The Nation Newspaper

Category: Ade Ojeikere

  • As the Premier League opens

    THE noisemakers (fans from various clubs across Europe) are back. Families are poised to be ‘divided’ along different club lines for 90 minutes. Fathers pitched against sons, with the former condescending to listening to their kids and ready to accept their jokes in defeat. Wives are happy again. They prepare the delicacies the family likes. They are happy to have everybody at the table. The 90 minutes of fun filled and family bonding are out of this world, as some European commentators aptly describe incredible goals scored during matches.

    The biggest introduction to the Barclays English Premier League this season is the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), which will validate some of the decisions which the human eyes cannot capture due to the speed of the ball. With VAR in the Premier League, there will be more disallowed goals. So players should be aware that they will still receive a yellow card for an ‘’illegal’’ celebration, such as removing the shirt, even if the goal is disallowed. Dear EPL organisers, the fans need to be educated on the changes to avert fracas at match venues.

    For many soccer faithful, watching matches is akin to going to worship. It is jigsaw that was on the sidelines when the league ended last June. The faithful are the ones who throng matches and follow their clubs religiously, irrespective of where the games are held. They roar when their teams are doing well. They sulk when things go awry and sometimes offer suggestions to their clubs’ managements. Other times, some of these fans could be naughty, flying posters and raising flags suggesting the exit of certain players, coaches or even managements, who in their view are the cogs in the clubs’ wheel of progress.

    But without the fans, the game will be dead as symbolised in some of the matches played without spectators, whose clubs infringed on the laws of the game. Indeed, the fans have brought untold hardship to others, with the urchins and roughnecks among them taking the law into their hands. We have some fans whose racist chants at players, coaches, officials etc have brought the game to disrepute. Thankfully, the CCTV fished them out for punishment.

    Today’s article isn’t meant to discuss the flaws of the game. The focus will be on those things that make the game a spectacle to behold. The most glamorous European game began on Friday with one of the promoted sides from the Coca-Cola English Championships, Norwich, slugging it out against the current UEFA Champions League winners, Liverpool FC, at Anfield. Liverpool secured 97 points from 38 matches last season, losing only one game to the eventual Barclays English Premier League winner, Manchester City.

    Interestingly, both teams (Manchester City and Liverpool) met at Wembley last Sunday in the season’s opener, with the Citizens walking away with the Community Shield via the penalty shootout, after a regulation time 1-1 result. It was a befitting dress rehearsal for the game after a two  months hiatus, not forgetting the thrills, frills, joy of victory and agony of defeat that will be experienced over the next nine months.

    Will Manchester City and Liverpool continue their rat race at the top as they did  last season, where the leadership position changed for 34 times, including the last week in the 38-match format? Manchester City won the title on the last day with 98 points to show how enthralling the season was. The two teams are poised to continue the drama, although other clubs such as Wolves,  Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal, may give them a good fight for the title, if they get their acts together.

    Read Also: Salah, Mane up for Premier League player award

    Manchester City begin their title defence with an away tie in London against West Ham, a match which most pundits will give to the Citizens, given their pedigree and head-to-head encounters between both teams. But football is like biscuits. No one knows where it will crack, especially when one considers the fact that the Hammers’ tactician, Manuel Luis Pellegrini Ripamonti, once handled the Citizens, only to be replaced by Pep Guardiola. On 14 June 2013, Pellegrini was appointed manager of Manchester City. He won the Football League Cup and the Premier League in his first season as manager, becoming the first manager from outside Europe to manage an English Premier League title winner.

    Things haven’t been easy for Pellegrini with the Hammers losing to Manchester City 4-0 on November 24 last year. The Citizens hit the Hammers 4-0 at home in the return leg tie on February 27.

    Liverpool’s opening fixture at Anfield on Friday offered the right platform for Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane to begin their goal chase, knowing that goal monger Kun Aguero will strive to convert the goal-scoring chances that will come his way today in London against West Ham. Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will be eager to score against Newcastle in one of the two Sunday games. Aubameyang, Sallah and Mane tied on 22 goals each to share the top scorer’s award for last season. Salah topped with 31 goals two seasons ago.

    Rafa Benitez’s exit leaves Newcastle lame in terms of depth, with many Magpies fans doubting the tactical savvy of their new manager placed against Benitez, who now manages Chinese side Dalian Yifang – he could return to the EPL, since that is where his colleagues operate in Europe. In fact, bookmakers have made Newcastle the first team to be relegated, based on the manager’s record in the elite class, coupled with the fact the Magpies lost their top scorer Perez to Leicester City in the transfer window, a move that would render the team’s attack impotent.

    Interestingly, the news broke on Wednesday that Arsenal rejected a £30 million offer from Everton for Nigeria international Alex Iwobi. Gunners are willing to trade off Iwobi, if they get over £40 million. Curiously, Iwobi is favourably disposed to leaving his boyhood club as he believes he may have to struggle to get regular playing time. Iwobi is home-grown and provides versatility across the frontline in a squad that will once again compete in four competitions next season.

    “I am not one to chicken out. I have had it all over the years, being told I’m not good enough. So whenever the chance comes, I always try and prove I should be starting. Obviously, my joy is to play soccer, not just sit out. If it comes to that, I would have no choice but to leave. But I would always put up a fight to play – that is what I’ve done all my life,” he said.

    A last-minute effort from Everton for Iwobi was successful  as the Nigerian underwent medicals in Liverpool, two hours after the transfer deadline lapsed at 5pm Thursday.

    But the biggest game for the first week of the Barclays English Premier League holds on Sunday at Old Trafford between Manchester United and Chelsea, two teams that have won the title in the past, although things have changed for them in terms of the quality of players and the stature of coaches. In Manchester United’s heydays, they had the King of the dugout, Sir Alex Ferguson. Chelsea had a long list of achieving coaches, with Jose Mourinho standing out as the most controversial.

    On Sunday, Ferguson’s ‘’Baby Face Assassin’’ Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has the daunting task of ensuring that Mourinho’s protégé Frank Lampard doesn’t steal the Red Devils’ thunder at Old Trafford. Incidentally, Ferguson will be sitting at the stands for the game. Solskjaer would have compared notes with his mentor armed with the tips to dislodge Chelsea with goals at dusk on Sunday.

    Lampard is handicapped, with the exit of Eden Hazard and David Luiz, two former Chelsea players who helped the Blues on such days when rivals showcase their talents to admiring fans at home and at the stands.

    Romelu Lukaku broke Red Devils’ fans’ hearts when he tumbled out of the Manchester United exit door, with Inter Milan completing a £72million deal, including £12m in bonuses, for the forward on deadline day for English clubs.

    He incurred the wrath of another Manchester United legend, Gary Neville who described Lukaku’s last-minute exit as: ‘‘But the idea of a player being overweight for me is unforgivable. You can play badly, miss shots on goal, hit a bad cross or give goals away as they’re mistakes in football but you can’t be overweight.

    ‘‘You can’t go out on a Friday night and drink alcohol – there are things that you’re in control of. These two lads [Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, fellow United greats who also own 10 per cent of Salford] played until they were 38 and 40 and played for 25 years at the top, winning numerous titles. There’s no excuse for not being fit. We were never overweight, not fit or not prepared. How can you be overweight!?’’

    Will Red Devils miss Lukaku? Will a distraught Paul Pogba give his all for United like he did in the past, knowing that he would have wished he was playing for Real Madrid? Will Chelsea miss Hazard and Luiz? Or will Kante and William stand up and be counted with a blockbuster performance at old Trafford on Sunday?

    This is certainly the first week, with only one game played at Anfield. Yet, Manchester United fans look poised to launch a revolt against the club’s Executive Vice Chairman Ed Woodward (remember his brush with Mourinho over players’ recruitment last year) over his poor handling of the recruitment this season. The fans have vented their anger by getting #WoodwardOut trending on Twitter.

     

  • AFCON 2019: A post mortem

    NIGERIA lost her best and easily the simplest opportunity to lift the Africa Cup of Nations’ title penultimate Friday in Egypt. Nigeria would have been the Mecca of European scouts and managers, if Super Eagles players didn’t think through their pockets. This shameful attribute by our players has become our banana peel because no conscious attempt has been made to either punish the culprits or shun them. I won’t be surprised if the players want to compel the country to pay them a substantial part of the $2 million meant for third-place winners at the Africa Cup of Nations. Who owns the money? Players or Nigeria?

    Getting huge winning bonuses and other camping entitlements, the players should simply shut their eyes to the $2 million, except if it is specifically stated that the team should be given a certain percentage of the prize.

    Our players don’t forget such things, most times stoked by fifth columnists seeking relevance. The argument that an athlete’s sporting life is limited seems valid, yet, athletes don’t make money representing their countries. Representing one’s country opens new horizons. It follows, therefore, that players should be excited playing for this country when invited. They should stay out, honourably, if they feel dissatisfied.

    The Algerians, winners of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, were beatable only if the Super Eagles players were willing to play the socks wet like the Senegalese did, even though they lost. The Senegalese were not so skilful; they lacked many technical players, unlike the Eagles, who had all these attributes but chose the mercantile option, only to look confused during the third-place presentation. As the players mounted the podium for pictures with the dummy prize, you could see that they were in a trance, knowing rather late that they flunked it, when they could have written their names in gold. Had the Eagles brought home the trophy, Nigeria would have been in a carnival mood, with governors and deep pockets struggling to outdo one another with gifts and cash.

