The Nation Newspaper

Category: Ade Ojeikere

  • Learning from history

    It is looking like a script from a classic film in which the main actor is the last to be killed.
    But this setting isn’t a film, even as the actor has exhausted all the tricks in the books to escape being exposed as one whose word isn’t his bond.

    Many people have sneered at Victor Moses’ absence from Nigeria’s two international friendlies against the Teranga Lions of Senegal and the Stallions of Burkina Faso inside the Barnet FC’s Hive Stadium in England, which was meant to blend the Super Eagles ahead of the crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nation qualifier tie against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in June. Indeed, the Eagles have another titanic clash against our perennial rivals, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in August inside the magnificent Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo.

    Those who have winked at Moses’ new theatrics argue that the scenario recurs when Nigeria has a friendly or away matches. They reckon that Moses, being the soul of the Eagles, ought to play in such build-up games to help the coaches fashion out the right strategies to conquer the South Africans and the Cameroonians later in the year.

    Besides, this school of thought can’t believe that Moses is injured, having seen Chelsea’s last game against Stoke which the Blues won 2-0. Moses played for 70 minutes, with no crunchy tackle from Stoke players. Moses is believed to have followed the path of Eden Hazard, another Chelsea star, who opted out of Belgium’s international friendly, raising the poser of the troublesome club versus country debacle, mostly with European clubs, when they are in contention for trophies.

    Why would any player decide to collude with his European club to dodge his country’s matches, knowing that he is dispensable? Can players not learn from what has become of the club’s stars when they are no longer useful? Sadly, these “escapee” players eventually play for the clubs ten days after missing their country’s games. Medical experts reckon that injuries that could keep a player out of a game would need between seven to 14 days to heal. Even at that, such players have to train to attain match fitness before playing again. Will anyone be surprised if Moses and Hazard play for Chelsea next weekend? It won’t be for the first time, I dare say.

    Soccer followers are peeved by Moses’ stunts and have considered the theatrics of reporting to the camp for Eagles’ doctors to evaluate his injury as an afterthought to escape the vituperations against him in the build-up to Nigeria’s victory over Algeria in one of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers in Uyo, last year.  These soccer analysts opine that several players accept to play for their clubs using pain killers; not for their countries.

    The flipside to this argument is the school of thought which feels that the players would always play for their clubs because they pay their wages. But this submission is selfish because clubs engaged them after watching them play for their countries. What have all the European clubs that our past stars played for done for them since they stopped playing beyond inviting them to play testimonial matches? How many European clubs have come to watch the Nigerian league, for instance, and pick a rookie, who will immediately play for them? Isn’t it embedded in the rule that players must play 75 per cent of their countries’ national team assignments to qualify for work permits, especially in England? Isn’t this the reason many ageing African stars don’t get their deals renewed in the twilight of their career?

    It is true that most countries use and dump their stars, but the bigger picture is that most of them attain the star status playing for their countries. Besides, they are quick to preach patriotism to the younger ones in the twilight of their careers. Need I name players who have turned coat on Nigerian assignments in their later days with European clubs?

    My happiness with Moses is that he has chosen the path of honour by submitting himself for recheck by Eagles’ doctors. The coincidence of always sustaining injuries days to Nigeria’s away games or friendlies is worrisome. It smacks of conspiracy with the European clubs, which I feel strongly isn’t the case with Moses. I will be thrilled if Moses remains in the camp to give moral support to his mates. It also won’t be out of place if he watches both matches.

     Nigerian coaches, I dey laugh o!

     My apologises to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who made I dey laugh o, a lingo. I honestly didn’t want to talk about Nigerian coaches again, since they hate to be told the truth. I’ve been attacked for defending the recruitment of a foreign coach for Nigeria, with many alleging that I’m an agent.

    Who is a football coach in Nigeria? From the records, to become a coach now, you must have played the game. You must have retired unexpectedly due to injury. No one cares if you are a trained coach with requisite qualifications to do the job, as long as you can joggle the ball. With this kind of credentials, it shouldn’t shock anyone if our coaches fail when pitched against renowned coaches elsewhere. They certainly cannot give what they don’t have.

    In the past we had better trained coaches, such as Adegboye Onigbinde, Alabi Aissien, James Peter, Monday Sinclair, Ufere Nwankwo, Bitrus Bewarang, the late Willy Bazuaye, the late Udemezue, and the late Shuaibu Amodu et al. These coaches distinguished themselves handling domestic league sides to win laurels. Their feats ensured that they were elevated to handle the country’s soccer teams across all cadres.

    Many of these coaches were products of the Teachers Training Schools, Colleges of Education, Physical and Health Education Colleges, which trained games masters and mistresses of yore. So, they have a background to their jobs, with cognate knowledge of how to identify, groom and expose talents. Movement up the ranks was done through such coaches’ achievements, not what we have now.

    If we must stem this slide, the League Management Company (LMC), in conjunction with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF, must implement the policy where only certificated coaches are allowed to sit on the bench of any club. LMC and indeed NFF must organise periodic coaching seminars for our coaches to help them improve. This idea of anyone being a club coach must stop. Both bodies must insist on assisting our club representatives to continental competitions because the shame of our current ouster falls on us. How can the abundant talents at the grassroots get lucrative deals with bigger teams in the world, if our clubs can’t qualify for the second round in the continent?

    Besides, LMC and NFF chieftains must monitor all the stages of the domestic league games to ensure that true winners emerge. It speaks a lot about how teams win the domestic league, if in the following season as many as 15 new players are recruited to strengthen such a side.  Commonsense tells me that such a team can’t win games since they need time to blend to play as an indivisible unit. LMC and NFF must discourage our continental ambassadors next year from beefing up their teams with players who have failed with other teams in the past in Africa under the guise of their experience.

    The story of Leicester City of England should guide our club owners in recruiting players. Leicester is still in the UEFA Champions League, in spite of their shambolic Barclays English Premier outings because they kept the bulk of their last season stars. When things went awry for them, they sacked their Italian manager, Claudio Ranieri and promoted his assistant. Leicester are back in the groove, winning all its three games since Ranieri was shown the exit door.

     Unity at last

     Part of the problems of the Super Eagles is unity among the players. It will shock many readers to know that our players don’t communicate with themselves when they are out of national assignments. This writer was miffed when told that two of our players in the same European club were not on speaking terms. The discovery arose when one of them couldn’t provide the telephone numbers of his team mate.

    Ridiculous, you have not heard anything, especially after the late Samuel Okwaraji told journalists that he had to walk towards three members of the Super Eagles “mafia” to ask why they were not passing the ball to him at half-time. The late Okwaraji pointed at his shirt to ask if it was different from what the “mafia men” were wearing. Of course, it wasn’t and the culprits knew so. They changed their minds in the second half and Okwaraji scored a goal for Nigeria. Funny? I don’t think so, because it is common knowledge that members of the country’s most successful Eagles side refused to pass the ball to the late Rashidi Yekini, after his feats. Need I remind you of what transpired in one of the matches?

    So, when the news broke on Tuesday night from the Eagles’ Crown Plaza Hotel camp in England that those in the camp were missing Captain John Mikel Obi, I sighed, knowing that only foreign coaches achieve such feats. I’m a Nigerian, but our local coaches create camps in the team to satisfy their whims and caprices. It is the reason the Eagles totter under their tutelage. You don’t need any seer to tell you all the blocs in the Eagles, which become evident even during training. Our coaches don’t give a hoot.

    I’ve enjoyed watching the clips of the initiation of new Super Eagles players on video from the Crowne Plaza Hotel in London. I laughed watching Ebuehi dance. The way he twisted his waist and rolled his bum showed the impact Nigerian artistes have in the world of entertainment. Initiation ceremonies are meant for bonding. Please don’t remind me about what we passed through at the Government College Ughelli. Just try and drink heavily salted water and make an attempt to whistle. Great GCU, Up Mariners! Keep the ship sailing.

  • Federations’ elections

    Winning any medal at the Olympic Games takes eight years, according to sports science experts. It could be more, depending on the country’s sports policies and calendar. But for some exceptional athletes, it could be less. The pointer here is that winning at such big stages isn’t easy. It requires coordinated planning targeted at the grassroots. In sporting climes, they set out catchment areas to discover athletes when they are young, groom them and expose them to rural competitions before showcasing them to big events, such as the all Africa Games, the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics to challenge and perhaps shock the established stars. This is why countries like Jamaica and America are renowned for the sprints and indeed athletics. It is also the reason the East Africans rule the world in the long distance races.

    Winning laurels at big events is a project structured on workable models used by renowned sports polities. In fact, most of these models are anchored on sports institutes which train the coaches and sports managers. It also provides systems which are adopted by these countries’ teams during competitions. It is the reason we see certain countries play the same way with a few adjustment informed by how the opposition plays.

    Countries such as Australia, America, Britain and recently Jamaica have models which developing countries like ours can adopt, if we truly want to make the industry the business that it is in other climes. Our administrators made so much noise about adopting the Australia model after the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. They were particularly fascinated by the feats achieved by the Australians. Several visits were made to Sydney to study the system. Some Australians came here. Our administrators raised hopes that the National Sports Institute (NIS) will be redesigned with the Australian model in mind. It never happened, largely because of the policy sommersaults.

    After the Atlanta’96 Olympics, the battle for sports facilities took place – again without results. If we exploited the initial bilateral relationship with the Australians in 2000, the NIS would have been upgraded to a university, with our coaches grounded in the rudiments of their trade. Products of the NIS would have been all over our national teams and state squads across the 32 sporting events available in the country.

    With an upgraded NIS, we would have seen the facilities around the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos renovated, since they would be used to train the coaches. A renovated NIS would have helped to attract sporting activities to the Sports City, instead of the piecemeal repair at the swimming pool, which hasn’t been opened after the reconstruction.

