicated and very difficult for people like us to play a lot of tournaments. So in that case We have to be dropping and they're ranking and That's it So you're saying that you know the dropping in the ranking is not because of your capacity to perform But is based on Your appearance or performance. I mean your availability at this games. Is that what you're saying? Yes, yes Because sometimes if you play it's not a guarantee that you will go up in your ranking for instance if if you are If you are like in top 30 or Top 50 and you are being Seated in the tournament if you cannot move a step forward, of course you would drop Or sometimes you don't drop sometimes you might even gain. So it's a little bit complicated And also if you don't play a tournament at all, of course, you would drop for sure If you're not going for tournament, maybe two or three of course you would drop so That's it. What are your plans for for this year? You know, are you have tournaments lined up that you would like to attend? You're still you know trying to see how you can raise funds to attend these tournaments What are your plans for the year? You know, and what's the best way you think you can you can you can? Strategize this year to rise of the rankings Yeah, this year I had a lot of plans this year like I wanted to start with the jamma And I tried to respond for it was difficult. I had to cancel it And also I was supposed to be in Singapore. I had to cancel it also due to my passport Wasn't valid Was aspiring, sorry So also I have a frequent cop coming up in Kenya. So we have a lot of tournament line up and also I Have another thing I'm planning also for Myself and for the people in my community. I have a foundation wish I am using to to help the children in my Community to Bring all these children together to play table tennis because it's a very beautiful game And I want to create awareness. I don't want the game to end with me in my community after Looking at what I have to do and all the plans I had this year All the thing I'm planning this year to play tournament we have african games coming up and also All these things requires a lot of money, you know You can't just have plans at the end of the day. You don't have phone to execute them So we have a lot of tournaments this year. We have pro tours african cop african championship We even have my jillian tournament coming up in june. So all this tournament I will really ask the The sport ministry, of course, I know they have a lot of sport to To cater for And also, I know they can't do it all alone. So it's is to be To be better for private sectors to join force and to try to have All right in african. Well of young we need to take a breather. We tune on as we uh, you know We've been told that we have another guest guest joining us john anywhere. I hope I got that correctly He's a sports analyst john if you can hear me. Thank you so much for being part of the breakfast this morning All right, then so quickly thank you. I can hear you. All right. So I mean Today nigeria will be playing guinea bissau for that african qualifiers your thoughts exactly So far if you look at the table where you know for group a we're already Six points ahead of orders in that particular group and do you think if you look at you know Anticidents over time we've actually played guinea bissau a 2-0 to that one What do you expect for this game? And do you think that the lineup is quite impressive? And do you see us, you know taking it home? Okay, you're looking at the game against guinea bissau today Honestly to be honest with you. I think it's going to be a very great game for nigeria And also is an advantage that we're playing it at the machine at the last stage. I mean i've moved out so I expect the players to do very well But uh regarding our recent form You know since our our coach Joseph Rosario took over it has been there's been an up and down moment with the national team And most recently there's no more of a down moment We know that when he took over we we had 100% records in terms of our group stage performances at the afghan at the afghan qualifiers, but after that all jiria and portugal we all lost those games and we lost in Such a difficult fashion. So it's been a very very very Down moment for the national team. But going into today's game. I expect it to be a very very interesting encounter We know the way the guinea bissau comes in. We know that they seem to like to rely So much on Uh, but we know uh the the strength at which we possess in terms of our fire power going forward We have the most informed striker in world at the moment in terms of our victor cement We have alec. He will be there has been doing very well forever from this season We also have to crazy who was nominated just for uh the player of the month at the alligua He has been doing fantastically well for his national team side and this time forget we have ademola newtman as well. So our fire Going forward in terms of our offensive power We are very good. We should have enough to defeat this group. My only problem My only doubt is our defense our defense has been subsequently so far. It has not been something to be relied upon, you know, we we've seen uh, although we have players like palvin basi We have players that they've been doing pretty well for their national team for their club size this season But it has been there's been a really it has been a part of the national team that has been very very difficult for us to um Get a hold of but I expect the march today to be a very very interesting I expect us to get the victory and uh, the players also need to know that if they get a victory today in abuja And also if they get a victory in the return leg to a monday that automatically gives us a qualification To the to the competition at uh, i'm at kodeva next year. So I expect this game to be a walkover, honestly We expect the game to be a walkover Um The