    Read Also: UPDATED: AFCON 2019: Super Eagles fall to Algeria

    I delayed writing on Nigeria’s performance in Egypt because I wanted to know what the winners and runners-up would be paid for their efforts. I almost beat the gun to write the article, when I read that nobody at the Presidency was ready to celebrate another ‘’golden’’ bronze medal, like we did in the past, under governments which condoned indiscipline.

    Eagles’ refusal to attend a pre-match press conference poured odium on the country. Even if they had wanted to protest, they could still with one of them accompanying the coach to the pre-match conference. Only fools won’t ask questions seeing Rohr unaccompanied to the press session, unlike their opponents who came with their coach and one player. When such a show of shame happened in South Africa, President Olusegun Obasanjo used his native intelligence in getting the truth by pulling aside some of the girls into the inner recess of Aso Rock, where they sang like kenari bird, exposing those who instigated them to misbehave.

    The Senegalese government gave each Teranga Lion $34,000 for their runners-up performance, after losing 1-0 to eventual winners of the title, Algeria. In the seven matches leading to the finals, the Senegalese got $17,000 each for all the games. They are not entitled any part of the $2.5 million prize for finishing second in the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The cash belongs to the federation, not the players.

    It is true that no two countries can be same. But our players should know that after getting over $75,000 each for our seven matches, inclusive of their third-place game, they shouldn’t create any scene anywhere in the world, before and during competitions. Players who have issues with the federation from previous competitions should be asked to stay.

  • Eagles should raise their game

    Soccer is very exciting, especially when your team is winning. Not many can stand the twists and turns associated with watching matches, largely because of the emotion they attach to their teams. People may differ in the choice of clubs they support, but the rank of supporters swell when it comes to support for national teams – Consider Nigeria, where everyone is a coach.

    This all-knowing trait of Nigerian soccer fans makes it very difficult for Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pick coaches for our national teams, particularly the Super Eagles. Eagles’ coaches are subjected to all manner of scrutiny, which invariably affects the composition of the team, which are condemned to win every game. But this isn’t where our soccer differs from others.

    The intrigues arising from needless power tussle between NFF chiefs and Sports ministers polarise the players, officials and coaches. Every game becomes a gamble, with the players getting jittery. What motivates the players is cash. If it isn’t coming, events of the past are brought to the fore. We are specialists in creating crisis, knowing that hurriedly provided cash aren’t accounted for, especially if the team wins the trophy.

    So, what happened in Alexandria before the Madagascar game wasn’t new. Our players were simply living up to their distasteful reputation. It was a familiar script, with Nigeria losing the game – humble pie for them, if they really care. Can the players change? No, I dare say. Not with the kind of structures in our sports, where the minister dictates how things should be done without having the cognate know-how for the industry. Had funds been released early, perhaps, we would have watched some scintillating soccer from our boys instead of the convulsive outings.

    Eighty per cent of a soccer side’s ability to win matches rests with the players’ mentality, physical fitness and their willingness to play according to the manager’s pre-match plans. The manager’s theatrics on the sidelines count for nothing, if the players are needlessly defensive. No team wins games when players lack the initiative to score goals.

    So, when a team loses a game, it becomes baffling how the coaches carry the can, not the players. Yet, when the team win, the players are applauded, leaving the coaches in the lurch. Have the  players have no role in the defeat as much as they do in victory? Super Eagles have been uninspiring in all their games – forget how they fought to beat Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions.

    The players’ nervy display from the opening game against Burundi and even the hypertensive 1-0 victory over Guinea raised questions about the technical savvy of the manager, Gernot Rohr. Rohr had his flaws in both games but our players ought to have raised their game. Eagles’ soulless displays against Madagascar confirms the players’ absence from their European sides’ squad.

    Goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, has been a jelly fish. He has not inspired the players. He appears lost in our matches, except that he was lucky not to have conceded a goal in our first two games. Not many have recovered from the near howler Akpeyi would have committed against Burundi, if the Burundian  striker had been  prolific. Arguments about Akpeyi’s replacement are divided, with the poor display by goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who was in awe as the Madagascar striker left him sprawling on the turf, having snatched the ball off the feet of a wobbly Leon Balogun. Ezenwa was awful in the way he responded to Madagascar’s second goal. He set the defensive wall to ward off the ball. Rather than cover the remaining part of the goalpost, Ezenwa stood behind the wall. Unfortunately, the ball deflected on the wall and ricocheted into the net. If Ezenwa had been there, the defected ball would have either been pushed away or caught by him.

    With the players having plenty cash in Egypt, many would have thought that they will give their best. Only a few of them have done so. The statistics confirm their sluggishness, so much so that we had 38 per cent possession to South Africa’s 62. It is easy to say that it is good to play ugly football and win than the one in which fans get full value for their money, with the losing team being the better side.  With a fumbling goalkeeper such as Akpeyi, the players should dominate our matches. It is the only way to win with wide margins, irrespective of the opponents.

    It should dawn on our players that as they progress in the competition, certain players, such as Odion Ighalo, Ahmed Musa, Alex Iwobi and Oghenekaro Etebo, will be marked. In fact, teams playing against Nigeria in Egypt will be racking their brains to see how they can short-circuit Wilfred Ndidi’s domineering presence in our midfield. Ndidi is easily Nigeria’s best player in the tournament.

    Our defenders are clay-footed; tackle late and hardly jump from set-pieces. Such flaws create panicky moments in our defence. Perhaps, Rohr needs to play a defender in front of the defensive pair of Kenneth Omeruo and Troost Ekong. Our defenders should be taught how to anticipate passes instead of laying back for the opposition to launch its onslaught.

    Rohr should emphasise shooting from the distance. This was missing in our four matches. If we play against a team with equally talented and exposed midfielders as ours, we will be in trouble because our attacking options will be pegged back a bit. If we play against Algeria, it will be a battle royale between Ndidi and Mahrez, former team mates at Leicester, even though the latter now plays for Manchester City. Will Rohr mark out Mahrez? Sunday will tell when both countries play for the ticket of the final game, which is slated to hold on July 19.

    Eagles’ flank defenders are tentative in their offensive onslaughts, leaving gaps behind when they lose the ball. They should be instructed to finish off their moves with good penetrating passes or they should be challenged to belt home the ball beyond the goalkeeper, if they can sight him. So far, Ekong and Omeruo have stuck like glue in the central defence. Our flank players upfront should be directed to track back after any unsuccessful attacking foray.

    One isn’t surprised that Ighalo and Musa are carrying injury knocks as a result of crunchy tackles from the South Africans. Ighalo spent time with the doctors treating the knock on his calf. Musa has issues with his adductor. As for Awaziem, the brutal tackle from the bullish Bafana Bafana defender on his ankle was unsportsmanlike. But the Bafana Bafana defender, surprisingly didn’t get  the red card from the Moroccan referee.

    But Rohr is optimistic that the trio will be fit for the semi-finals clash. After all, Awaziem continued the game against Bafana Bafana, having been treated on the sidelines by the doctors.

    “We have a very young team and we tried to play very good football,” Rohr told journalists in a post-match conference in Cairo Thursday morning.

    “We changed our game a little bit with two left-footed players coming in. One of them, Chukwueze, was even the man of the match and the other one, Jamilu Collins, played very well on the left side position. We are happy because it was in this wonderful stadium. We know that Egypt is a little bit sad and disappointed, but I hope that we can give them good football to play and in a spectacular way.”

    Rohr expressed caution regarding the feeling back home in Nigeria that the Eagles are now good for the title after they muscled their way into the last four.

    “I hope so, but we must win the semi-final first before dreaming of winning the cup. It will be a tough game against Algeria.

    “Our target was to go get to the semi-final stage because we are number three in Africa so we have to be in this position also to be on that level. But it was so difficult because the game was very close.

    “We had to wait until the last minute to score a second goal. We didn’t score the second goal in the first half but in the second half; we were punished. We are looking forward to the next game and are very happy about this victory.

    “It was not easy to pull out two players from the winning team against Cameroon,” he added.

    “I decided to do that even though it was a risk, but I think in a team we need a left-footed player, but against Cameroon, we didn’t have. It was logical to start the game with Chukwueze. I took a risk to start with Collins because it was his first game after his injury a day before our first game with Burundi.

    “He told me he was fit and he did a good job against Percy Tau. The loss to Madagascar was our joker. We could lose it because we had already qualified for the next round.“

    The Algerians won’t be cheap meat for the Nigerians. They don’t look like the team to last beyond 90 minutes, given the way they struggled against Cote d’ Ivoire on Thursday night. Had the Ivoriens converted the goal-scoring chances they created, the Algerians would have been home sulking.

    The Algerians were bullied by the stronger Ivoriens; they have issues dealing with crunchy tackle. But, are the Eagles hard tacklers? Not at all. The Nigerians like the flair style of play. They may be curtailed from showboating by the Franco-German tactician, who prefers the direct approach during matches.

    One thing is sure, the Nigerians know that victory on Sunday over Algeria guarantees them the final ticket and a place in history – if they win the trophy on July 19. Good luck, Super Eagles. Up Nigeria!