    It suits many people for the National Stadium to be in a derelict state, even when we have been told that staggering sums are being spent on the facilities yearly. No price for guessing that a chunk of the figures was used to settle NEPA bills as if the place isn’t still indebted to the electricity company.

    The National Stadium can be a tourist attraction if good managers are allowed to build up the vast land around the place. A gigantic amphitheatre of world standard can house cinemas and provide a platform for renowned musicians to host concerts. Part of the virgin land in Sport City can be used to build world class hospitality centres. It won’t be out of place to build a shopping mall or malls. Revenue from these places could be matchless with good managers.

    The talk of Lagos State Government wanting the place for selfish reasons is laughable. Stadia are leased out to those who need them for as long as they desire, with the original owners still intact. Investors in stadium management create platforms in the place where they hope to recoup their investments.  For instance, many of the big European clubs play their matches on leased stadia, with the original owners known to all. Hiring out stadia is a form of business to generate revenue.

    We must fix the National Stadium if we want to rejuvenate our sports. And it could start in phases, with places like the indoor halls, NIS, boxing gymnasium, medical centres, lawn tennis courts and car parks renovated to bring life to the place. The virgin land around the emergency exits in the stadium can be cleared to allow for the building of some of the aforementioned facilities. It won’t be out of place if the place has a five-star hotel, where our sports ambassadors can use as camping sites. It could still be open to people who need to relax or even live there for as long they like.

    It is sickening to see the unkempt place called the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) building. It is the worst I have seen in the world when compared to what one sees in other countries. Nothing works at the NOC secretariat. The offices are filled with obsolete gadgets, in spite of the fact that the body’s president belongs to several international sporting and engineering bodies. I wonder why he has not considered opening up the place’s horizon to be in sync with what he sees when he travels.

    Sports City’s medical centre makes a mockery of the quality of doctors, pharmacists and others in the place. They are some of best in the profession, but they cannot function at their best under such settings. Upgrading the medical centre to a good hospital will help Nigerians who live around the locality because drugs and other utilities will be cheaper since they will be subsidised by the government.

    How do we expect the sporting federations situated inside the Sports City to perform when those who work there spend quality time killing reptiles, rats, cockroaches and other dangerous animals (no hyperbole) inside the offices.

    One federation that holds a lot for Nigeria in terms of fetching medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is athletics, with Blessing Okagbare as the best prospect. We cannot bank on Okagbare always because of her marital status, although her husband supports her programmes. However, Okagbare hasn’t been able to shine at the Olympics after her bronze medal feat at the Beijing 2008 Olympics. Many athletics purists have hinged her inability to get a medal to exhaustion, arguing that she ought to have dropped one of her events. They argued further that it is only super-humans, such as Carl Lewis of America, who can win the gold medal in the 100 metres finals and the long jump within a space of three hours. They hinged their summation on the fact that both events take a lot from the athletes. This submission makes a lot of sense, if one considers the fact that Okagbare won the bronze medal in long jump in her first Olympics in Beijing, nine years ago.

    Other athletics watchers insist that Nigeria needs to invest in Okagbare like other countries do. People in this school of thought want her welfare, pre-season preparations and coaching outfits to be paid for by the Sports Ministry. I align with this school, knowing what America and Jamaican governments do for their athletes.

    There must be a synergy between the federations and the ministry in planning for the major competitions. From these meetings, ministry chiefs will know those medals prospect and arrange how to get them ready. In athletics, for instance, the government must be prepared to provide cash for them to concentrate on our plans for the big events.

    As professionals, our athletes deserve to earn their living, especially with a country like ours, which uses athletes when they are useful and leave them to their fate when they retire. If athletes can get the equivalent of what they will earn from attending small and big meets, then half of the problem towards winning at least a gold medal for Nigeria is solved.

    For serial circuit runners, such as Okagbare, she will always be invited to meets. And such invitations come with appearance fees close to $20,000 or even more. And if she gets into the semi-finals, she knows what she gets because she also will be chasing points for the season’s ranking.

    Unfortunately, the mill for producing talents here is dead. We no longer have National Sports Festivals, which used to be the breeding ground for talents. Inter-schools competitions are dead. Youth clubs in the rural areas are extinct. The youth are now gamblers. They are seen around gambling centres striving to make the quick bucks. Sports facilities in the rural areas are covered with weeds. Some others have been built up as extra classes in schools. Very few schools have space for recreation. What we have now are schools paying through their noses to hire stadium for their inter house sports.

    In the early 70s at the Government College, Ughelli, the inter-house sports competition hits the crescendo when it is time for inter-school relays for boys and girls. All these things are gone, yet we expect to produce good athletes to represent Nigeria. No way.

     Celebrating Mikel

     I want to celebrate John Mikel Obi over his decision to head for the Chinese League instead of playing for Stoke FC of England, as exclusively revealed to this writer by Mikel’s manager John Ola Shittu. The first lesson from Mikel’s move is that we now know that he is a versatile player, a trait which Jose Mourinho, aka “the Special One”, spotted when he switched the Nigerian from his attacking midfield role to the defensive position.

    Many a pundit has condemned this decision, stating it was chiefly responsible for Mikel’s inability to match Lionel Messi’s feats. Recall that at the U-20 World Cup held in Holland in 2005, Mikel finished closely behind Messi in the award for the best player of the competition. It was quite controversial then.

    Shittu’s decision also to allow Mikel head for China was hinged on the Nigerian’s quest for fresh challenges, which is what he has shown by playing in the central defence position for Tijan Teda FC of China. I hope that Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr is taking note. The Eagles’ central defence and wing backs have been identified as its albatross.

    So, if Mikel can play in the central defence, it leaves Rohr with the best chance of playing Leicester City FC of England’s midfielder Ndidi in Mikel’s central midfield role while he replaces Troost-Ekong, who hasn’t been playing for his European side since December 2016 in the defence.

  • Olympic gold medals please

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) is Nigeria’s biggest political party. Unfortunately it is unregistered. All the intrigues associated with our political parties are embedded in the affairs of the Glasshouse in Abuja. The only difference is that there has been no death or carnage arising from electoral skirmishes. God forbid. Touts have not being recruited to enforce decisions.

    There have been rancour, bitterness and the after-elections’ court cases among contestants are just as it is in politics. The significant difference is the carpet crossing in the sense that those who jump ship after elections don’t need to say it openly. Nor is it expedient on them to inform their power blocs (political parties), since such things don’t exist in football affairs.

    In the larger polity, the rules for elections are enshrined in the Constitution. But for soccer, the extant rules rest with chieftains of the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA). These statutes are such that render countries’ laws otiose in terms of interpretation. FIFA is a society, whose rules are binding on countries willing to participate in its competitions.

    Many people have asked why NFF elections are troublesome. Those who have benefited from the largesse in the Glasshouse don’t ever think it is right to remove them from office. Ironically, they were elected because the previous boards failed to deliver on the promises to make all our soccer team, the platform to export our local players to Europe, Asia and the Diaspora.

    In spite of the brouhaha associated with the NFF elections, soccer earned Nigeria a bronze medal, even with the wahala the Dream Team encountered, starting with their denouncement by the office of the Minister of Sports. 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 sporting facilities and to ensure that our sports ambassadors are not distracted. Those ambassadors are relocated to these countries whose athletes are world beaters.

    Nigeria has joined the league of countries that have won all the medals (gold, silver and bronze) available in a particular team sport. In 1996, Nigeria won the football gold medal. In 2008, we won the silver medal, losing to Argentina in Beijing, with the Argentines happy that they avenged their 3-2 loss to Nigeria in Atlanta in 1996. We clinched the bronze medal in Brazil last year despite all the intrigues associated with the team’s preparations.

    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 the derelict conditions of all our 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 A soccer gold medal is achievable, especially with the uncanny manner in which Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr is luring Nigeria-born players in Europe and the Diaspora to play for their fatherland. Many will emulate others and join the play-for-Nigeria train.

    In sporting countries, attention is paid to the maintenance of facilities, with particular focus on updating them to meet with the prevailing standards, unlike in Nigeria where we watch them rot away. These facilities will remain useful, if those who are running our sporting federations truly know the rudiments of the games.

    Indeed, the Table Tennis Federation has stood out in terms of registering our ping pong players in competitions. With regular attendance of competitions, it is easy for these events to be staged in Nigeria. Such big events ensure that the facilities are upgraded. It also exposes our grassroots players to see how the game is played on the international platform, aside having to watch their idols play.

    It won’t be out of place if chieftains of the Sports Ministry pick table tennis as one of the sports where Nigeria can win gold medals at the 2020 Olympic Games. Segun Toriola, Aruna Quadri, Funke Oshonaike, Babatunde Obisanya, Sunday Eboh, Atanda Musa, Kasali Lasisi, Bose Kaffo, Cecilia Arinye, Olawunmi Majekodunmi (pray where is Majek now?) et al are some of the tennis stars, who have done well for this country. We have a pool of players who can be persuaded to coach the national teams.

    Something is fundamentally wrong with the game here. Our coaches lack the requisite knowledge to match their European and Asian counterparts. There are two sides to help them, such as sending them on training courses or getting the foreign coaches to come here to train our coaches and players. In the short term, there is the urgent need to get one of the best coaches to help Aruna become a World Cup winner. He is so close with his innate abilities. But the finer details of helping him win trophies includes to get him a coach who will sit on the bench to offer him useful tips during his games.

    Aruna is our best bet for the gold medal. We need to repackage his outfit. And such repackaging can be targeted at the corporate world to provide the cash to fund the missing pieces in his game, starting with employing a competent coach. The package should include setting up training camps for him and perhaps the country’s kid stars penned to replace him soon.