ghanians yesterday almost Lost dropped two points at home against angola. Um, somewhat argue that It's it's it's too Close, you know looking at the part of the teams are just coming back together for the first time after the walkup qualifiers Uh, and then the friendly march is it for the walk up And maybe it's too early to tell how much they can gel You know for it to be a walkover. So are you not being too optimistic? You know and that's someone number two Yeah, okay. Get going. Please go on Yeah, I don't think I would be so optimistic. Um, I look at the current group of players that we have at our disposal Yes, just a posterior has a lot to do in terms of winning the Nigerian fans over Because so far i'm not saying the uh, the friendly march is which we played after our qualifiers our first to qualify to qualifying game Was we nothing to write home about but Here's group of players that played together for a long time And uh, if you look at the current players that we brought home to the squad this turn around Especially in terms of our tasks. We have players that are on form not just for uh, the their club size But I also we also have ocemen who is also one of the leading those players in these african qualifiers So I expect this team Knowing fully well that they need to put on a performance for Nigerians and they need to steal the game Today and on monday, so I expect it to be the i expect them to go into this game Knowing that they need to be full throttle. They need to Do everything possible to win this game. I looked at the game of the south team I know they are very quality team they do know that they need to get the win today to stand a chance to qualify and uh, looking at the the way they played their first they are a game against Uh, uh, cd alone and also the game against uh, south homie. Yes, they are inside that are very difficult To to play against but I also expect the Nigerian factor and also the home advantage factor to to walk to Nigeria table Yeah, yeah, but but would you also take out the fact that some of these players like victor simon? this persons play for you know The international club if you want to say they don't just play so You also hear some persons say hey, you need to preserve those legs for You know the club no injuries and over time we see that the performance outside of the Nigerian club Is always on top of the nut So do you think that this play is like you have mentioned would give in 100? Especially when they also have their interest on the other side and of course a take home. You can't even compare I expect them. Well, that's enough for the players Judging through the the past interviews victor simon granted to the media in the last few days He seems to be it seems very optimistic to perform for Nigeria He knows to replicate that club From to the national team level whether he'll be able to do that We don't know who has to see and watch him play it by 5 p.m. But I think these players They know that they have to prove to Nigerians that they are ready That they've forgotten about everything that happened last year regarding the qualifiers for the the walk-up and missing out on the walk-up They they know that they need to prove to Nigerians that we are ready We know we know what we have to do We know the job we have to do and we are ready to put on a show for you Nigerian Nigeria is a very passionate country when it comes to football and the players I'm sure they know Right now they know they know that if they if they don't give that all Nigerians are going to scrutinize them And I'm sure I'm very very sure that the the performers that we've seen from our four players Especially the ones in Europe that the way the way they have been performing this past this past few months in Europe I expect them to replicate that same form With the national team All right, John. Thank you. We have to go but Afiong is still standing by so Afiong is she still there? Yeah, yeah, okay. Okay, Afiong a final word from you to Corporate Nigeria, you know for those who are listening who are On top of the corporate world in this country regarding yourself and your colleagues. That's very short, please All right, it seems we have Okay, a final word from you to the the business community in Nigeria You talked about the fact that yourself and your colleagues have needs as far as Attaining tournaments is concerned. So what are you? What's your message to the corporate? establishments in Nigeria With them to join their entity f and also their ministry to see how support the sport We have a lot of talent in Nigeria. All we need is some support from Private sectors and also the ministry because the entity f has an injury to the tennis federation. They can't do it on their own Like I said, the ministry also have a lot of sports. They won't focus on table tennis So if we have this private sector, I think the game will move and the players will be able to have the opportunity to Go around and to improve their their game in the game table tennis So I would like to play with them to come and support table tennis for their future All right. All right. Of your them and John and Noah. Thank you so much for your time Pleasure having you both on the breakfast Thank you so much. I appreciate Well, we have to go mess is being a very very Interesting week as far as activities in the country and indeed on the breakfast I can send a week look forward coming your way again next week. Don't be mercy Don't be mercy. Definitely. Thank you so much. We appreciate you. We'll be joining the newsroom at nine o'clock For the news brief, please. We ask that you still be told us It's also fair to follow us on facebook twitter and instagram to be part of our conversation in case you missed out on any part of it We're also on youtube at plus tv africa and plus tv africa lifestyle My name is messia book will have a great morning. My name is kofi bartels. Good morning