  • Humble pie for Eagles

    I’m not a seer.  But, I always strive to look dispassionately at trends in our sports. My submissions most times are spot on. At other times, they go haywire;  I’m only human. Only our Creator is infallible. It is, however, easy to predict what is possible with the Super Eagles, especially when there is a needless tussle between the Sports Minister and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).. Why ministers stoop to hijack the functions of a lower-body still beats pundits hollow. I feel strongly that if the government can remove the NFF – and other sports bodies – from the ministry, football will blossom.

    Ministers sustain their meddlesomeness in football administration because we are experts in looking at problems from their effects instead of identifying the causes. These ministers hide under the obnoxious Decree 101 to ensure that our soccer totters, putting their primary assignment of developing sports generally in abeyance. Other sports are in limbo while football, which should serve as the pivot to lift others financially ,is perpetually enmeshed in crises subtly sponsored by idle ministers seeking to annex the NFF for selfish reasons.

    Appoint a minister today, next week, he visits the NFF.  An itinerary, which are to visit players in Europe, irrespective of what happens in the domestic league is drawn up. Thereafter,  the minister confronts the NFF, insisting on knowing how government’s cash is spent. Not done, he despatches letters to FIFA – with fifth columnists suggesting visits to Zurich –  to find out if the global soccer body could compel the federation to tell the government how FIFA cash should be accounted for.

    But such information is available on FIFA website at the press of the computer buttons. In the ministers’ entourage are former NFF members and those seeking to be members, having lost in the last elections. Why ministers fall into this trap remains a mystery. One of such ministers was caught on camera sitting down like a palace chief . He is watching as the Super Falcons players kneel down to count cash due to them. Is the minister saying that the ministry doesn’t have accounts department staff for this? What has happened to the bank transfer system? Is anyone, therefore, shocked that  Super Falcons have the temerity to hold the country hostage all the time?

    Ministers start their romance with the players during the qualification series, by lampooning the NFF chiefs publicly, if they err in the eyes of the minister. Did I hear you ask where the ministers and the players meet? No prize for getting it right. Our ministers are so busy that they always accompany the team to all trips no matter how inconsequential such matches are. We have witnessed instances where a minister caused a scene outside the country simply because NFF chiefs were not around to receive him. Such scenes where the ministers assert their powers, invariably, diminish the NFF men’s authority . With time, the players know where the authority lies, even as indiscipline sets in.

    What our players dare not do in their European clubs, they do with swagger here, knowing that they have a chummy relationship with the ministers, who don’t flinch in reversing decisions taken by the NFF. This minister/Eagles’ stars’ relationship got to a ridiculous level ahead of the France ’98 World Cup, where key players were junketing around the country and Europe in presidential jets, while other countries were in training.

    Things started going awry for the Eagles in France when a certain minister directed the NFA, as it was then known to sack Phillipe Troussier, even when he got us the ticket for the Mundial, with a game to spare. Troussier’s sack arose from complaints from key players of the Atlanta 96 gold winning team who lost their places in the ‘’White Witch Doctor’s’’ 3-5-2 tactical formation. For that minister, it didn’t matter if the Olympic gold medallists lost their form or were injured. All that Nigeria needed to win the World Cup was to appear in France and announce to others that they were the defending Olympic Games winners, take a bow and the referee will signal the end of the game. Really! What about the defending champions, Brazil , what would they do? They won’t just come to France.

    With Troussier out, the players chose who they wanted to such an extent that even before the first ball was kicked, we knew certain players (permit me not to mention them) won’t kick the ball. Why we left them in the squad underscores how powerless the NFA men were before the players. This indiscipline got to a head when players insisted that they be paid $15,000 up front before the round of 16 game against Denmark, which ended in a 4-1 trouncing in favour of the Danes. In France, the then minister had to return to Nigeria for funds; the dark goggled Head of State, the late Sani Abacha, died shortly before the Mundial began.

    We learned no lessons from the 1998 misadventure, hence the fiasco in 2002. In fact, matters got to a head that players were ready to exchange blows with ministry officials. The coaches and players were at daggers drawn against the ministry chiefs, who insisted on dealing with the team directly and not through a ‘’corrupt’’ NFA. Had Nigeria gone to the Japan/Korea 2002 World Cup with the players we had then, we would have done well.

    The ministry tigers tore the squad apart under the guise of instilling discipline, leaving the veteran coach deployed to take charge of the team in a precarious position in Japan/Korea. Some of the banned players were our best. The Mundial in Asia threw up Osaze Odemwingie, Vincent Enyeama, Femi Opabunmi and Julius Aghahowa. Nigeria would have done better, if Austin Okocha had played with some of the absentees, such as Sunday Oliseh, Finidi George et al. Taribo West, sarcastically described the Eagles squad to Asia as ‘’junk.’’ -Whatever that meant. The ministers and the ministry chiefs render NFF men otiose, hence the difficulty in  instilling discipline. If these three groups just forget their interest, football will be the best for it.

    The intrigues of 2002 dovetailed into the new NFF and remained unabated until we failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup held in Germany. The 2010 World Cup wasn’t any different; in fact it was worse. The coach who secured the World Cup ticket, like in 2002, wasn’t allowed to handle the team at the Mundial in South Africa. In fact, the contraption called Presidential Task Force, in like other crises times took charge. So ridiculous was it that at the Mundial in South Africa, Nigeria had two presidential committees. Laughable, isn’t it? Don’t ask me about the NFF chiefs, who were hounded to face the court. These NFF men are free today, but the trauma of that exercise, especially spending Christmas and New year in Kuje Prison, contributed largely to the death of one of them (Ma soro ju).

    Since 1994, every minister has visited FIFA’s headquarters, asking the same questions to underscore how busy they are. We wasted two World Cup appearances in 2014 (Brazil) and 2018 (Russia), bickering over leadership at the Glasshouse, leaving undone the task of assembling a good team for the future. Isn’t it striking that it is only in football that we are talking about a decree as an instrument to govern the game? Ministers who should be worried about this development and call for its change, would rather it stays for them to have unhindered intervention in how the game is governed. But for the FIFA Statutes, we would have been changing NFF personnel faster than light.

    No one is shocked by the Eagles’ refusal to attend the press conference before the game against Guinea. Our players don’t enjoy peaceful settings in camp. They enjoy rocking the boat to show their importance. Such instances when there is a crisis in camp increases the cash they take home. When they are not crying about the quality of jerseys, they are rejecting hotels or are insisting on sitting with the authorities to decide what they will earn in the latter stages of the competition.

    Rather than call their bluff, we stoop to get them to play on their terms, which most times are ridiculous, compared to what other countries pay their players in the same competition. Nigeria is the only country where the President talks to the players to boost their morale. This writer won’t blame the NFF chiefs who bend over backwards to get the President to speak with them. Such gestures lessen the tension in the camp.

    Unfortunately, this set of players overstepped their welcome with their protest, even after speaking with the President before the opening game against Burundi. The President is said to have assured them that he had signed all their requests. If the players couldn’t believe Mr President, who then can they trust?

    We should stop this show of shame by our footballers. Our players ought to apologise to the nation for their disgraceful action despite Mr. President’s assurance.

    This writer is tempted to suggest a code of conduct for the players, but won’t because they are adults. Instead, the ring leaders should be eased out. Manager Gernot Rohr should live in Nigeria, where he can watch the domestic game to pick younger players.

    Enough of this nonsense from our footballers (both sexes) playing overseas. Nigeria won’t cease to be a sovereign nation if we don’t participate in soccer competitions.

     

     

     

     

  • Mercenaries or Patriots?

    THE African game is on display with interesting results, drama, nail-biting misses in front of goalkeepers, intelligent goals like the one scored by Nigeria’s striker Odion Ighalo against Burundi and a lot of exciting moments. We have seen very tight matches. We have seen teams with little pedigree in the competition defend as if their lives depend on a particular game. Some of the highly defensive sides have learned the hard lesson that you don’t win any sport with a defensive mentality.

    Namibians wept after the last-minute own goal they conceded against the aggressive Moroccans who watched in awe as their goal-bound moves struck their opponents bodies, the cross bar, the upright of the goalpost, without sailing into the net. Mother luck was not with the Moroccans but they persisted until the Namibians’ own goal. The other interesting game of note was the end-to-end onslaughts from the Guineans and one of the debutants, Madagascar resulting in a deserving 2-2 draw, much to the relief of Nigerians, players, officials and supporters of the Super Eagles.

    The stadia hosting the matches of the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt can compete with anyone in the world. But the fans have shown seeming apathy to matches not involving the hosts, although pundits have argued that when the chips are down at the Round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals, crowd pulling nations, such as Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia. These countries have their nationals who throng venues when they have games as seen in their groups.

    However, there are sad occurrences before the competition, which raised posers about some of the players, especially those who ply their trade in Europe. Many argued that if these players had grievances with their federations, they should have declined the request to play for their countries. Holding the country to ransom through football federation chiefs smacks of blackmail. The players get what they want from the government and not the administrators. In other words, the fault isn’t the administrators’ but the government’s.

    Piecemeal settlement, such as what the Cameroonian players got before heading to Egypt, isn’t the solution. The players would have sought audience with the President to set a template that would resolve the crisis.