    Oshonaike has towed the path of fame with her pet project targeted at producing new table tennis stars. There is no reason why she shouldn’t be in the new Nigeria Table Tennis Federation. Federations need such icons to help the game grow. It says a lot about development of the game if members, such as Oshonaike, visit the corporate world to sell the federation’s programmes. Not a few blue-chip firms will accept to fund the event, no matter how small, using Oshonaike as the signpost for doing it.

    All that the federation needs is to get Oshonaike to highlight the gains of such sponsorship package based on her experiences. It won’t be out of place if Oshonaike becomes a coach. She understands the rudiments and can easily learn from more exposed coaches in Europe and Asia where ping pong is played as a means of livelihood not for mere recreation, which is how our administrators want it to be perpetually.

    Talking about getting Oshonaike to become a coach reminds this writer of the Wrestling Federation president, himself, an Olympic gold medalist for his adopted country then, Canada. Step forward Daniel Igali for your insightful education of the minister before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. I won’t blame the minister for trying to prune the list – in the spirit of the government’s prudent spending.

    But Igali’s argument for the wrestlers to travel with their sparring partners explained why they returned to Nigeria empty handed despite their high rankings at world events prior to the Rio Olympic Games. A little lesson for the minister, only if he remains in office to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

    Ighali has shown examples of how to lead by example. He wrestles with his athletes. He monitors their progress and advises them to change how they wrestle on the big stage. As an Olympian, he is respected by the international body, unlike what we see in federations with directionless leaders and lickspittle members.

    Basketball federation is embattled. I don’t want to delve into its problems. Rather, one would advise that the officials agree on the guidelines for its election. It is the only way to build on the back-to-back Olympic Games’ qualification feats. The current board has achieved a lot. But this shouldn’t be the reason for anyone to perpetuate himself in office with a mandatory two terms. No matter what the board achieves, after two terms, its members should bow out honourably. If there is synergy among the members, they should work towards getting one of them to aspire to being the body’s president.

    Those eager to ease out this board have credible credentials to run the federation and achieve results. But these stakeholders must not allow their ego to destroy a federation they toiled in the past to get to this height.

    It won’t be out of place if a former international becomes the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). This will be in sync with the paradigm shifts in the leadership of international sporting bodies globally.

    Basketball stakeholders will develop interest in the new dawn if such an international played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). I wonder why the basketball giant Akeem Olajuwon hasn’t been cultivated to bring his immense contacts to develop the game here. If the face of Nigeria’s dunking sphere is Olajuwon, the benefit this basketball colossus will bring to our game arising from his clout is enormous. He is a Nigerian even though he made his mark playing in the NBA and for America.

    How much is the NBBF worth? Such questions will be laughable, with Olajuwon, for instance, as the NBBF president. This is the new direction our sports should go – less dependence on the government for cash.

    Can Nigeria win a gold medal in basketball? Tall dream, but a silver medal won’t be beyond our reach, with proper planning and understanding among the stakeholders.

     

  • A word for NFF men

    A new dawn appears in the horizon for the beautiful game here following the ground-breaking decisions on Tuesday in Abuja. At the meeting convened at Sports Minister Solomon Dalung’s instance, issues bothering on whether or not to support the NFF President Amaju Pinnick’s quest to oust the incumbent CAF President Isaah Hayatou in this month’s elections holding in Addis Abba were to be decided. For the records, Hayatou has been in CAF since 1988. If he returns as president, he would have spent 33 years at the helm of African football at the end of a new tenure. And some Nigerians, rightly or wrongly, feel that he should still remain in office.

    They claim that it is sacrilegious for a Nigerian to spearhead the removal of Hayatou, who has done very well for Nigeria, including giving us hosting rights. What a story. Can Hayatou, if he wins again, offer Nigeria the rights to host any competition in this recession? It paid Nigeria more to host competitions because doing so ensured that we upgraded our facilities; we built new ones, which today are derelict. What is wrong if a Nigerian is involved in the change mantra at CAF? It didn’t start with CAF. The fallouts of the sweeping changes at FIFA are spreading to Africa, with many pundits praying that they sweep off the Cameroonian who has spent 29 years in the saddle.

    In their desperation, those in support of Hayatou told us that we stood the chance of being eliminated in the race to the Russia 2018 World Cup, forgetting that Cameroon is in our group and our fiercest opponent. In defeat or victory, Hayatou, a Cameroonian will never support Nigeria against his country. The flipside to this argument is that it portends match-fixing. And I’m sure Hayatou won’t subscribe to it. Besides, World Cup games are not under the umbrella of CAF but FIFA. It follows therefore the choice of who picks match officials is FIFA’s not CAF’s. I still cannot reconcile how losing or winning an election will affect the result of matches that haven’t been played. FIFA, I hope you are noting this despicable trend, if at all it exists in Africa. I digress.

    Prior to this meeting, the division in our soccer polity was clear, with some offering self serving reasons why their man should continue in office. Those rooting for Hayatou argued that we needed to protect the region. They said Hayatou comes from West Africa. But the last time I checked, this was a fallacious claim. In fact, it didn’t occur to this group that we have played several West Africa Football Union (WAFU) competitions without Cameroon or their clubs being involved.

    This has been the way a select few rule –and ruin- our football. They are quick to remind us of FIFA statutes, forgetting that it takes just commonsense to figure out the lie in their submissions. Also, these Hayatou apostles, in their folly, forgot that issues in sports are recorded, such that when lies are told, truth comes from these records. The laughable argument that Hayatou influenced the appointment of the late Orok Oyo to CAF as well as his elevation was easily debunked by erudite scholar Kunle Solaja, whose grasp of historical facts in sports is unmatchable.

    Solaja said: “It is a twist of facts to declare that Issa Hayatou helped Etubom Oyo Orok Oyo to get into CAF and FIFA! For the records, Oyo O. Oyo became a CAF Executive Committee member in 1972 when Hayatou was still an athlete! The revered Nigerian football administrator became a FIFA executive committee member at the CAF General Assembly held at the National Theatre in Lagos in March 1980.

    “That time, Hayatou had not ventured into high profile football administration. It is an irony of fact that Oyo O. Oyo lost his seat in FIFA to Gambia’s Omar Sey at the election that produced Hayatou as CAF president in Casablanca, Morocco. Rather than saying that Hayatou helped Oyo to CAF and FIFA, it is better to say that Hayatou eclipsed Oyo out of FIFA.”

    I don’t know why some Nigerians don’t want Pinnick to unseat Hayatou, even when he is the head of their country’s soccer federation? What is wrong with a Nigerian aspiring to such exalted position, even if it means being in CAF’s viable committee? Who has told them that Pinnick will remove them from their positions in CAF when many of them are in key positions in several NFF bodies? If Pinick considered them good for such offices, why should they be scared?

    But Solaja captures the puzzle this way: “Back to the concerns of the Nigerian members of CAF committees. They alleged in their statement that ‘no Nigerian member of CAF has been consulted nor informed out of courtesy about the ambitions of the NFF President.’ Is that enough reason to discredit him for his views? How did they help Ibrahim Galadima and Aminu Maigari when they contested for similar positions? What then assures that if they had been consulted, they will help Pinnick to achieve success?

    “Recall the events leading to the 2002 FIFA Presidential Elections which Issa Hayatou contested. Because of him, the then FIFA president, Sepp Blatter, who was seeking a second term in office, was denied entry into Nigeria as he came to lobby.

    “Nigeria dangerously aligned with Hayatou, yet Blatter won! Could someone explain the meaning of the statement: ‘We stand dangerously threatened…’ Who are the ‘we’? Is it for fear of losing positions in the various CAF committees that the group must now destabilise the structure of the NFF by causing the Nigerian government through the minister to interfere in a purely football matter?

    I must commend minister for listening to the voice of reason. This is his biggest achievement. It also shows that he is learning fast. It isn’t as if Pinnick’s approach was excellent. Having learnt from the way others fell in their quests for CAF seats, even with the support of those crying wolf, Pinnick chose a hybrid that has resulted in the minister’s intervention. If we must avoid washing our dirty linens in public, the NFF board must today spell out what qualifies anyone to contest for elections into international bodies. This decision must be exhaustively discussed during NFF’s Congress, such that if there are dissenting voices, they would be compelled by the finality of The Congress’ decisions to accept their fate.

    With a population of over 200 million people, Nigeria has men and women with the relevant credentials to aspire into any football office. Must we tear ourselves apart and then give room for countries that have not achieved as much as we have to decide our fate in soccer circles? We should never be the country that rescues international bodies in their difficult times, only to be told ‘wait for your time’ or such spurious claims that ‘you people are not united’ when it comes to contesting elections, like we have now.

    Anyone who gets into any international body’s positions on the platform of the country must be ready to relinquish such positions if he or her tenures lapses. They must be reminded of how they got there. They must again be reminded that they got there by replacing people. It is the only way we can resolve football problems at the designated committees. Sadly, once this rumpus is settled, those who rose against Pinnick will return to take positions, which they feared they would lose.

    If those rooting for Hayatou had the interest of the country at heart, they should have first presented their protest to the NFF Ethics Committee, instead of heading for the minister’s office. Unfortunately, the twist in the tail to this needless controversy is the ban slammed on former CAF Executive member Dr Amos Adamu.

    Love him, hate him, Adamu has landmark achievements in Nigeria. It was quite unfortunate that he fell into the mess that prompted his first ban. Need I waste space to enumerate Adamu’s feats as head of the country’s sports? But it is appropriate to plead with Adamu to stay off the administration of sports here. Otherwise, everything he has laboured for will be destroyed.

    I have chosen to end this article with Adamu’s response to this disturbing news. Adamu told New Telegraph’s Group Sports Editor Adekunle Salami: “This is a conspiracy. The first time I was banned, it was shortly before an election and also now. I am not bothered because I do not need anything from FIFA and CAF. I have paid my dues.”

