Eagles’ ouster from Equatorial Guinea should serve as a sober rebuilding process
For the second time in four years, the Super Eagles have failed to qualify for the 30th African Cup of Nations (AFCON), taking place in Equatorial Guinea from 17 January to 8 February 2015.
Though Stephen Keshi led his bunch of near-rookies to emerge surprise champions in South Africa at the 29th edition in 2013, he has joined Samson Siasia in the ranks of Nigerian coaches that fail to qualify Nigeria for AFCON, which many Nigerians, perhaps erroneously, believe ought to be Nigeria’s birth right.
On the emotional plain — and football is indeed a highly passionate sport — Keshi, the famed Big Boss, one of only two Africans to have won AFCON as player (1994) and coach (2013), has plumbed from grace to grass. But it is only a game; and one side must lose for the other to win. So, the AFCON blackout is only a reality of life: a cycle of success and failure.
For defending champions though, the AFCON 2015 failed qualifying campaigns were nothing near sterling, in a group that comprised South Africa, Sudan, Congo Brazzaville and Nigeria. In a group that was supposed to be a shoo-in, Nigeria with two wins, two draws and two losses could only manage a third placing. Not only that: it nearly, for the first time, lost to South Africa in a competitive match, and at home: coming from 0:2 down to salvage a 2:2 draw in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
But what hard lessons can we take from this set-back? First, sports must be isolated from politics, even if it is politicians that take decisions in a democracy. Perhaps it was a mere coincidence but it would appear the Eagles’ lot started nose-diving after the change of guard at the Sports Ministry, with a change of minister.
To build institutions, quality personnel should stay on their jobs as long as necessary. Like the situation in the Power Ministry where the performing Berth Nnaji was dropped even where there was ample evidence that he was delivering verifiable results in the stubborn power sector, Bolaji Abdullahi too was a victim of political feuding. As in Power, the Eagles’ ouster is a national grief.
Then, football administration. Aminu Maigari’s Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) posted one of the most impressive results in recent times: won U-17 World Cup in UAE, won AFCON 2013 in South Africa, came third in CHAN 2014, also in South Africa, and qualified Nigeria for the World Cup, Brazil 2014, where the team was ousted in the second round.
Still, Alhaji Maigari came back from the World Cup to full demonization! Whatever the issues were, that was clearly de-motivational. Sports politics should not go that far, particularly when administration is about the weakest link in African football. With the Amaju Pinnick NFF now in place, everything should be done to strengthen football administration to make for focus and stability; and therefore guarantee better results.
With better administration, a conscious effort must be made to restructure Nigerian football. Whatever the NFF wants to do about coaching, vis-a-vis hiring a foreigner instead of local coaches for the Eagles, let it get done with the decision.
Beyond that, it should restructure the whole system such that the age-grade competitions, for which Nigeria are even the defending U-17 World champions, tolerate no age cheats. Something is certainly awry, with Nigeria’s age-grade champions wilting away, while countries that our boys vanquished at those competitions perform better at full international levels, and boast higher pecking orders at club sides. Nigeria should jettison the win-at-all-cost syndrome (which breeds all the alleged cheating) and concentrate on developmental football.
The failure to qualify for Equatorial Guinea is disappointing for a football-crazy country. Still, life is not about not falling; but about falling and scrambling up. Nigeria should therefore use this disappointment to plot its way to the top again. With focus, seriousness and determination, it is very possible.