    Indeed, the players’ complaints predate this present FECAFOOT; it is a systemic problem which shouldn’t have been blamed on those who didn’t create it. The players who refused to board the aircraft should learn from their colleagues, such as Matip of Liverpool who retired from playing for the Indomitable Lions before the Russia 2018 World Cup.

    When players behave this way, the shame is on the country, making the Matip formula the best for dissenting ones. As defending champions, the Indomitable Lions ought to have hit Egypt with pomp and ceremony. The issues in the players’ ultimatum are not different from those which forced Matip out. It follows, therefore that those who went with such anomaly to the Russia 2018 World Cup ought to have emulated the Liverpool defender, rather than making the country the laughing stock.

    The difference between the Lions and the Super Eagles is that the former’s demands are familiar. Pundits are hoping that it doesn’t reoccur. The Eagles ought to have believed the federation’s chiefs, having told Nigerians that they trusted them based on previous competitions. Most times when Nigerian teams protest, such shameful acts are orchestrated by people with destructive interests, those who think that the federation is cheating them.

    The players should be told that without Nigeria, nobody would have known them. When some of them have visa issues and work permit difficulties, they use Nigeria’s matches and letters from the NFF to enhance their chances of getting such vital documents. One good turn deserves another.

    What our players don’t consider when they protest is the relationship they have with key NFF chiefs, who bend over backwards to assist them in off-field matters. In fact, the current players have repeatedly commended this federation for improving on their welfare. They are unanimous in stating the differences in the team since the new dispensation.

    Pundits wonder how the federation’s first mistake could dovetail into a crisis, given what the players said in the past. They didn’t need to boycott a pre-match press conference. They should have known that their absence from that mandatory exercise would elicit questions from the media. Nigerians appear to be burdened by the barracks mentality, occasioned by the long jackboot era in our polity.

    The nominated player ought to have gone for the press conference, leaving the other 22 players to deliberate on their next line of action. This writer isn’t amused when the team’s chief coach and top officials give the impression that they were helpless in the situation. It puts a lie to their purported ability to instill discipline in the team. It smacks of insensitivity if the players always need the Presidency to rush cash to them at competition venues, before rejecting the administrators’ pleas for patience.

    The popular thinking is that the Presidency should consider this incident when choosing the next Sports minister, who should not be cantankerous like the immediate past holder of the seat. Followers of the sport would recall the recent brickbats between the beret man (even when he was out of office) and the federation on this matter. He predicted this protest on grounds that the NFF didn’t include the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in the ministry’s budget. Which of the budgets; 2018 or 2019? What did he do to correct the anomaly, since the buck stops on his table?

    Having not qualified for two consecutive AFCONs, the federation should have kept its gunpowder dry for this edition. Of course, the NFF would have hinged its source of entering AFCON in the emergency budget, having qualified. But the beret man should have urged the federation to provide for it and then defend it.

    Sports can’t thrive in Nigeria with fiscal budgets. We need to adopt the system used by others. We will save ourselves this needless shame if we adopt the format where the cash for every competition we want to attend is provided four or two years before the next edition.

    In 1989, Clemens Westerhof checkmated the players’ mutiny by dropping some big boys for the game against Cameroon in Yaoundé. Nigeria lost 1-0, but new players were discovered, although one of them, Alloy Agu, was stretchered off the pitch. Nigeria prosecuted the Algiers 90 Africa Cup of Nations with rookies from the domestic league. Eagles lost the opening game 5-1 to Algeria, but qualified for the final game against the same country, losing 1-0. Westerhof began the revolution that changed the face of our game, using the carrot and stick method to instil discipline, edging out unruly players.

    In 1998, a players’ revolt caused Nigeria the quarter-finals clash against Brazil as our players insisted that they be paid $15,000 upfront, which they got before the game against Denmark. The Danes whacked Nigeria 4-1 in the Round of 16 game at the France’98 World Cup.

    In 2013, our players refused to board the chartered jet provided by FIFA for countries participating in the Confederations Cup held in Brazil. Our players stayed back in Windhoek, Namibia, with the coaches and accompanying officials standing aloof. Nigeria didn’t do well in the tournament, winning only one game.

    At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, our players refused to train before the Round of 16 game against France, until they were paid all their outstanding allowances. The Nation and Sportinglife broke the story. I recall how the Editor kept asking if I was sure of the report. It sounded quite preposterous. He used the story, relying on my pedigree on the job.

    The government responded by sending $3.8 million cash to Brazil to avert the international disgrace, a day before the game. Rather than keep the cash, which was in their possession, till after the game. The players, coaches and officials chose to share the $3.8 million all through the night. The exercise ended about 8am match day. Of course, France beat Nigeria 2-0.

    What was the hurry in sharing the money? Did the players know that France would beat Nigeria? Wouldn’t they have collected more cash if they beat the French and qualify for the quarter-finals, for the first time in the country’s annals in the competition? Were the players playing the World Cup for cash or to put Nigeria at the top echelon of world soccer, like it happened in 1994 in our debut appearance at the Mundial in the US?

    These protests have caught up with a junior team and the women football, making us the laughing stock. Those who blame the federation should appreciate the difficulty in funding 16 national teams, beginning with the U-15 teams, male and female, ditto U-17, U-20, U-23, CHAN Eagles, Super Falcons and Super Eagles. Perhaps, the NFF and the government should review the number of competitions which we participate in. But the problem is that these stages are interwoven.

    Beginning with the U-15 cadre till the Super Eagles for boys and Super Falcons for the girls, it is a developmental scheme.

  • Fly Super Eagles Fly

    Welcome to Africa, the continent of possibilities. The continent with the largest number of footballers yearly heading to Europe, America and the Diaspora for greener pastures. On the dusty streets that litter the continent, young lads kick the ball. They model their game after their favourite stars. It’s quite a compelling sight watching Blues Angels FC kids, for instance, playing with aliases like Pele, Maradona, Ronaldo, Henry, Hazard et al even when such a combination don’t exist in club football or at the international level.

    Most times the kids turn out for the game in bare feet, with some wearing stuffed stockings for boots to distinguish them from the upstarts. It is the cheapest game to run here, yet it attracts the largest followership anywhere.

    In fact, the world waits with bated breath as the biggest soccer event in Africa takes the centre stage. For the next 28 days, football lovers will be glued to their television sets to see Africans who shone like a million stars with their European clubs showcase their talents with their national teams. European clubs’ scouts will be in Egypt, taking notes of new players who will accompany them back to Europe to be nurtured and exposed to the biggest stage in the game.

    The European scouts, however, will have to look at rookies from countries in the 32nd Africa Cup of Nations, such as Burundi, Madagascar, Mauritania, Guinea Bissau, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Benin since the players in the bigger countries are stuck with long term contracts, even those whose contracts are coming to an end, already know what to expect from their clubs.

    This large collection of seeming ‘minor’ countries in Egypt is a reflection of how well the game has grown in Africa, although many pundits have ascribed the dawn of rookies to the new 24-team format. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear – there will be new talents to celebrate at dusk on July 19 when the eventual winners of the 32nd edition of the Cup of Nations emerge.

    Debutants, such as Alex Iwobi feel strongly  that Nigeria’s matches will be like wars. Iwobi is magical dribbler Austin Jay Jay Okocha’s nephew, but he insists that his dribbling skills aren’t necessarily from his uncle. He, however, acknowledges that his uncle influenced his decision to play football.

    Iwobi said that: “Everyone is always going to say that on paper that we should go through, that we should qualify with ease, but we know it’s not going to be easy. Every team is in there to try and do their best, to try and win. It’s going to be almost like a war. It’s going to be a serious battle and fight. Every game is going to be really competitive.”

    The 23-year old, when asked of Eagles chances in the competition, said: “We haven’t really discussed that as a team and we haven’t really put or point what we want to achieve, we all have this idea that we want to win and bring back the trophy. We are confident and working hard hopefully, we can do not just our self proud but the nation as well.”

    “Even though it’s their first, they will come with a lot to prove, to show everyone why they had the chance to get into the Africa Cup of Nations,” he said.

    The Super Eagles reached Alexandria on Monday ahead of the tournament which, began on Friday, 21 June. They will begin their campaign on June 22 against Burundi.

    When the Super Eagles media team asked Alex Iwobi of his ‘’nutmeg skills’’, he replied: I’ll like to take ownership for this one. Okocha, my uncle, has got the skills but nutmeg, I’ll say this is my own ownership.

    ‘’It is something that just comes along. I don’t go into games thinking I am going to nutmeg someone; it just happens instinctively. Sometimes the easiest way for me to get past an opponent. I have been given the title, I

    can’t let my people down.”

    Great things on Iwobi’s mind for Nigeria, which would invariably rub off on the Super Eagles. Nigeria’s first game on June 22 is against Burundi amidst talk of virus invading the camp leaving in its wake many of our top stars nursing various ailments. But, words from the camp on Wednesday poured cold water on the illness claim alleging that what struck the camp was a flu which left both players and officials blowing their nostrils. Such rebuttals are often taking with the pinch of salt.

    It may be difficult to pinpoint one big player in Burundi, but they could become a banana peel if our players underrate them. With a transfer value of our players put at N78 billion, it will amount to one of the socks of the competition on June 22, if Burundi beats Nigeria in Group B’s opening game.