    “They accused me of sponsoring the Legend Dinner organised by my son in South Africa. Samson is an adult. He read sports management. When he organised Beach Soccer in Lagos, FIFA Secretary General was there and so I don’t know the reason for the whole drama. It is a deliberate attempt against me. Whatever they are up to, I am not worried and I won’t challenge it. I am enjoying myself now because I am in the Seminary. All the fight for power is vanity,” Adamu concluded.

    Well said, Adamu. I hope you keep your words. Thank you for your contributions. Enjoy your retirement.

     THANK YOU, ROHR

    Gernot Rohr has opened a new vista on how to handle national teams which our our coaches with ambition to handle the Super Eagles should emulate. He has taken charge of the hitherto troublesome Eagles by delineating roles for everyone to avoid bickering. Rohr also stated the criteria for picking players, although he reserved the rights to bend over backwards to invite ant old stars, who he thinks can improve his game by playing regularly for the country’s team.

    On Wednesday, Rohr told football faithful here some of his criteria for picking players, with the list of 25 players invited to prosecute the country’s two international matches against Senegal (March 23) and Burkina Faso (March 27) inside the Barnet FC’s Hives Stadium in England.

    Rohr dropped the three top stars (John Mikel Obi, Brown Ideye and Odion Ighalo) who ply their trade in the Chinese League from the two matches. What this means is that they won’t be part of the squad to prosecute Nigeria’s first game against South Africa inside the Nest of Champions Stadium in June in Uyo. Rohr could accord Mikel some respect by inviting him. This respect will stem from the fact that Mikel called up Rohr, pleading that he be excused to concentrate on his new club’s pre-season games, ahead of the new Chinese League season, which also begins in June. Rohr’s decision to drop “Made in China Eagles” is in tandem with what I canvassed for in last weekend’s column. This will stop others from going to China, if they know the decision could signal an end to their Super Eagles career.

    Rohr has calmed many nerves by stating that Leicester City FC of England’s midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will play in Mikel’s absence. What a decision. Perfect fix, as many lovers of the game have said.

    Thank you, Rorh. And good luck in your assignments.

  • A cage for the lions

    Suddenly, we have realised that the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon can cause us pain inside the Nest of Champions Stadium in Uyo during the World Cup qualifier in August. The talk around the country is a likely upset for the Cameroonians. And cynics of the NFF are praying that the Super Eagles fall at home. Fortunately, anytime the odds are against the Eagles, as it seems now, they rise up to the occasion with incredible performances.

    My hunches tell me that Iheanacho will destroy the Indomitable Lions in Uyo. He hasn’t played against them. He is presently not playing for Manchester City, which makes him more dangerous because he is fitter, perhaps match rusty. But I doubt this.  He will be kicked and elbowed by the Cameroonians but he will triumph over them. He is big. He cannot be shoved aside easily. He likes taking responsibilities. But the biggest problem that the Lions will have in trying to stop him is that he shoots accurately. And with a short Cameroonian goalkeeper, join me in celebrating Iheanacho, months before the game. If Rohr gives Victor Moses the kind of free role he had in previous games, I foresee Iheanacho scoring a hat-trick, with one of the Cameroonians sent off. My confidence rests on the fact that Pep Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, is deceiving himself to think that Gabriel Jesus is better than Iheanacho. I celebrate anytime Iheanacho is benched at City. It leaves Nigeria with an angry striker, who is ready to explode whenever he hits the pitch. I pity the Cameroonians, now that Rohr has stated that he will field the new boys in the two international friendlies in London against Senegal and perhaps the Black Stars of Ghana.

    I’m excited that members of the Super Eagles aren’t ranting over what they would do when the chips are down. They fumble when they talk in the media before games.  Our players’ stoic silence has been commendable. It is best to keep what they would do on match day to their chests than to offer tips that could guide their opponents.

    Indeed, the Indomitable Lions won’t respect us. They would come to Uyo with swollen heads, more so, if they distinguish themselves in the Confederations Cup tournament. I reckon that the matches of the Confederations Cup will give Gernot Rohr and his players enough time to critically dissect the Africa Cup of Nations champions. This game is a clash of brain and brawn. With due respect, the Cameroonians are more of brawn than wits. That is the difference with the Eagles, an admixture of brain and brawn.

    The Confederations Cup in June will expose the Lions as an ordinary side. The officiating will be better than what we saw in Gabon. The emphasis will be on exhibiting skills and executing team’s tactics, not kicking star players and elbowing them like it happened at the Africa Cup of Nations. I expect Rohr to physically watch these games.

    Interestingly, Rohr has analysed the Lions’ strengths during the Africa Cup of Nations, which include launching their attacking onslaughts from the flanks and relying essentially on aerial prowess from long balls delivered by the wingers. Rohr feels strongly that playing tested and robust wing backs, instead of the traditional full backs, will help the Eagles curtail the Lions’ attacking forays. The Eagles’ manager has tactically kept his tactics to nail the Lions,

    should they replicate what he saw in Gabon. That is the hallmark of good tacticians.

    The forthcoming clash between Nigeria and Cameroon reminds me of the quarter-finals game between Nigeria and Cote d’ Ivoire during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Very few people gave the Eagles a chance to beat the Ivoriens. Our players felt slighted and gave the game their best. I wasn’t shocked when we beat them. It again underlines why Austin Okocha’s sterling performance was all that the Eagles needed to beat the Cameroonians at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations held in Tunisia. The Cameroonians had beaten us in previous games. Even their fans openly boasted before the game. Indeed, they had the effrontery to carry a casket on which they wrote “RIP Super Eagles.” I recall Okocha seeing it and shaking his fingers to indicate that they would suffer later that day. Okocha did his magic and the boastful fans wept.

    Many have forgotten that we beat the Lions in a friendly game in Belgium, with Sunday Oliseh as coach. I’m not being a patriot here. I like watching the Eagles when they are under-rated. We have found their number. So they stay fixed, now that they think they are unbeatable.

    Beating the Cameroonians will be a piece of cake now, than if they had failed at the Africa Cup of Nations. What I saw from the Cameroonians when they played against Senegal raised my belief that they would be beaten by the Eagles. Against Senegal, the Lions had problems dealing with Mane, whose style isn’t anything different from what Ahmed Musa does – push the ball head and outrun the defenders. I don’t think that Mane is faster than Musa, which should be an edge. The difference between Musa and Mane is that the latter can score goals. Musa too can, except that he isn’t as efficient as Mane. The flipside to the advantage of Musa’ pace for the Eagles is that he has to be taught how to deliver the balls on the ground to Kelechi Iheanacho. It would be counter-productive for Musa to send in high balls from the flanks because the defenders would not be troubled.

    Again, the Senegalese showed us that keeping possession gave the Lions problems. The Cameroonians resorted to kicking and elbowing the shorter Senegalese. Indeed, the Cameroonians recorded 40 fouls in the game, with only two yellow cards shown to the offenders. Sadly, no red card was shown to the hard-tackling Lions, in spite of the fact that many Senegalese left the pitch with bandaged heads from elbowing by their opponents.

    The implication of this is simple. I feel strongly that our players can’t be bullied easily like the Senegalese. I also know that the Eagles aren’t a one-man squad. With the way Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses are playing, I don’t see how the Cameroonians will play for 90 minutes without getting a red card or two. Moses and Iwobi don’t need to get close to any markers to dribble them. What that means is that the Cameroonians at the defence will be forced to pull at their shirts or launch vicious tackles from behind to stop Moses and/or Iwobi. There is a limit to which the referee can cast an indulgent eye on such unsportsmanlike acts.

    I have been laughing since most people asked what our chances are against the Africa Cup of Nations winners. The game against Cameroon will be won in the midfield. And I’m yet to see any player who has dispossessed John Mikel Obi of the ball. I also pity the Cameroonians if they hope to shove aside energetic Oghenekaro Etebo in the Eagles’ midfield. It will take more than what they did in Gabon to also muscle out Ndidi in the midfield. And with the Eagles initiating their attacking forays from the midfield, it will only take the presence of wasteful strikers upfront for the Lions to escape without conceding a goal or two in the first half.

    In a long while, the Eagles haven’t played a game at home with the odds so stacked against them like in this tie. And I appreciate Rohr’s cautious utterances. He speaks without letting out how he intends to handle the Lions beyond asking for friendly matches to help the Eagles blend properly. Rohr raises the alarm about the composition of the Lions. He, however, feels that we must get our acts right to beat the Cameroonians.

    “This is a very big chance for Cameroon to have six games in one month and a half together. This experience for a group is very precious and we do not have it. Everybody is working at his club. They are in Europe and everywhere so we do not have any experience together and Cameroon has it now so they have an advantage in preparation but you know it is a long time to go till August,” Rohr said.

    “The road to Russia is very difficult because we must eliminate Cameroon so just like everyone can see now, Cameroon is a wonderful team. We have strikers who can score but we must work a lot to be better. From what I saw at AFCON, Cameroon is a great team so we have to be very, very strong,”

    “Many things can change between now and then. There will be a transfer window at the beginning of the new season. Perhaps some Cameroonian players will make big moves. Cameroon has a big team now. Everybody has seen it.”

     “We must work hard to go to Russia because in the two games against Cameroon, anything is possible. We must win our first game in Uyo and after we will see, but before that we have another game to play against South Africa in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers.”

    Good talk Rohr. Good to also know that NFF chiefs have named a game between Nigeria and Senegal for the Eagles on March 23. The Senegalese will give the Eagles a good game since they are the best ranked African side. But it is the game against African sides, such as DR Congo, which has similar hard-tackling style of play that the Eagles need. In this World Cup qualifier, FIFA men will pick world class referees, who will be more vigilant than those who were at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. Those referees were either lenient or incompetent.

