Who or what could be Nigeria’s trickiest obstacle at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals? Host Brazil, Group ‘F’ rivals Argentina, defending champions Spain, wide distances between venues or the tropical heat?
Look no further than Nigeria for the answer, dear fan. With respect to the legendary self-esteem of Jose Mourinho and Sir Alex Ferguson, it could be Stephen Keshi’s ego. Toe-to-toe with the Chelsea boss and ex-Manchester United tactician goes the distinguished ex-national skipper hailed as the ‘Big Boss’.
Months after booking passage via an inspiring Africa Nations Cup triumph in January 2013, the Super Eagles chief coach prosecuted the Brazil 2013 Confederations Cup with questionable selection. With a reluctance to cut reserve national team goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim loose from the set-up ahead of Brazil 2014, he appears ready to top himself.
Agbim flapped at crosses and fumbled his catch at the 2014 Championship of African Nations (CHAN) tournament held January 11 to February 1 in South Africa. After letting in a Mozambique goal from 50 yards, the former Enugu Rangers and current Gombe United stopper dropped jaws further with futile diving in the avoidable penalty shootout with brutish semi-final victors, Ghana.
His coach, and obvious benefactor, however bears the brunt of criticism. With an awesome moniker derived from textbook defending as much as self-confidence – the same antecedents which have helped tame a gifted but wild Eagles bunch that hamstrung predecessors – Keshi would rather have his way.
And his predilection may end in heartache for all. Nigeria attends the Mundial holding across 12 Brazilian cities from June 12 to July 13 largely on his call, but his antecedents conjure Ferguson’s trophy-filled 27-year reign at Old Trafford. In place of a scrupulous succession plan comparable to European power, Bayern Munich’s last season, the Scotsman recommended erstwhile Everton boss David Moyes of the Premier League mid-table fame.
Ten months and an inevitable sacking after, the lessons loom large as Ferguson’s nine-foot statue at the Theatre of Dreams. One: no individual’s wishes supersede the club’s or country’s; and two: you get the quality of service you pay for.
Nigeria fans may have been spared the tension associated with past qualification efforts en route to Brazil, but faith in Keshi’s abilities has since waned. In particular, a meeting between the coach and NFF’s Technical Committee late last month did not yield the much-anticipated provisional list of players ahead of the submission of a preliminary list of 30 players to FIFA by May 10.
Close to the tournament, the dallying unnerves. The Eagles open their preliminary group campaign against Iran in Curitiba on June 16, followed by the pivotal clash with tournament debutants, Bosnia Herzegovina in Cuiba, June 21 and Argentina in Porto Alegre, June 25.
Were the reason to be a disagreement on selected players, the committee would not have erred much. At the risk of ‘interference’, the committee appears to assign proper weight to the task ahead in recognition of the fact that Keshi needs technical help.
He lost the benefit of the doubt with the Confederations Cup and CHAN debacles. He even shared NFF Technical Director, Shuaibu Amodu’s pre-tournament sentiment that the Confederations Cup would serve as a learning curve.
He subsequently attended the tournament with a team guaranteed to return without the cup as his selection belied the mission: Nigeria were not in it to win it, hence the constellation of jaded stars, shooting stars and twinkling stars.
But Brazil 2014 is a different ball game. With one eye on career advancement and the other on national pride, only a disoriented coach would fool around on the biggest stage of all.
Earlier assertions bear repeating: Nigeria can win. Officials may consider this unrealistic and Keshi may speak of a more realistic target, but what is ‘realistic’? Another round of 16 finish comparable to the USA 1994 and France 1998 feats? Or a quarter-final run matching Cameroon’s at Italia 1990, Senegal’s at Korea/Japan 2002 and Ghana’s at South Africa 2010?
No, the realistic target is victory; victory against Italy, Germany, The Netherlands and any illustrious rival for the coveted trophy. Before them, however, lie familiar foes that hobbled the fairy-tale runs of ’94 and ‘98: administrative hitches, squad bickering, win bonus controversy, and, according to former international Sunday Oliseh, ‘late planning’.
While praising African players’ attributes of physicality and speed, Oliseh tendered a recipe for success that should tantalise Keshi. “Africans need to learn how to start pressurizing the opponents. Football has changed now. It’s no longer football where you pick individuals and expect them to do well. Now it’s more about team work, team dynamics, team schemes, things that are planned out like how to look at the opponent, how to bring about antidotes to the opponent’s playing star.”
If anyone seeks recent evidence of the gulf in football administration between Nigeria and the great football cultures, handling of the World Cup list is it. Weeks before, Brazil manager Felipe Scolari listed the core of his squad and invited fans to work out the remainder – a task that foreign fans of Brazil would conveniently undertake.
And as some may have noted, players who would walk into any other team often miss Spain’s star-studded armada ahead of major championships while the elite sides of Europe and South America consistently sail for football treasure with similar commitment. In all cases, form and versatility, not rehabilitation or loyalty, inform selection.
By possibly sticking to Agbim and international rookies instead of proven but difficult players, Keshi restricts his options and understates national ambition. Yet, a freak turn of events could see the No. 3 turn No. 1. And if any make excuses for him – ‘the goalkeeper would only be third in line’; ‘he may not get to stop a single ball’; ‘a quarter-final finish would be great and a semi-final run exceptional’ – they evidently share the coach’s ‘ambition’.
Sad, indeed, would be a sight reminiscent of Mohammed Gambo’s stage fright and spooned shot at goal during the Confederations Cup Group B fight-back against Spain while Shola Ameobi, Ikechukwu Uche and the errant Osaze Odemwingie languished behind the international curtains. The hour of recognition vanished, but the lessons linger.
They may appear better focused than predecessors, but football officials couldn’t prevent allegations of sharing salaries and allowances with coaches and securing qualifications by illegitimate means as underscored by self-confessed fixer Wilson Raj Perumal, of late. Labelling himself “the unsung hero of Nigeria’s qualification”, the Singaporean tainted Nigeria’s passage to the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.
The federation denied both claims and may be vindicated, but no one can pretend that the country’s football is free of corruption. Through the grapevine, trace the trail of illicit deals and its clandestine markers: player agents influencing call-ups and caps, players paying for squad positions and coaches functioning as player agents.
Taken alone, Keshi’s handling skills may not be sufficient, but the conditions permit an upset in Brazil. As witnessed in South Africa 2013 where the Eagles took complete advantage of a weakened field, luck may eventually defuse alarm.
Considering the preliminary fixtures and knock-out rounds pairings, the big guns may cancel themselves out early and clear the coast for Nigeria. The heat may also put the Eagles in fine fettle, unless pampered players succumb to the wives and girlfriends (WAGs) distraction or choose to hold the temperate clime of professional practice as excuse for failure.
To win, at any rate, the Eagles must embrace the South American warmth and put up a decent show of chasing football glory.