    At the qualifiers, Eagles’ greatest weapons were strikers, with Odion Ighalo being the highest goal scorer. However, the team’s attacking onslaught has been questionable. perhaps due to Ighalo’s injury, although there are promising young strikers such as Chukwueze, Osimhen, Onwuachu and Henry Onyekuru. Eagles’ last four matches saw the striker scoring just a goal, which isn’t commendable. Ironically, the defence, which was suspect at the qualifiers is rock-solid, although with some slips which will be corrected now that the defensive pairings have been playing together. This has enhanced the understanding between the defenders.

    No team wins matches without goals. Gernot Rohr should know that Ighalo, Chukwueze and Onyekuru will be marked. Rohr should play the strikers that are fit. He should not field those who shone in the past or because they are the highest goal scorer(s) in the qualifiers. Chukwueze, Onyekuru, Osimhen and Onwuachu did well with their clubs. They should be considered head of Ighalo, given the superiority of the European leagues over the Chinese, with due respect to the country’s league and Ighalo’s pedigree. Any team pitched against Nigeria will quiver a bit, if they see Ighalo on the bench. Eagles could exploit Ighalo’s experience if he mandates him to watch the game and see the loophole before introducing him in the course of matches.

    Pundits will only believe Rohr’s mantra of parading a younger Nigerian side in Egypt by fielding the boys, not relying on experienced stars. John Mikel Obi’s return to the team will propel the Eagles’ attacking onslaughts since he knows what to do with the ball.

    Mikel’s strength lies in his ability to win balls and spray defence-splitting passes. Our strikers should endeavour to free themselves from their markers to get the ball. That is the only way the passes from the midfield can get to them. Hiding behind defenders isn’t the hallmark of great strikers, such as Cristiano Ronaldo.

    Rohr’s formations of 3-5-2 and 4-3-3 are quite commendable as they help our players with pace to outrun their markers when the passes are provided. It appears the strikers should be told to take scoring chances, which will not come in torrents.

    Our players should be selfless during games. Balls should be given to the freest player to score goals. What counts are goals by teams, not missed chances or how well losing teams play. A midfield quartet of Mikel, Oghenekaro Etebo, Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi, if fit, would be a handful for teams to contend with.

    Ahmed Musa, and two other strikers should convert the chances they create in today’s game against Burundi. Beating Burundi with as many goals as possible would send jitters round the other match venues that the Nigerians are in Egypt not for fun. Personal achievements don’t win trophies, but collective play efforts and understanding among the players do.

    Nigeria’s fixtures are the best any team could wish for. The opening game against Burundi and the last against Madagascar, given the teams’ pedigree against the Eagles, should give Rohr the leverage to parade his strongest side against Guinea, knowing that two victories over Burundi and Guinea will fetch Nigeria the Group B qualification ticket. If this happens, the Madagascar tie will just be the icing on the cake and a platform for other players to have a feel of the competition.

    Rohr will be happy he has fixed the team’s defence. But he will have no problem with the central defence, if Leon Balogun is fit. Rohr prefers the defensive pair of Balogun and Troost Ekong. He appears uncomfortable with pairing Kenneth Omeruo with either Balogun or Ekong.

    It is good to know that Daniel Akpeyi is the first choice goalkeeper. What gives pundits hope is that Francis Uzoho can easily replace Akpeyi if he falters like he normally does under pressure. Uzoho kept the goal for Nigeria at the 2018 Russia 2018 World Cup, where he gained confidence with every game. Ikechukwu Ezenwa could also fit the bill, making pundits a little bit relaxed ahead of today’s game, unlike before the world Cup opener against Croatia, which we lost 2-0.

    It is unfair for our players to think that Nigeria will be ranked underdogs in Africa. Most of our players have distinguished themselves with big European clubs, culminating in a net total value of N78 billion.

    “If anybody says the tournament will be easy, it is a lie because it is going to be tough; it is going to be hot but I believe in the team we have; we have all it takes to do well at the AFCON,” Ighalo told the NFF media.

    “Nigeria has a good team that can play in the semi-final and the final. As I said, we will not get carried away.

    “We have a team that can even win the trophy if we work hard and if we give everything we have on the pitch, not saying had I known later. We have all it takes to win it but let’s just start with the first game, to the quarter-finals, semis, then we will see how it goes.”

    “Anything I do in life, I like people to take me as an underdog because I like to surprise people and I like to take people unaware; that’s for me as a person,” he added.

    “If they are taking us [underdog], it is very good because it won’t give the team more pressure. When the team has more pressure of winning this and that, that’s when you will start thinking of the final when you have not even played the first game.”

  • That Abiola’s honour will not be in vain

    The good news had been long in coming. In other climes, anyone with the stature of this great man would have been celebrated with such a facility built to host the 2003 All Africa Games held in Abuja. Renaming the Abuja National Stadium after Abiola is the elixir the industry needs for growth. Hosting international competitions inside the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja will evoke memories of a great contributor to the industry.

    Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola’s contributions to sports in Africa was unquantifiable. His love for sports was unmatched. He gave in cash and kind to all the sports. He remains the only Nigerian to have run three soccer teams (Concord FC, Lagos, ITT Football Club, Lagos and Abiola Babes FC, Abeokuta) simultaneously.

    The late MKO Abiola’s presence at any competition meant bonanza to the athletes, officials and anyone associated with Nigerian contingents. Abiola’s greatest contributions to sportsmen and women beyond the cash was his penchant for giving them scholarships to acquire education. He didn’t restrict his scholarship schemes to Nigerians. Everyone benefited.

    Abiola was an extraordinary philanthropist. No wonder he was conferred with the award, “First Pillar of Sports in Africa” in 1980. He was also a recipient of the CAF Merit Award in Gold” at the General Assembly in January 1992 in Dakar, Senegal.  Naming the stadium after him is a honour well deserved. He was the chairman of the then Presidential Monitoring Committee that conceptualised the construction of a large-capacity and all-covered sports arena in Abuja in the early 1990s when Nigeria was struggling to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

    The then Sports minister, Steven Akiga, described the stadium as a world class, ultra-modern sports facility. He said three foreign firms —German, French and Chinese —built the stadium. Initial cost estimate was about $300m. But, after several delays in construction, that figure was revised far upwards.  

    Now that the stadium has been given its rightful name, the government should direct the Sports ministry to immediately repair the decrepit premises.  The government should budget good cash to the renovation of the MKO Abiola Stadium, such that the place can host all our international sporting events, especially soccer.

    Government should reopen negotiations with the builders to begin the repairs. Besides, they should groom people who can take over from them after their maintenance contract is over. The stadium was left to rot because we refused o get the builders to train people on how to keep the premises and facilities in good conditions.

    It is quite shameful that a structure that cost the government over $ 300 million to construct was left in such a dilapidating condition, with every minister making a sermon of it without doing anything significant to repair it. The stadium’s football pitch is laughable, looking like a grazing field for cattle.

    When the repair is done, the place should never be used for political rallies, musical concerts and parade grounds for national events, but for sporting activities. During sporting events, vehicles should never be driven or parked on the pitch. The tartan tracks should be re-laid with top quality materials which should also be routinely checked to patch torn portions.

    MKO Abiola Stadium can be remodelled to look like such great stadia as Luzhniki Stadium, Maracana, Soccer City, Olympiastadion, Yokohama Int’l Stadium, Stade de France, Rose Bowl, Stadio Olimpico, Estadio Azteca and Estadio Santiago. Who says the stadium cannot host Olympic Games, World Cup, Commonwealth Games, if the government provides the security guarantee and financial backing, which are expected for such competitions?

     

    Can these Eagles fly?

    No team list is perfect for football crazy nations such as Nigeria. Fixations rule the minds of critics, such that when certain players are dropped, the coaches need to explain their decisions. Of course, coaches don’t want to lose matches; they like to win like the fans. They also have a lot to gain from leading their teams to glory. Human beings are prone to errors, which make the subtle protestation from critics unavoidable, even if they count for nothing at the end of the day.

    Indeed, every Nigerian is a soccer expert, irrespective of the fact that they don’t have coaching certificates. Being ardent followers of the game qualifies them to appraise coaching decisions, ahead of major competitions. But, the coaches pick the players. The buck stops on their tables. If their game plans work, good for Nigeria. Otherwise, they carry the can – sack.

    Interestingly, every list throws up posers which seem to challenge certain decisions taken by the coaches. Many question the exclusion of some players, especially when the reasons for their exclusion are akin to what has kept others in the team. Two cases come to mind – Kelechi Iheanacho’s and Leon Balogun’s. Whereas many pundits feel that Iheanacho deserves being dropped for sitting on the Leicester City bench, they don’t see anything wrong with the inclusion of Leon Balogun, who saw most of Brighton City’s games from the stands, unlike Iheanacho who came in as a substitute in some matches and started others.

    Some pundits attribute Balogun’s long absence from Brighton’s matches to injuries; they tagged as injury-prone. In fact, many journalists who were in Asaba last week won’t forget how Balogun lampooned them for daring to ask why he is injury-prone. This writer isn’t insinuating that Balogun will sustain any injury in Egypt. The yardstick for dropping Iheanacho was his inactivity at Leicester. So, Rohr, the man who sits at the stands or watches games from home is more of a regular than the man on the bench? Interesting.