    NFF must provide all the logistic support for the Eagles to peck the Lions. Issues, such as match bonuses, allowances and training kits should be sorted out at least three months to the game. The players know the benefits of playing at the World Cup and how it helps in getting better deals from new clubs.

  • What a shame

    The strength of country’s soccer team is gauged by the number of players who ply their trade in the local league. In fact, most football nations deemphasise the need to win age-grade tournaments. What such countries’ Football Federations (FF’s) chiefs do is to have the right calibre of players in age-grade sides. They always look at the bigger picture, which age-grade competitions offer beyond wining laurels. This is why they stand out at the senior level as against those who field over-aged players to win tournaments meant for kids (young boys and girls).

    In the last two weeks, I have focused on the domestic game, knowing that it is bedevilled by all manner of shenanigans which puts a lie to some of the pyrrhic feats being ascribed to those who beat their chests that they have turned the game around here. Easily, the best measurement for growth, if our league chieftains must be fair, is how well our representatives at the continental level perform. Rather than tackle the hydra-headed problems in the league, they have opted for the cosmetic treatment, feeling that the way to change things is for the league matches to begin early. While it is true that early commencement is good for blending of the boys in the teams that represent us at the continental level, what is of utmost importance is how we get these teams to qualify for top tournaments. Nigeria should qualify for the crucial stages of any continental soccer fiesta, instead of what have been achieved – failure.

    A situation where a critical committee in ensuring fairness in the way the game is run here goes cap-in-hand to state governments and club proprietors for cash to run its operations, to say the least is shameful. Reason: those state governments and proprietors have teams participating in the league. Last week, I talked about a key official of the domestic league whose home town team didn’t get a point from the 19 away games it played last year. That team won all its corresponding home games, raising posers of corruption.

    We have no respect for ethics. We always feel that there is a Nigerian way of doing things, which is ridiculous. In the Interim League Management (ILM) era, the incumbent Chief Operating Officer (COO), Salihu Abubakar, fought hard to stop league club owners and officials, especially state government chieftains, from being part of the league administration. Salihu, who was then Special Assistant to the Sports Minister Musa Mohammed (sir, where are you?) failed because some club owners advanced the warp reason of them being involved since they pay the players’ wages. But, are these club owners not owing their players, coaches and ancillary staff?

    For peace to reign, especially with tales that smack of blackmail, the then Sports Minister, Musa Mohammed allowed, the club owners to have representatives in the ILM, not for the running of the league board to be wholly their show. Of course, when that ILM’s tenure ended, the wolves in the league clubs ensured that nobody outside the league clubs or their sponsors and friends had anything to do with its operations. Attempts to do things properly were sabotaged by club owners so much so that club officials ran week 20 fixtures with non accredited match officials, not minding the fact that the results wouldn’t be recognised by CAF and FIFA. The matches were eventually replayed, weeks to the end of the competition. Don’t ask me if some of the results didn’t affect how teams were placed at the top and bottom of the league rung.

    I was bowled over by the initiative of the League Management Company (LMC). I trusted those behind this laudable idea to play according to the rules. I knew they wouldn’t spend a day above what the rule provides for. However, my worry was that with the backstage taken by the initiators of the LMC, the rot of the past will return. It was just a matter of time. No wonder the first two weeks of this season have been flooded with tales of the unexpected. And I’m glad that the body recognised by FIFA to run the game here has taken the bull by the horns in dishing out rules that will checkmate some of these flaws, many of which are disgraceful.

    I must commend the NFF chiefs for this prompt response. They should also insist that anyone who wants to be an administrator must have a means of livelihood. A jobless person will bend the rules to make him relevant. Such a person will be so desperate that the rules of neutrality and fairness will have no impression on him. Dear reader, please read through these new directives for you to appreciate how mindless some of our administrators are. Does this not explain why the game is ugly in the domestic league? Is this not why the fans have opted to watch the more organised European matches on television? Did I hear you say why is the NFF just reacting? Good question. But let’s correct it now.

    The NFF swung into action on Wednesday by rolling out the first measures aimed at sanitising the game within the Nigerian territory when it barred members of the Match Commissioners Appointment Committee from officiating games.

    In a nine –point circular issued to all Members of the NFF Board, Chairman of League Management Company, Chairman of National League, Chairman of Women League, Chairman of Nationwide League, Chairman of NFF Referees Committee, Chairman of NFF Match Commissioners Appointment Committee, Football Associations of the 36 States and FCT and All Members of NFF, and signed by the General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, the NFF said that “the Integrity Unit has commenced the implementation of the Strategy Guideline” and has “identified some areas that require immediate attention to avoid all forms of conflict of interest”.

    Isn’t it strange that members of the Match Commissioners Committee didn’t see anything wrong in appointing themselves as Match Commissioners in our League Games? Does this not portend great danger in terms of transparency and prevention of any possible exploitation? Why would members of the Referees Appointment Committee condescend to the level of being match assessors in this era of transparency?

    How can a club manager be appointed to handle matches involving other clubs in the same league? Is that how it is done elsewhere? This is fraudulent. I don’t want to believe that State Football Association Secretary have been  appointed as a Club Secretary, considering the fact that the State FA Secretaries in most cases are chief organisers of matches within their territories. It would have been appropriate for the NFF to name such people or their states?

    Since when has it become the tradition for State Football Association Chairmen to be appointed Independent Directors in our Leagues? It is laughable that they even went further to be appointed as Match Commissioners. I support the decision to stop such acts.

    Good decisions if you ask me. But will they be implemented? Those club chairmen who have documented contracts with players, especially national team stars, will laugh off these decisions because they have a right to do their businesses. They could also hide under the designated companies to continue with this illegality. I hope we won’t be told of the laws of Nigeria being weightier than FIFA’s statutes? Why would state FA chiefs who don’t have teams in the league be allowed to benefit from the exercise? Should they be challenged to nurture theirs to prominence? No wonder State Football Association Chairmen now perform dual roles  as Football Club Chairmen. Glad to know that this has been stopped. What won’t people do to remain relevant? Or how do you reconcile a State FA Chairmen being made  a memberof a Football Club? How would he be fair to smaller teams in his state when they meet in the Challenge Cup competition?

    You can see why everything stops when it is time for the NFF elections. Those who perpetrate these heinous acts will want to sustain them. Those who know what’s going on will also want to partake in it. The game suffers because the key actors (players and coaches) are kept in the dark. Even the simplest task of paying their salaries and entitlements only get done when they occupy the government houses across the country.

    The domestic league can attract massive sponsorship packages from within and outside the country. What these investors need to identify with the systems are mechanisms, such as those above which will checkmate corruption. No credible organisation will identify its products and services with a system that condones corruption. Officials of the domestic league board must imbibe the culture of seeing their assignments as a business, not a job for the boys.

    Football-loving countries generate incredible revenue from all the facets of soccer, such that others, such as China, have started to emulate them. The cash being splashed on twilight stars coming to the Chinese League is incredible. Soon China will be a soccer power bloc while our game will nosedive because of the itchy fingers of some of our administrators. I hope that these new rules will signpost change in the domestic league. It is about time the real actors of the game benefitted from the proceeds of proper planning by the organisers. I can’t wait for that day.

  • Fixing the LMC cabal

    My telephones haven’t stopped ringing since I wrote on the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) and its organisers, the League Management Company (LMC) last weekend. My ears are full with stories of the unexpected in the domestic game. I will leave the ones that smack of hatred, the libelous ones and talk about those that concern key actors in the game.

    My posers will be rhetorical, largely because they look quite unbelievable but it could be the reason for the poor officiating in penultimate Saturday’s game between Kano Pillars and the Ifeanyiubah FC of Nnewi.

    Statisticians of the domestic game informed this writer that Referee Folusho Ajayi had handled two stalemated games in the past. I wonder how such a match arbiter could be given a season’s highflying opening game. I was told that she fumbled in the 2016 Federation Cup quarter-finals between Rivers United and Enyimba at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan. I quickly reminded my informant that it wasn’t the duty of the Rivers State Government’s officials to ask their players to abandon the game. I told my excited informant that Rivers United abandoned the game, not the referee.

    Not done, this informant recalled the final day of the 2015/2016 NPFL game between Plateau United and relegated Heartland FC of Owerri at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos. I couldn’t offer any defence this time, largely because not all our domestic league games are shown live. Even at that, I wonder how the LMC could sign a contract that wouldn’t mirror what happens elsewhere. In other climes, clips of all the matches are shown repeatedly, especially the contentious ones to see if the decisions taken were justified. Interestingly, these playbacks have helped some wrongfully dismissed players and coaches to earn their reprieve, with the decisions reversed. Curiously, but rightly so, some incidentes that the match referees didn’t capture in their reports are addressed and the offenders punished. Even with the damning visuals, offenders are given the opportunity to defend themselves. No arbitrariness as we have here.

    With such a pedigree, only the cabal in the domestic game could have listed such a match arbiter when no verdict was given against her. Isn’t it late for critics to highlight these instances? Besides, one would need to ask the Referees Appointment Committee (RAC) what it does with its match reports, especially those with disputes that require sanctions.

    A caller told me that a club from the state where a top official comes from in the referees’ appointment body didn’t draw any home game last season. I retorted by saying, “so what?” This angry reader argued further that this team lost all its away games, adding that if the team was that efficient at home, why couldn’t they draw at least a game against one of the relegated teams away from their base? I retorted that if he had any misgiving with the top official in the Referees’ Appointment Committee favouring his team, such an official could have influenced one of the team’s away results last season.

    This man dropped the phone on me but called back to apologise, stressing that: “I know why you are playing the devils’ advocate in this matter. But you know that it would have amounted to hara-kiri, if the member did that, knowing the team cannot aspire to win the league trophy. Multiply three points by 19 home matches, what you get (57 points) keeps you in the division every season. Isn’t that enough for such a team?”