    Balogun made just eight appearances in the premier league last season, starting just five in his debut season following his move from Bundesliga outfit Mainz 05. While Iheanacho made 30 appearances, nine of which were from the starting line-up. Balogun struggled to break the defensive pairing Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk – centre back without big reputation in world football and without World Cup experience like the Nigerian.

    Iheanacho’s case at Leicester City was different as he was up against Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki for the striker’s role at the club. Both players were part of the historic title winning side for the Foxes and the coaches were bound to be loyal to them. However, Iheanacho rose above the Japanese in the pecking order and only ranked behind Vardy, an English boy and a fan favourite. Okazaki has since being put on the transfer list. Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers insists Iheanacho must stay at the club.

    “Yes he is (part of my plans), “ Rodgers told Leicester Mercury. “He’s just had his first season adapting to a new club. Then when you’re playing or challenging one of the best strikers in the league, it’s difficult.

    “Kel will come back into pre-season, have a really good pre-season, gain more confidence, work hard and hopefully come out of that with a renewed motivation to show his qualities.”

    Francis Uzoho is in Egypt with just three league club appearances. If goalkeeping becomes a problem, one hopes that others can remedy the situation. In February 2019, the Deportivo de La Coruña goalkeeper moved on loan to Cypriot club Anorthosis Famagusta in the search for more first-team football in the run-up to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

    After making his debut for the club, his health certificate became a cause for concern. Anorthosis Famagusta lost 9 points; they appealed. The club’s appeal was rejected, although Uzoho’s appeal against his personal penalty of a one-match ban and €1,000 fine was successful.

    Since his return, Uzoho has played behind Demetris Demetriou and Ivan Vargiæ with 20 and 10 appearances. So, why is the 20-year-old still Rohr’s number one, if the German’s selection was strictly on current form? Or is the criteria for Iheanacho different?

    Iheanacho  didn’t have a splendid season this year. But playing in one of the biggest leagues in the world places him ahead of those in novelty leagues, such as China, with due respect. It is sickening to accept that an injured Odion Ighalo  was picked for the strikers’ role, leaving Iheanacho. Equally laughable is the thought that Ighalo represents the future of the game here ahead of Iheanacho.

    Ighalo did not play well at the Russia 2019 World Cup. Yet, Rohr stuck with him all through our games. Ighalo is the highest goal-scorer in the qualifiers, but his lack of fitness shouldn’t rate him higher than Iheanacho. We have  good, young players who lack the experience of the African game, which is robust, fast and energy sapping.

    Rohr needs to establish known indices for picking his players reminiscent of what Clemens Westerhor did when he was in charge. He told everyone who wasn’t playing for elite teams in Europe to forget about playing for Nigeria. That order propelled our players to give their best at all times. Many joined bigger clubs while playing for Nigeria. This benchmark improved the team’s quality of play. And Nigeria was better off for it.

     

    Madness at Agege Stadium

     

    The organisers of the domestic game lost the best chance to persuade television station’s owners to key into the country’s football Monday evening when urchins invaded the pitch in their quest to beat up match referees. Sadly, the Kano Pillars’ player who masterminded the show of shame, Ali, is a tested player who played for the country.

    Why Ali chose to confront the centre referee, Adebimpe Quadri from Lagos State immediately after the game still baffles everyone, especially as the game was a draw – 1-1. But, going by Kano Pillars’ fans complaints, they were nursing a grudge against Quadri  over the way he handled last year’s Aiteo Cup finals inside the late Stephen Keshi Stadium in Asaba, where Enugu Rangers recovered from the three goals deficit in the first half to beat the Kano side, having drawn the game 3-3. Rangers eventually won 4-2 on penalties after 120 minutes.

    It is good to know that Ali has been banned for 12 matches. Kano Pillars fined N8 million. The decision to bar their fans in Kano from watching Pillars at three home matches is heart warming. We hope that these sanctions are not reduced on spurious grounds. What the characters did on that day was shameful and a bad testimonial for the game.

     

     

     

  • The European game

    What a week of contrasting scenarios. One cup final (UEFA Champions League) between two English teams, Liverpool FC and Tottenham Hotspurs. The other was a sham, not for the game, but for those who organised the final match between Wydad FC of Morocco and Esperance FC of Tunisia in Tunis . It was a return leg tie. The first leg had ended 1-1 at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, with the Moroccans needing an away win to become champions.

    The build-up to the 2018/2019 UEFA Champions League final was educative in terms of the facts reeled out daily in the media – what to expect before, during and after the game from the organisers and other logistics to ensure a smooth event. Things worked out perfectly because there were rehearsals, but no one thought of the invasion of the stripper. She came almost nude. The security people within the stadium handled that tactfully and the game ran its course.

    The best referees were picked. The centre referee’s decisions were spot on, especially the first minute penalty call against Tottenham’s Sissoko, who unwittingly stretched his hands to pass instructions, only for Sadio Mane to lift the ball towards his outstretched right hand.

    There were a few discordant voices from Tottenham players, forcing the centre referee to consult the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), using his handset. VAR ruled it was a penalty. Egyptian star Mohammed Salah stepped forward and struck the ball powerfully into the net for Liverpool’s first goal.

    The referees didn’t need the services of VAR to make their decisions for the second goal, which came off a goalmouth melee, with the ball pushed towards a lurking Origi to bury into the net with a left footer. Those who feared the antics of the English fans went home in peace. No incidents. The trophy presentation was colourful. Medals were enough. No confusion between officials and players or coaches.

    The players had fun, dancing on the podium. They took turns to take photographs of the momentous time. The winners spotted their family members and took pictures with them. It was a herculean task consoling the losers . Many of them wept. The beauty of sports came to the fore when some Liverpool players walked up to their counterparts in Tottenham to console them. Liverpool lost last year’s finals 3-1 to Real Madrid. So, they knew how it felt losing in a cup finals.

    Unfortunately, the African version of the Champions League was a sad testimonial for  the game, given the exploits of African players in European leagues. Need I waste space to list them? Our players have grown in geometric progression, but the officials are static, making the continent a laughing stock like it happened last Saturday.

    Esperance took the lead in the 41st minute through Mohamed Belaili, but the match was disrupted after the Moroccans refused to continue the game, claiming that their equaliser was a good goal. The Moroccans walked off the pitch, following referee Bakary Gassama’s refusal to review Walid El Karti’s disallowed strike for Wydad in the 58th minute. It was all at the Stade Olympique de Rades.

    The issues here are simple – only the referee has the right to signal for goals scored, not the players or their officials. Football rules are clear that on no account should a game be discontinued on such frivolous grounds. Rather, teams are allowed to lodge their protests which will be looked into after the game.

    We have seen good goals wrongly disallowed, with the referees admitting their mistakes later. Yet the game continued and such referees got punished by the organisers. Teams which suffered from such referees’ ineptitude lost the games but made their points. The Moroccans were desperate to get a good result, having drawn the first leg at home. They, however, shouldn’t have allowed their desperation to affect the beautiful game.

    The world awaits Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) chieftains to set the sanctions for the Moroccans (Wydad Casablanca) for this disgusting show. The players ignored pleas from CAF’s president Ahmad Ahmad to continue the game, even after wasting two hours sitting on the turf. The Tunisians were rightly awarded the game and declared champions.

    Something struck this writer in the course of getting the reports of the game when it was revealed that CAF didn’t provide a functional VAR at the match venue? Perhaps, the Moroccans wanted to get VAR’s interpretation on the disallowed goal. Hmmm! The game had been on before the advent of VAR. If the referee was sure of his decision, the Moroccans are condemned to accept his call, especially in the absence of VAR.

    Khalil El shamam, captain of Esperance, told @beINSPORTS_MENA after the match: “The referee had told us before the game there were problems with the VAR, but Wydad’s captain did not understand the language of the referee.”

    No excuse for Wydad’s unsportsmanlike attitude. It is also laughable because the official language in CAF, UEFA and FIFA is French and English. If the referee was communicating with the teams, he would have used both. Besides, modern communication gadgets make language difficulties less worrisome. The Wydad captain is culpable; if he didn’t understand what the referee said, he ought to have indicated such and would have been further debriefed.

    Sadly, CAF has ruled that the Esperance FC vs Wydad FC game be replayed, citing problems with the VAR system. Is that why CAF wants the game replayed? Pity. What if Esperance refuses to honour the game, insisting that the trophy had been given to them? Isn’t it shameful that CAF wants to conduct two trophy presentations? What if Wydad wins this replay? It means one trophy per week. This is disgraceful, dear CAF.

    According to Morocco World News, quoting television channel Arriyadia, ‘’the game will take place in South Africa.’’ ‘’The executive committee is considering if the Rades Stadium in Tunisia should be suspended as a consequence of the foul play from one of its referees in combination with the VAR being out-of-order during crucial moments of the match.

    ‘’There might also be a fine for Esperance and the Tunisian Football Federation (FTF). FTF requested that the match be scheduled after CAN 2019 in Egypt. That request has allegedly been denied.

    ‘’After a football scandal that Wydad Athletic Club chairman, Said Naciri, deemed a ‘total shame for African football’, CAF had convened an emergency meeting in Paris to examine the unprecedented controversies between Tunisian Esperance and WAC.

    ‘’The scandal was caused when the VAR was said to not be functioning when it was necessary to review critical moments of the match. By not having the VAR in functioning order, prior to the match, the referee allegedly breached several rules of the game, costing WAC the goal which would have tied the CAF Champions League 2018/2019,’’ CAF said.

    Very interesting, CAF chieftains. So when the VAR malfunctions in the course of the game, the results can be faulted? Did Khalil El shamam, captain of Esperance, not say that the referee told them that there won’t be a VAR system before the game started? So, which report should we believe? CAF should offer better reasons for this replay.

    Some informed sports gurus have responded to the laughable replay decision, raising posers which many hope will compel the soccer ruling body to have a rethink.

    Barrister Sam Ahmedu, a basketball guru, wonders how CAF arrived at its decision. He said: ‘’No, I disagree on this. Morocco had a chance to play before their fans and so why deny the Tunisians that same right. It was CAF’S duty to ensure all equipment needed, including VAR, was provided. Was there crowd violence? Did the Tunisians provide the referee and Match Commissioner? Were the Tunisians to write the match report? Deciding in Paris without inviting both teams to argue their case is against all tenets of fairness. This decision cannot stand the test of fairness at all. The match can be replayed but at a neutral venue, haba?  I am not surprised anyway. I do believe there are extraneous factors propelling this subterfuge.’’

    Indeed, what will CAF do if Esperance FC’s players come to the field,  take the ball and allow Wydad do everything? They will only restart the game when Wydad scores a goal. Will CAF chiefs stop the game? What will CAF’s men do, if Esperance plays along only to boycott the game minutes before it begins? The embarrassing scenarios are there for CAF chiefs to decipher.

    But, like Ahmedu said, CAF’s men should have allowed all the parties to defend their decisions for fairness. What the soccer body has done isn’t for the good of the game – the FIFA mantra.

    Flying Eagles’ misadventure

    The Flying Eagles’ campaign at the FIFA U-20 World Cup holding in Poland was abysmal. Many soccer fans were happy with the country’s exit. They were unanimous in tagging the squad the worst ever paraded by Nigeria in the competition’s history.

    Flying Eagles looked confused. The team lacked all the ingredients that make soccer teams exciting to watch. The coach was a major disappointment having picked the worst set of boys, in a country of over 200 million people.

    Flying Eagles has been the feeder team of the Super Eagles. This group isn’t fit for that role because there was nothing to cheer about the boys. There was no outstanding player. The few who flapped to deceive were not consistent. Going to Poland, for Nigeria, was a misadventure. It is heartening that no player from this group will be considered for the Super Eagles. that is not enough. The coaches should not be considered for future national team assignments until they have shown proof of undergoing refresher courses. So much for mediocrity.

  • In sports administration, no cheers

    It is a new dawn in Nigeria with the return of President Muhammadu Buhari for his second term. The President showed keen interest in the country’s participation in competitions in his first term. He spared time to talk with the athletes before key games. He rewarded winners and approved stipends for those who didn’t win. The President showed remarkable understanding of the dynamics of the industry. He resolved the intrigues associated with various facets of the games much to the consternation of the departing minister. Need I remind the President that everything stops temporarily when our sports ambassadors are engaged in tournaments?

    However, Nigeria would have gained more from sporting events if the President had appointed a damn good minister for this sector. The last minister did his best, but it wasn’t good enough (catastrophic to say the least) because of the needless controversies, which crippled the industry. Solomon Dalung hid under the cloak of fighting corruption to make the country a laughing stock. If he had enough evidence indicting sports officials, he ought to have taken them to the EFCC and/or ICPC. Rather than allow these bodies do their jobs, he cried blue murder when those he wanted out remained in office.

    The minister’s penchant for deriding those in the sporting industry as corrupt blocked effective marketing for those who had sporting programmes and competitions, which they thought corporate bodies could finance. These people failed because the few firms willing to do sports business were worried by the consistent cries from the man who should have led them in the marketing of sports brands. Nigeria joined the league of countries who got walked-over for competitions we began the qualification series two to three years ago.

    To avoid such a shameful reputation, the President of the Wrestling Federation, himself an Olympic gold medallist for Canada, even though he is a Nigerian, borrowed money for our wrestlers to attend qualification tournaments, ahead of the All Africa Games and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. It was that bad. The few wrestling tournaments Nigeria hosted or attended arose from the Olympian’s contacts with his state governor and others. In fact, the Rivers State Government has been very helpful to the federations just as Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Lagos and Akwa Ibom states to mention a few.

    In fact, Nigeria attended more tournaments – courtesy of governors’ benevolence, more than government funds. If we rely on governors for survival, how do we hope to host sporting events? Little wonder, government owned facilities are derelict, with the minister unperturbed about them. How does the ministry spend the money budgeted for infrastructure? Every succeeding minister leaves our facilities worse than he met them.

    We are forced to beam our searchlights on Nigeria-born sportsmen and women to represent us in competition, in spite of our  over 200 million population. The ministers shamelessly accept such developments because what counts, in their view, are the laurels won. Needless to ask if they reflect on how these athletes were discovered, nurtured and exposed to competitions, before we come for them flying the kite of patriotism towards their fatherland.

    Most of our ministers have brought us shame, with stories of Nigerian sports contingents sometimes being walked over in competitions due to lack of funds; other times, due to denial of visas. Even the few sports federations which attend competitions do so due to patronage from sports-friendly governors, who incidentally are governors where the federations’ chairmen come from.

    Is it that government doesn’t provide funds for such events, especially where we are defending champions? After all, when we excel, ministers easily ascribe the feats to the government, rushing to the Villa to present the victorious squads to the President. The governors who hosted the events or bankrolled the trips hardly get mentioned. A few brave federation chairmen mention the governors and other sponsors, if they are allowed to speak.

    Several federations are divided, with some having two leaders. Those who supervised the worn-out elections claim they brought change. Indeed.

    Most people can’t understand the reluctance of the past minister to take the IAAF matter to EFCC or ICPC for an incident as glaring as refusing to return $135,000 to the international body. The body mistakenly paid $150,000 into AFN’s accounts instead of $15,000. When the body discovered, it wrote the ministry and AFN. They acknowledged receiving such an amount, yet it hasn’t been refunded. Two years on, Nigeria hasn’t returned the $135,000 to IAAF. If this isn’t corruption, what is it?

    Many are looking forward to reforms that will bolster many facets of the economy, sports inclusive. The sporting industry is a goldmine in countries where it is properly administered. In fact, some of these countries’ GDPs are bolstered by the inputs from the sportsmen and women. The volume of business from sports towers above what some of them earn. Spain’s economy relies heavily on revenues from the activities of, among many others, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia.

    At the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996, Nigeria was a pariah nation – no thanks to the brutal reign of the late General Sani Abacha. But the world stood still in amazement when Chioma Ajunwa outjumped favourite Fiona May to win the gold medal. After the feat, Ajunwa looked around and couldn’t see Nigerian officials with the country’s flag. She spotted a young American girl who was waving a Nigerian flag. Ajunwa quickly ran to her to collect the flag and proceeded on her lap of honour. The world media made a feast of that momentous moment.

    Everything stopped in Georgia when Nigeria’s soccer side overpowered the Brazilians in a historic 4-3 semi-final victory. Dream Team 1 went on to win the gold medal by beating Argentina 3-2 in the final game. The talk in the world at that time was that Nigeria was using sports to change the global perception about us. Something good coming out of Nigeria, beyond the bestial acts of the late Abacha’s regime.

    Nigeria lost the opportunities to leverage on Dream Team 1’s feats, for instance, when the then sports minister refused to allow the team play against Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina etc who wanted a revenge. The minister’s myopic statement that he didn’t want any country to beat the dream team destroyed all avenues of seeking more cash for the football federation.

    Countries with thinking administrators exploit marketing windows to promote their nations through sports. Some of these countries bid to host big sporting events to help revamp their economy. Such bids compel the government to reinvent their cities to be in sync with what operates elsewhere. Until the 1994 World Cup in the USA, soccer was a novelty game which most people couldn’t differentiate from the traditional America football, which was more popular.

    Said Wikipedia: ‘’In 1988, in exchange for FIFA awarding the right to host the 1994 World Cup, U.S. Soccer promised to establish a Division 1 professional soccer league. In 1993, the USSF selected Major League Professional Soccer (the precursor to MLS) as the exclusive Division 1 professional soccer league. Major League Soccer was officially formed in February 1995 as a limited liability company. MLS had originally planned to begin play in 1995 with 12 teams. However, MLS announced in November 1994 that it would delay its launch until 1996 and began with ten teams: Columbus Crew, D.C. United, New England Revolution, NY/NJ MetroStars, Tampa Bay Mutiny, Colorado Rapids, Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wiz, Los Angeles Galaxy, and San Jose Clash.

    ‘’The league had generated some buzz by managing to lure some marquee players from the 1994 World Cup to play in MLS—including U.S. stars such as Alexi Lalas, Tony Meola and Eric Wynalda, and foreign players such as Mexico’s Jorge Campos and Colombia’s Carlos Valderrama. Before its maiden season and inaugural draft, MLS allocated four marquee players across the initial ten teams.’’