    I thought I was done with the readers’ calls until my phone rang again at 12.34 am on Sunday. This caller was very bitter. He told me he had been calling my lines which were switched off. I accepted because I was at a wedding in Ikorodu. I think I forgot to switch on the phones during the reception.

    The reader said that: “Ade, is it right for an important committee in the running of the domestic game to run to a governor, asking for N10 million to organise its programmes?”

    He revealed how he claimed this same body had been financed by one of the wealthy proprietors in the NPFL competition. He concluded by asking if the members of this key committee could be neutral when teams belonging to these two deep pockets meet.

    I have deliberately removed the name of this critical committee, believing that the members know themselves. They must stop this disgraceful act, if we want the NPFL competition to produce good representatives for the country at the continental level.

    Dear LMC members, it is apparent that there is something wrong with the Referees’ Appointment Committee. It is quite worrisome that in just two weeks, complaints about officiating have become the competition’s sore thumb. It also reinforces the poser about how referees were graded last season. If in two weeks we have had questionable handling of matches then the LMC needs to do more to get sponsors back to fund the league.

    The molestation of the centre referee who handled Remo Stars’ game against Abia Warriors last weekend in Shagamu leaves much to be desired. I say this because Remo Stars lost its first home game and everyone went home. Why then should Abia Warriors’ players perceive anything untoward with the last-minute penalty kick which resulted in the winning goal?

    LMC’s decision to stop Referee Dankano Abdullahi from future NPFL games, pending full investigation into his performance in the game, gives the impression that the home side may have influenced its decisions. This is wrong in the circumstances, except the body has incontrovertible evidence.

    Punishing the team for the players’ unsportsmanlike conduct isn’t enough. A few of them who harassed Ref. Dankano should be given at least 10 weeks ban, based on the visuals of the incident. If the LMC is serious about sanitising the ills of the league, its organisers must show us footages of all the games, especially the ones with issues to talk about. I hope the LMC knows the implication of that statement against the backdrop of match-fixing. The referee didn’t pick himself for the game. The body that appointed him should speak up, lest they are accused of being incompetent. Or does the LMC want to take over the function of picking referees for its league games? It wouldn’t have been a bad idea, except that club owners would hijack the process like they did in the past when referees were intimidated to decide games in their favours.

    I almost wept reading the proprietor of Remo Stars’ statement saying that he didn’t influence Dankano to award the last-minute penalty against Abia Warriors. He argued that he initially thought the referee was right until he saw the replay on television. It therefore means it was a human error, but the referee appointment body suspended Dankano. That is the essence of watching replays. Even Dankano will regret his inability to judge the incident well. The truth is that this was a human error, not otherwise.

    During the Interim League Committee (ILC), we deployed referees with strong character and experience to bigger matches and venues where we expected crises. Indeed, at that time, there were referees with antecedents known to ardent football lovers. Such strict referees should be assigned the task of handling big games. The English FA always assigns big games to Mark Clattenburg. He has sent off Jose ‘the Special One’ Mourinho several times. A red card was recently flashed at the temperamental but efficient manager.

    In fact, the English FA assigns the big games to Sunday from noon till night, such that all the proceedings are seen in the star matches of the week. The NPFL should review the quality of match commissioners assigned to games. Some of them who have cases of being at venues where games were stalemated should never be given high profile games.

    Discipline in matches starts from how the match commissioners handle their pre-match meetings. If a match commissioner takes stringent measures, which he ensures are complied with, the fans and everyone in the game will sit up. The LMC must set age targets for match commissioners beyond their experience. I have seen instances where the match commissioners slept off in the state box during games. It isn’t a laughing matter. How could such snoring match commissioners know what transpired on the pitch when issues arise? The romance between some match commissioners and teams explains why they fall prey to attacks from clubs.

    LMC men must learn how to cultivate Nigerians who own domestic league clubs by ensuring that the competition is free of poor officiating. Only credible and efficient match officials should be assigned to matches. It is the practice in other climes. The body must do everything to ensure that its processes are not hijacked by the cabal that destroyed the game in the past.

    It is a shame, to put it mildly, that venues used by our domestic league representatives for continental competitions this year have been rejected. It says a lot about the character of those who passed such pitches as fit for the domestic game. The rot at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu and the Ifeanyiubah Stadium in Nnewi, for instance, didn’t start today. I wonder the type of match reports these commissioners submit to the LMC, if no mention was made about the playing turfs, malfunctioning urinary systems resulting in the stench around such places, the unkempt surroundings within these stadia, not forgetting the loose bricks around the stadia from broken structures within the premises, which turn out to be handy weapons when fans are unhappy with referees.

    Incident-free stadia can only happen when the referee is upright and can withstand the pressure from the fans, players and losing teams’ officials. However, a referee will have the courage to interpret the rules to the letter, when he/she knows that his/her safety is guaranteed. LMC men must relate with the security operatives to help in creating the enabling environment for the referees to perform.

     

  • Not again, LMC

    At the risk of sounding immodest, I want to start this column by stating that I was a member of the Interim League Management (ILM) board that metamorphosed into the Nigeria Professional League (NPL) board. This concept was meant to jumpstart a new dawn in the domestic game. It has, however, several nomenclatures, such as NPL, NFL, NPFL etc, with the same objectives.

    I rejected the call to aspire into the new board after the interim body’s term lapsed, because I was gainfully employed. I also felt that I didn’t need to be a member of the NFL to contribute to the growth of the game at any level. As a sports journalist, I cover all the sports. So, there wasn’t anything special with the NFL appointment, especially when some powerful forces were eager to stop the pioneer chairman, Oyuiki Jackson Obaseki, from returning to the new board.

    Obaseki had done well during the interim tenure and needed to continue instead of having someone who will spend the first two years asking questions. Indeed, those who wanted Obaseki out couldn’t stand his guts. He was also an unsparing administrator when it comes to applying the rules.

    For several hours, Obaseki, in his royal attire was waiting for the Edo State government’s approval to remain on the league board when he had been moved up to a patron, with the electoral body headed by Sani Toro insisting that they needed a letter of clarification from the Edo State government for him to run for the elections, even as he was seemingly the only candidate. I ensured that the approval came from the former Edo State governor, Lucky Igbinedion. The rest is history, but Obaseki was shocked at my role in his return. Need I waste space to list Obaseki’s achievements? I ask the current league management board, when they last visited Obaseki? Should such a man be abandoned to his fate?

    Today’s piece isn’t about this writer. Nor is it about how Obaseki performed. It is about the show of shame in Saturday’s NPFL game between Kano Pillars and Ifeanyiubah FC of Nnewi inside the Sani Abacha stadium in the Pyramid City. I must emphasise here that this piece isn’t one to lambast the Shehu Dikko-led League Management Company (LCM). Rather, I want the body to use my posers to correct some of the mistakes noticed in the two instances where there were crises. This won’t deride the proprietor of the club, who has vowed not to appeal the decisions taken against his team. That is the spirit.

    Reports from Kano confirmed that the visitors’ team manager ordered his boys out of the field of play for alleged biased officiating by the referee (Funso Ajayi from Oyo State). The team manager defied pleas by top government officials who watched the game, including the Kano State Governor, Umaru Ganduje, chairman of the LMC Shehu Dikko et al.

    I was excited reading one report which stated that Dikko called the owner of the club to inter vene in the impasse. Some reports suggested that his move was unsuccessful. Did Dikko call Ifeanyubah FC’s proprietor? If yes, what did he say? Was he the one who ordered the boys back to the field of play? Most of the reports revealed that the referee, a woman, called off the game after waiting for the mandatory 15 minutes.

    My hunch tells me that those players and their officials wanted to embarrass the woman. I may be wrong. But another case of fans’ invasion of the pitch at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu to harass another woman referee buttresses my opinion that these beasts wanted to undermine these women referees.

    I have seen games handled perfectly by women. Those who saw the Kano mayhem didn’t rebuke the referee. Those who were in Enugu didn’t too? These urchins must face the law. The games were recorded, which presupposes that it will be easy to identify, arrest and prosecute the ringleaders of such devilish acts to serve as a deterrent to others who may wish to behave like them.

    Interestingly, there have been several reports in the past berating Ifeanyiubah FC’s officials and their chieftains for their conduct during matches. I recall former NFF Secretary General Bolaji Ojo-Oba condemning the presence of gun wielding security operatives inside the dressing room of the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, last year at half time duirng the Nigeria FA Cup final between Ifeanyiubah FC and Nasarawa FC. Ojo-Oba was taken aback by their presence, which he traced to one of the proprietors. I don’t think it happens anywhere in the world that club owners would invade the dressing room at half-time.

    I have waited for the NFF to react to Ojo-Oba’s statements; no word, not even a rebuttal of Ojo-Oba’s statement. Why will Ojo-Oba lie? He is a FIFA and CAF recognised match commissioner. He knows his onions. So, if he spoke publicly in that manner, something ought to have been done. Or are the NFF chiefs waiting until the next edition?

    The team manager of Shooting Stars Sports (3SC) Ibadan, Rasheed Balogun, was shown lying, down dazed on the floor, following an encounter with some operatives, who Balogun alleged came with IfeanyiUbah FC for a league game last year. Let me not bore you with the fracas that ensued during the home game between IfeanyiUbah and relegated Heartland FC of Owerri, where the proprietor allegedly slapped Mikel Obi’s elder brother, Ebele, who was Heartland’s goalkeeper in the game in Nnewi. The billionaire wrote a letter of apology and an undertaking to be a good ambassador of the NPFL. Ifeanyi Ubah was fined N2.5 million and banned from 10 Premier League matches.