    The American government used the 1994 World Cup to rebrand soccer, having already lured retiring soccer stars to their country in the build-up to hosting the USA’94 World Cup. On Monday, America beat Nigeria 2-0 in one of the Poland 2019 U-20 World Cup, which would have been considered a taboo in the past. One of the benefits of hosting the Mundial. Revenue from the 1994 Mundial grew the American economy. The government didn’t stop at hosting the football event, it also hosted the biggest multi-sports event, the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996. The Americans hosted the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles. Need I restate the revenue generated from basketball, athletics, lawn tennis, golf etc to America’s GDP?

    It is part of the government’s obligations to its citizenry to build sporting infrastructures and create the enabling environment for the industry to thrive. Besides, sports can be used to engage the youth, taking them off crime. The masses can do sporting activities to improve their health. Of course, international bodies won’t favour countries not renowned for particular sports to host anything. For these international sports bodies, hosting their tournaments is another way of spreading the game to such countries. It helps such nations to upgrade the facilities that they have to be in sync with what operates globally.

    The World Cup reinvented Russia but the beauty of the two halves of the cities was that money was properly utilised so much so that it won’t come as a surprise if the older structures are not modernised after the Mundial, given the contrasting outlooks of the two halves. In Russia, high-rise buildings are in vogue and symbolise the housing estates for the people. The buildings are structured in such a way that the over 140 million people are accommodated.

    Hosting the 2018 World Cup was a commercial success for Russia, the government and its citizenry as they milked the benefits of a huge influx of people into the country for over 38 days. The average income per capital per head of a Russian must have risen. The citizens’ purchasing power would be increased. The volume of cash and investment which came with hosting the Mundial for the Russian government is unquantifiable. Indeed, all the cities in Russia has become construction sites with massive modernisation of the infrastructures to the benefit of the people.

  • Wanted: New thinking for Sports

    I love my country. I wish the best for her in all spheres. I cringe anytime the national anthem is sung. I share in the dreams of our sports ambassadors, knowing what they pass through to get to competition venues. Let’s not delve so much on the injuries they sustain during such competitions and how many of them are left unattended to until the media highlight their predicament. We owe them a lot when they retire.

    Therefore, when our sports ambassadors insist on determining what they should get, I feel bad because there are better ways of doing such things. I feel ashamed in competition venues when other nationals mock Nigeria over players’ allowances and bonuses, for instance. Such nationals’ brickbats underscore why Nigeria needs a pragmatic sports policy, which transcends any particular administration.

    I recall spending a day in Aso Rock in Abuja during the Goodluck Jonathan administration with eminent Nigerians across all the sectors of the economy, trying to chart the way forward for sports. Whereas the government was serious in its plans for a new dawn, it would shock many to read here that most of the committees’ reports didn’t represent what the members discussed. A few people hijacked the process by getting their lackeys to work on the scripts. Many members complained but their cries fell on deaf ears. No prize for guessing that all that was recommended died on arrival. Same of the same, like one politician once said.

    The session with Jonathan arose from Nigeria’s shambolic outing at the London 2012 Olympic Games, where the country’s contingent left England without a medal. The conveners of the summit kept their men in key areas. They wrote a report which hasn’t reformed the industry. The reforms chose to highlight the need for the re-emergence of the Sports Commission. The submission ensured that those who killed the industry in the sports ministry graduated to be members of the new commission.

    Seven years on, nothing has changed since that summit. Our athletes at the Olympics in Brazil returned without a medal in 2016. Nigeria came home with a bronze from the men’s soccer event. The coach was pilloried by the minister, who later apologised for his conduct. The damage had been done, especially with the shameful manner in which the team left the United States for Brazil, only to win the country’s only medal – a bronze. Sports ministers are the problems of the industry. But this is a topic for another day.

    I reckon that the minister knows better now, and he appreciates the fact that asking our national teams to prepare for competitions outside the country arose from the derelict state of our facilities and to ensure that our ambassadors are not distracted.

    What stands out clearly from our bronze medal feat in the soccer event is that with good planning, our athletes are capable of great things. I expect the minister to have learned a few lessons. He will understand better when told that a team wants to camp in serene places for competitions. It is true that our athletes should be able to train here. But with our derelict facilities, coupled with the recession, it will be cheaper to camp overseas. Did I hear you say how? Most of our good athletes live overseas. It is cheaper for them to reach those camp sites. The federations often plead with them to pay their way to the camp, with a promise to refund what they spent.

    Our sports won’t grow with a fiscal year budget which takes forever to be passed. Sports’ budgets should be a four-year cycle or a two-year document that would foot the bills of a particular competition. For instance, the Olympic Games has a four-year cycle. The government can cultivate corporate bodies to sponsor athletes to the multi-sports event. Corporate firms won’t identify their goods or services with brands which are enmeshed in crises or fraught with sharp practices, especially when such unconfirmed accusations are spearheaded by officials in high places.

    Firms will fight for space if the President leads a fund-raiser ahead of one of the major championships at a dinner. The President would use the dinner to challenge the blue-chip firms to support the industry. He will offer incentives that will further encourage the firms to sponsor sporting events. Elsewhere, sport is financed by the people, not the government. Like they say, government money is cheap and largely unaccounted for, hence those who supervise sports here are not perturbed about the absence of corporate funds in developing the industry.

    The President can on such an occasion name a committee of six knowledgeable and respectable business-minded people to superintend over the cash collected. The composition of the committee will be such that its members are icons in the business community. Nigeria once had that kind of committee, headed by the late MKO Abiola.  Sports thrived. Those were our glorious years.

    The Africa Cup of Nations is a biannual event. Commonwealth Games, World Cup, All Africa Games etc are four-yearly events. These competitions are not for both sexes and broken down into fragments, such as U-13, U-15, U-17, U-20, U-23 and the senior teams. We must not forget the physically-challenged athletes (both sexes) too in the sports road map, which interestingly is populated with world record holders.

    Sadly, many of these physically-challenged athletes are abandoned after winning laurels. It is sickening when those who should take them to the President rationalise that the thank you visits are shifted until when a large ceremony can be held. They are not rewarded, leaving them with the option of returning to the National Stadium Lagos’ gates running bus, Keke Marwa and Danfo shuttles through the Stadium, Barrack, Ojuelegba, Anthony etc bus stops. Only in Nigeria can this kind of thing happen where world champions toil for themselves.

    It hurts reading the story of how a former gold medallist with Canada in wrestling, a Nigerian went to borrow money to enable our wrestlers attend the All Africa Games qualifier. He also used the cash to prosecute the Olympic Games qualification. That’s how demeaning our sports has been dragged with the ministry’s chieftains clueless.

    The Buhari administration should tell Nigerians what its sports policy is for us to know if we can be tagged a sports-loving country or we join the league of smaller nations who attend international sporting competitions to fulfil all righteousness. There must be a human face to some of the stringent measures that this government has placed on expenditure to save the administration from these embarrassing cases.

    Again, the Buhari administration could streamline the priority competitions that our athletes can participate in. But the flipside to this kind of decision is that it would kill such sports as golf, cricket, hockey, volleyball, basketball, swimming, tennis, table tennis, judo, karate, weightlifting, taekwondo, cycling etc. Some of these sports are big money spinners in other countries, such as America, Brazil, China, Germany, Italy and England.

    We pretend as if the dates of the competitions aren’t known at least four years before the tournaments are held. We become the laughing stock when stories of our ill-preparedness for tournaments go viral. The reason is that we have incentive ministers who are ready for everything to crumble at the risk of our integrity and pride. Otherwise, how do you explain our refusal to return International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF’s) $135,000 which the body overpaid the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) for a tournament held two years ago.

    IAAF traditionally gives $15,000 to any country hosting a developmental programme like we did in Asaba. But, in sending the cash online, one of its officials sent $150,000. A sensitive federation ought to have immediately informed IAAF of the huge difference and send the money back. Our officials didn’t contact IAAF despite reminders. A sensitive body, including the sports ministry, ought to have refunded the cash with the new information. Not in Nigeria. It has taken a threat to banish the country form all athletics competitions before our officials met in Abuja on Tuesday to hide their reproach. Good to know that the EFCC has shown interest in this disgraceful act. Enough.

    It is a shame that an athletics power like Nigeria can arrive at a competition venue in the morning and compete later in the day. The contingent travelled for 14 hours, yet we expected a miracle. Of course, the officials cannot be bothered for as long as they are in the European country. Such trips enrich their international passports and give them the opportunity to shop. Little wonder, immigration officials watch in awe anytime a Nigerian contingent returns from a tournament – with trolleys of personal wares and no laurels.

    There cannot be officials without athletes. We need a new sports minister to chart the way forward, devoid of clashes with the NFF, as if the other 29 sports don’t count. Every former minister promised to improve on the state of the National Stadium, Lagos. Yet, the facility is derelict, raising posers over how the Ministry of Sports spends the money earmarked for repairs. Sports City Surulere is Sodom and Gomorrah, where the unthinkable happens, depending on when you visit the place. It hurts to note that the only things that remind anyone of the once famous sports centre is the convergence of alcoholics in all the joints and attendant obscene things that follow.