    The background to the series of disturbances associated with IfeanyiUbah’s visits to match venues is necessary to appreciate the kind of sanctions slammed on the club by the NPFL body. But does the NPFL have the right to do what they did? Will this not translate to being a judge in one’s matter, considering the fact that all the decisions affected the club and the referee, with LMC not punished for failure of leadership?

    If the referee was not good, who picked her for the game? Shouldn’t we know the criteria for picking match referees? Isn’t it a shame that the LMC doesn’t know its best match officials? How could such ineptitude on the part of the leadership happen in the first games in Kano and Enugu? Who were the two match commissioners? Why have they not been punished? Nothing has been said about their two reports. What did they advise the LMC to do?

    Interestingly, the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), the body tasked with the duty of punishing erring members, has applauded their member for the correct interpretation of the rules of the game. This buttresses my argument that the LMC should have allowed the appropriate body to perform its functions in meting out punishments of such magnitude.

    NRA’s President, Tade Azeez, in a statement, revealed that the action of the referee (Kano Pillars vs IfeanyiUbah) with regards to the duration/time of each half is within the ambit of the laws of the game, citing Law 7 – the duration of the game.

    Gbam, like my daughter will say. The NRA president appealed to the relevant bodies to enlighten the clubs, their officials, fans and players about the laws of the game. This is the crux of what happened in Kano and Enugu. The LMC must tell us what they learned from their sojourn in Spain, if they didn’t organise such a course for the people listed by the NRA president. I don’t want to sound pessimistic. But it must be stressed here that the LMC must educate club officials and coaches during pre-match meetings on how they must conduct themselves before, during and after matches.

    Many club officials and coaches incite the fans with their sideline theatrics, which most times is not listed as the catalyst when the crisis begins. Perhaps, those televising the games should focus the cameras on these officials’ theatrics. Such visuals could be used to punish the erring people, even if there wasn’t any crisis during and after the game. Technical issues are meant for the experts to interpret. Indeed the referee couldn’t have been punished on matters concerning the game’s timing because the rules specifically state that the sole judge of time in a game is the centre referee. Who cares about the timing of those at the stands? How many of them stopped their timing mechanisms for wasted periods in the game?

    With the Kano State governor present in the stadium, one assumes that there wasn’t any problem with security. I must commend the operatives for managing the crisis. It isn’t easy to persuade fans to leave the stadium in a stalemated game. Perhaps, it was easy since the home team won the game technically.

    My worry is that LMC, in punishing for the harassment of the female referee after the game in Enugu, did nothing to fish out the culprits who were captured by the cameras. We must commend the policemen who were inside the stadium in Enugu for the perfect job. The LMC should submit the visuals of the Enugu game to the police to search for those yobos. They are not spirits. They must be taught some lessons in being civil. What happened last weekend in Enugu is a bad testimonial for the league, if we truly want Nigerians to throng the stadia for games.

    I’m also worried that the presence of the LMC chairman at the venue couldn’t restore order at the pitch, which makes it imperative for Dikko to tell us what he did in Kano to prevent the show-of-shame. I had thought that his presence could have made the game end. Dikko, what did Ifeanyi Ubah tell you?

    Dikko, Rangers want to appeal the decisions taken by your body. Rangers’ management members have revealed that they have visuals showing the invasion of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium’s pitch by fans’ of the opposing team. Interesting, isn’t it Dikko? If Rangers’ officials present this visual showing the opposition’s fans dressed in their team’s colours, what will happen to the decisions taken? Reversed? Will that not be laughable? We wait.

  • This is good for Mikel

    If there were doubts about who Nigeria’s biggest export to European football is, then the in-today, out- tomorrow saga that characterised John Mikel Obi’s move to China answered it all. Mikel is in China and he did well in the team’s first training session. He was also exceptional in his debut game Wednesday night. That was expected, especially after Oscar scored for his Chinese team in his debut appearance.

    I hope Mikel knows why he couldn’t tie down a first team shirt at Chelsea beyond the fact that Anthonio Conte didn’t seem to like him. If Mikel had been scoring goals in his defensive midfield position, Conte will use him, knowing that the team’s owner will not question his choice of players. Conte appreciated Mikel’s talent. He knew that Mikel understood his theatrics. He never walked up to the manager to question his selection like most players. He also didn’t rudely submit his transfer request. Mikel was calm, little wonder Conte showered encomiums on him. Take a bow, Mikel (MON) for being a worthy ambassador.

    Now that Mikel is in China, he should sharpen his scoring instincts and crack the ball home easily. Goals win matches. Not many people remember those who played well in a game. It is the names of scorers and their faces that headline all reports in the media. Those who scored exceptional goals sit back to savour the commentaries associated with their knack for goals.

    “I could easily have stayed in Chelsea for the remaining six months of my contract but it won’t be in the best interest of my nation, as they need me match fit when the World Cup 2018 qualifiers resume,” Mikel told Owngoalnigeria.com.

    “It wasn’t an easy decision to make but I seriously need matches to stay fit for Nigeria. Nigerians don’t deserve to miss out of the World Cup after back-to-back failure to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.”

    It is quite remarkable to hear that Mikel considered playing for Nigeria at the 2018 World Cup in Russia in making his move. Playing at the World Cup is every player’s dream. And there cannot be a better way to quit playing at the highest stage than after a good outing at the World Cup for your country.

    Mikel’s move to China highlighted key movements for some of our big Eagles stars and the younger ones. Worthy of mention of these transfers is the signing of Ndidi by the defending Barclays English Premier League champions, Leicester City. Ndidi’s transfer had several hiccups, with the team’s manager Claudio Ranieri telling the international media that he had not seen Ndidi play before. I wasn’t startled by Ranieri’s scathing comments of not seeing the Nigerian play before. It was insulting because Ndidi is a World Cup star at the U-20 level. He was exceptional, with pundits tipping him to dazzle the world with his sublime skills.

    Ranieri’s comments on Ndidi could be forgiven, what with Manchester United’s manager Jose Mourinho waiting to grab Ndidi, if the deal falls through. Mourinho has pulled several stunts in the transfer windows including luring players who were already in England for other clubs to join Chelsea, when he was the club’s manager. So, if Ranieri said he hadn’t seen Ndidi play before, I know why.

    I wasn’t, therefore, surprised when Ranieri fielded Ndidi in the crucial English FA Cup away game against Everton at the Goodison Stadium in Liverpool. Indeed, Everton had beaten Leicester at home 0-2 in one of the Barclays English Premier League matches. It was a vendetta game for Ranieri, so, he needed an Oscar to swing the game in his favour. For a manager who hadn’t seen Ndidi play, many would have thought that it will take forever for him to play against Everton. Ranieri watched Ndidi at two training sessions and picked him to start the game. Ranieri’s decision was right. Ndidi was voted the British Broadcast Corporation (BBC’s) Man of the Match, with his Nigeria mate Ahmed Musa scoring the two goals that earned Leicester a fourth round tie in the English FA Cup.

    Ranieri’s post-match comments should help Nigerian coaches know a little about the dynamics of coaching adding that:”Ndidi trained just two training sessions with us but played with fantastic personality. He recovered a lot of balls and played well. For 20 years old to make his first game against Everton, it’s unbelievable.”

    The implication of Ndidi’s sterling debut outing is that he increases the options for Eagles manager Gernot Rohr in the midfield. It seems to me that Oguenyi Onazi’s daysas regular in the Eagles are numbered. Onazi is talented. But he plays in the Turkish league, which isn’t as competitive as the English Premier League. We don’t need any prize to guess right that Ranieri will field Ndidi in Leicester’s subsequent UEFA Champions League matches. Such games will help Ndidi grow to become the star that pundits predicted he will be when he starred for the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U-20 World Cup, where Nigeria crashed out in the quarter finals, losing to Uruguay.

    Interestingly, Ndidi would have been a member of the all-conquering Golden Eaglets side that ruled the world in Dubai. He was dropped for failing the MRI scan meant to flush out overage players. But he was drafted to the Flying Eagles where he distinguished himself.

    Indeed in the past week, the exploits of Ndidi and Ahmed Musa were captured by the international media, with Ranieri having this to say about Musa: “I want a solid team. I wanted him to understand about the velocity and everything else about English football.”

    “I have watched him improve in training every day, but I needed to be sure he could do something for the team out on the pitch. We paid a lot of money for him. He was so, so close to do something good, but he needed to understand the Premier League a bit better.

    “It is important for Musa because I saw him in the last month and he is much better. May be he understands better the Premier League, the fight, and everything. He was a very good threat to Everton. It was similar to Jamie Vardy. Everybody was calmer when he attacked the space. It was good,” Ranieri told Leicester Mercury.

    “Every league is different. In Italy, there is more tactical and the players must work so hard with the movement. Here you have to understand the spirit of the competition. Every ball is the last ball.

    “He was used to playing in Russia. In Russia, he scored a lot of goals because he was quicker than the other defenders. Here, everyone is quick and strong. Now he is more confident and for me much better.”

    Good citation for the Nigerian game at a time when Mikel was heading for China. A new dawn beckons for our soccer. I cannot wait, with Nigeria moving a step up to 50th in the world, according to the January 2017 FIFA Rankings published on Thursday. We are seventh in Africa and with an international friendly against Senegal in March, it is almost certain that Nigeria could be among the best 40 countries in the world by June. Beating Senegal, ranked 33rd in the world and the best African side, our movement on the chart upwards is guaranteed. Nigeria World Cup rivals Algeria are 39th in the world and fifth in Africa. Cameroon are 62nd in the world and 12th in Africa. Zambia are 88th in the world and 21st in Africa.

    Mind your language

    I like the English game. The FA rules are applied to the letter – no matter whose ox is gored. They are unambiguous and there are monitoring units to ensure compliance. This is why the game there isn’t burdened by intrigues. Little wonder Ivory Coast international Bacary Sagna has been taught useful lessons about how to talk with decorum, even if you are hurt.

    Sagna wrote on his social media page what appeared to have disparaged Referee Lee Mason over the manner in which he handled Manchester City’s last game against Burnley, which the latter lost 2-1 last week. One of City’s midfielders Fernandinho was sent off.

    Sagna posted on his Instagram page that: “10 against 12… but still fighting as winning as a team.” Not satisfied with the feedbacks to his comments, apparently feeling that his message wasn’t understood, Sagna updated it thus: “Still fighting and winning as a team…”

    Enough, the English FA spying system reckoned with its agents on the social media, alerting the FA’s relevant unit on competitions about Sagna’s uncouth statement, which they felt was capable of bringing the game to disrepute.

    Sagna has been appropriately charged by the English FA in a terse statement on Tuesday. It said: “Bacary Sagna has been charged for misconduct, contrary to FA Rule E3 (1). Clap for the English FA chieftains. Not so in Nigeria where the social media has been desecrated with alarming and unsubstantiated comments on the game, its competitions, the practitioners and its affairs are being handled by the organisers etc.

    Sadly, we hardly hear of sanctions from the NFF. When they try to act, it is upturned at the higher level for reasons which had been dismissed in the past. At other times, weak rebuttals are made by proxies of the loudmouths. This isn’t enough. Such inflammable utterances or comments must be punished to serve as deterrent to others.

    Germany vs Nigeria

    Please, don’t wake me up from this sleep. I listened to Super Eagles Manager Gernot Rohr saying that Nigeria could play against the 2014 World Cup champions Germany soon. I took Rohr seriously when the Germans didn’t refute the claim weeks after it was published.

    I hope this game is played because it would open a new vista for our players in Germany. I have looked forward to having many Nigerians play in the German Bundesliga. It has been a while we had our stars thrill the Germans weekly as Victor Ikpeba, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Jonathan Akpoborie et al did in the past.

    The way Rohr spoke at the conference raised my hopes that soccer in Nigeria would soon be the business that it is in other climes.

  • Super Eagles: Let’s listen to Rohr

    Super Eagles: Let’s listen to Rohr

    WHEN jerry can-bearing urchins run after vehicles on Lagos streets, one thing seems certain – it is Christmas time. In December, you find roughnecks selling petrol in Lagos. They are the ones who buy the product at odd times, most times when we are sleeping. These yoyos run this racket with petrol attendants while the suffering masses wait hours at bus stops for vehicles to take them to work.

    Worst-hit are owners of vehicles who have the misfortune of patronising these hawkers. They end up losing the car engines because the petrol that these hooligans sell is often adulterated, most times mixed with water or kerosene – or both.

    Sadly, here we are having another panic buying season, largely because there is always a cabal waiting for rumours of either a looming scarcity or price hike to unleash their devilish acts. It is good to know that Nigerians can pass through festive periods without queuing up to buy petrol. Urchins must be pinching themselves, wondering how this administration pulled off the magic. It had always been a season of harvest with some women joining the jerry can-carrying trade. Will you blame them? Is it not a business to generate cash?

    Did I hear you say, “Is this sport?” Yes! – to some extent, especially the tussle to get jerry cans filled with petrol. What about the sprinting by these yoyos when security operatives raid them? It is exciting watching the resultant stampede from such pursuits. Well, pardon my digression. It’s just that I feel the pain, like others. Who will fix Nigeria’s problems?

    Nigeria is in crises but sport albeit soccer, always serves as the soothing balm for us, especially when the Super Eagles are winning their games. And with the prospect of Nigeria going for her sixth World Cup starring at our faces, the revelations from Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr’s review of his plans to make Nigerians smile this year are quite instructive. Rohr is positive that Nigeria won’t just qualify for the 2018 Mundial, but would shock the world with creditable performances. Rohr isn’t Joseph the dreamer in the Holy Book. Had our officials listened to Clemens Westerhof’s warning to relocate the Eagles from their noisy hotel, Nigeria would have beaten Italy in the 1994 World Cup second round game. Rohr’s revelations of a Nigeria upset in Russia finds expression in the way Bulgaria finished third place at the 1994 Mundial, despite being beaten 3-0 by Nigeria in one of the group matches.

    Rohr hinged his optimism on the exploits of our players in Europe especially Victor Moses, who he tipped to win the 2017 Africa Footballer of the Year award, if he continues with his sterling performances with Chelsea FC of London. He didn’t just single out Moses for the award. He felt strongly that Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi along with Moses could rank among the top five Africans in next year’s awards.

    The manager wants his players to be regular in their clubs. He reckons that John Mikel Obi is better off playing regularly in the Chinese League than watching games at the stands. Indeed, Rohr went a step further to get Musa Mohammed to leave Turkey for an unnamed German club because he needs him to play at the right wing back position for the Eagles, in spite of Moses’ remarkable outing for Chelsea in that position. This is the nexus of the Eagles where Moses is considered a better striker who needs to be utilised more in goal scoring than to defend the opposition from scoring goals.

    Rohr has changed the fortunes of our game. But he doesn’t fail to acknowledge the contributions of his Nigerian assistant, specifically Imama Amapakabo, who sends him videos of domestic league players, who he thinks should be in the Eagles.

    When the story broke that Rohr drafted Imama to the video section, the hue and cry was deafening. But Imama, like a true student, saw the positives in the posting. He is better off for it today. Would anyone be shocked Imama wins the NPFL league diadem again with Enugu Rangers? He also could lead Rangers to win the CAF Champions League trophy.

    Rohr’s Nigerian assistants Salisu Yusuf and Alloy Agu are tested hands in the domestic league, with Yusuf winning the trophy twice. They are quiet lads who are dedicated to their jobs. You need to see the synergy between them and Rohr to appreciate why the Eagles will continue to fly high.

    I hope NFF chiefs won’t look for other chief coaches of our national teams, with the transformation going on in the Eagles. Imama can handle the U-23 Olympic Games side, what with the training he is getting with his sojourn in the Eagles. I saw Rangers at the Super Four and liked the fact that Imama paraded a completely new squad of players for his second game against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, which ended in a barren draw. If Imama wanted to win the trophy like other coaches, he could have retained his strongest side, especially as Rangers played on their home ground in Enugu. He understood the dynamics of creating competition in his side. Now he knows that a competitive squad not one of a few good players.

    I’m also excited that Rohr wants as many as five local league players in the Eagles. This decision would stem the tide of frequent movement of our domestic league players to all manner of leagues. Domestic league venues will host more fans.

    Indeed the absence of our national team players in the domestic league is chiefly responsible for the fans’ apathy at match venues. My appeal to Imama, Yusuf et al is for them to pick our best. If they do so, many of them would find good clubs in Europe. The ripple effect of such movement to Europe is that the domestic league players would be motivated to give their best to exploit the platform too.

    I have been bowled over by the recruitment of young Nigerians, including the mulattoes, to strengthen the Eagles. Rohr has unwittingly reduced the average age of the Super Eagles’ players. This has been the biggest problem with the squad. Did I hear you say but they are young men? If you believe the ages on their documents, you can believe anything. I’m also glad that many of these Nigeria-born lads have started calling Rohr to indicate their interest to play for their fatherland. I had reservations about our coaches chasing them to play for us. Who doesn’t want to play for the winning team?

    One such Nigerian ready to play for us is Fabian Senninger, whose father is a Nigerian and mother a German. His uncle played for Germany. But Fabian wants to defy his father’s instructions by playing for the Eagles.

    Fabian told Channels Television, Lagos: “My father is saying I should play for Germany like my uncle, but I personally want to play for Nigeria. There are so many good players in Germany and it’s easy to win the World Cup with Germany. But I want to win the World Cup with Nigeria and get the first star.”

    I hope Gabriel Agbonlahor, John Salako, Ugo Ehiogu, Nedum Onuoha et al have read Senninger’s view on choices for their career at the national team level.

    The biggest legacy that Rohr will leave for us would be the plans to get the Eagles to play like the Germans. He has used his pedigree with the German FA to establish youth development programmes for us using the German model, which earned them the 2014 World Cup diadem.

    Copying successful models, such as Germans’ is the first step into greatness for us. And it says a lot about who Rohr is –  if NFF chiefs ensure that the programmes work. As it is with all good things coming from Europe, the primary targets are the young boys and girls at the grassroots.

    Our football needs a workable template to grow. And it won’t come as a surprise if our local boys leave this country in droves to start professional careers at much younger ages.

    The Germans won’t tolerate mediocrity. They won’t encourage cheating. Their records will be accurate. They will be on the pitch. They won’t allow exceptional talents that are abound in the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) to rot away. They will take them out to Germany to polish their skills. For the younger ones, they will ensure that they take parents and their kids to Europe if that is what will make such talents to blossom. Of course, such kids will be given scholarships to go to schools.  Indeed, a new dawn beckons for our talents across the country. I can’t wait.

    The business side of this Nigeria and Germany youth development programmes is exciting. I won’t be surprised if Nigerian clubs start having bilateral relationships with clubs in the Bundesliga. I won’t be awed if the Germans target their developmental programmes at schools, colleges, polytechnics and universities.

    The Germans know the potentials in the country. Coming through the NFF is just to establish a relationship for growth. I know that these initiatives will come with foreign sponsorships of different spheres of the bi-lateral deal. Nothing is free in the Western markets. They understand that sport is business. No prize for guessing right that Nigerians would soon start to watch the German Bundesliga religiously like they do with the English and Spanish Leagues.

    Perhaps, the German “invasion” will open the eyes of the Federal government to the benefits of private sponsorship of sports, especially soccer. It will open a new vista for sports marketing here. Until our systems work seamlessly like in other climes, managing sports will remain comatose, ridden with crises.