The draws are known. Group opponents are plotting strategies to outwit one another. Mind games rule the media space, with pundits taking a dig at tough tackling teams to spite them. Will you blame them? The fixtures have laid the path through which the next world champion will emerge from seven matches to be played at the Russia 2018 World Cup, which begins on June 15.
It is Nigeria’s sixth appearance. There are great expectations, especially with Argentina as one of this country’s Group D foes. The difference this time is that the fixture is the last for Group D. Many are tipping both countries to approach the game with caution, with a point enough to qualify them for the Round of 16, if they play to their full potential. For ardents of permutations in soccer, any roll of the dice produces several options. But when matches are played, losers sulk, knowing that their chances of qualifying from the group get slimmer with every bad result.
For winners, the last group game decides who the round of 16 foes will be. In most cases, certain countries avoid stronger opponents. A case in point is the last group game between Nigeria and England in Japan, when the English wanted to avoid France at the 2002 Japan/Korea World Cup.
Gernot Rohr knows these jigsaw puzzles and would fix them. Rohr feels the Super Eagles may confront France in the round of 16, a repeat of what happened in Brazil 2014, when we were beaten 2-0. This shameful result arose because players, coaches and officials were busy sharing the $3.8 million cash brought by an official a day before the French game. The players didn’t sleep and it showed in their lacklustre approach to the game. The setting will be different in Russia because Rohr means business. How Rohr has tipped France as our likely opponent in the Round of 16, isn’t informed by any lottery or a throw of the dice, but on permutations informed by the tactical savvy of the coaches in Nigeria’s Group D. This is how battles are fought -largely on projections, not blind chase or asking your nationals to pray for you as if others don’t know God, like Nigerian coaches also do.
Some interesting perspectives about the Eagles’ strengths and weakenesses have flooded the media, with the most critical being the physical power of the players. I would have ignored it but for the fact that it seems our group opponents want to set us up for the yellow and red cards. Soccer is no romantic exercise; it is a combat sport.
What the Craotians, Argentines and Icelanders are saying is that Nigerians are hard tacklers. But they have forgotten that most of our boys play in Europe and they are not serial red or yellow card earners. This could be another way to weaken the Eagles before their matches. I’m scared. Take the grit out of the Eagles’ game, then we have lost it all. Our players should be allowed to express themsleves in the best possible way. Decisions must be fair and not informed by off field sentiments which our group foes are advancing before the first kick of the ball at the Mundial. NFF had better call them (our group opponents) to order; otherwise, what happened in Brazil 2014 would recur. France’s Blaise Mutidui hacked down Oguenyi Onazi in Brazil during Nigeria’s game against France. He got no card. If it was the other way, Onazi would still be serving out his ban. No hyperbole.
My consolation is that Brazil’s gem, Neymar, has seen other qualities in the Eagles which made him celebrate Nigeria’s absence from the Samba Boyz group. Neymar said: “We (Brazil) have to be at our best to get a good result, particularly in our first game of the tournament. The teams in our group are difficult to play against.
“I am happy it wasn’t a group where we had to play against African teams like Nigeria. They run a lot and are very physical in their approach. We are no doubt still up against strong sides at the World Cup.”
Well said Neymar. Nigeria’s physical appproach to matches shouldn’t be scary to our opponents; they don’t need to start flying like saucers in the air at the slightest tackle.
Nigerians have not forgotten how the Italians injured Daniel Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke with their crucnhy tackles which didn’t fetch anyone of them a card. Yet, Amokachi and Amuneke never played the game at top level again after the tackles.
Former Croatia coach Miroslav Blazevic said: “We must immediately say the group is tough, not just because it really is, but what is needed for us work on our mentality.
“Yes, the group is loaded, in one part, and spectacular. It can because we have a squad of high-value footballers. Nigeria is our biggest rival in our group. They are desirous of proving they are Africa’s best,” Blazevic told dnevno.hr.
Croatia are our first opponents in Russia. We need to know their big stars and how they play. Croatia are regulars at the Mundial (1998, 2002, 2006 and 2014) which makes them bad customers. Croatia placed third in 1998, losing in the semi-finals, qualified for the group stage in 2002, 2006 and 2014.
The pressure will be on Nigeria if Argentina beats Iceland, which is the group’s opening game. We must grab the three points of the first game. Iceland won’t want to lose to Nigeria in the second game, if the Argentines whack them. Our two matches against Croatia and Iceland will determine our stay in the competition. If we lose or draw either of our first two matches, Argentina could be spoilers seeking for revenge with the last group game. It could be dicey.
Who should we be looking out for in Iceland and Croatia? Argentina’s players are well known. Croatia have Ivan Rakitic, who plays for Barcelona. Rakitic has 88 caps with Barca and has scored 13 goals, which means he will form a formidable midfield team with Luka Modric, a Real Madrid gem who has 103 caps and has scored 12 goals. Croatia has scoring midfielders who should be prevented from linking up for any attacking onslaught.
Croatia has gangling Mario Mandzukic, whose aerial strength should worry Eagles’ central defenders Leon Balogun and Troost-Ekong. Our players must stop Mandzukic from entering our 18 metres box. He is quick and strong. He is a relentless fighter on-and-off the ball. To keep him quiet in a game could be difficult. Of course, part of the ways to check Mandzukic is to ‘’arrest’’ Ivan Perisic, who plays for Inter Milan. He has 63 caps and has scored 17 goals. Perisic plays on the left wing for Croatia. Either Shehu Abdulahi or Ebuehi must stick to him like glue to stop him from sending out crosses from the flanks. These four men, if well marked, can create an easy path for Eagles’ victory.
Iceland, with due respect, are unknown – going by their World Cup pedigree. They are being dreaded because they eliminated England at the last European championships. Is England really a football power at the World Cup? Not anymore. Iceland’s four key players are Gylfi Sigurosson (Everton FC), Johann Berg Guomundsson (Burnley FC), Aaron Gunnarsson (Cardif City) and Alfred Finnbogason (Augsburg FC in Germany. I really don’t think that Iceland will win a game in this group. Eagles have no business stopping Cameroon from this Mundial, if they get beaten by Iceland.
I’m glad that Rohr understands the dynamics of the Mundial, even though this will be his first appearance. He told the international media on Thursday: ‘’We won’t approach every game the same way. There are things we will take into consideration before setting up tactics for any game. First of all, we have to focus on doing well in our first game against Croatia before thinking about our remaining group game against Iceland and Argentina.’’
Can Nigeria lift the World Cup? Yes, otherwise why are we going for the Mundial? The bulk of our players excel with their European teams. So, what stops them from replicating their club form playing for Nigeria. The Sports Minister said after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday that the team’s entitlements would be ready by March, when the team would have been involved in at least two friendly matches.
The implication of the minister’s revelation is that the Federal Government has accepted the sharing formula submitted to it for approval. It means also that there won’t be any disgraceful scene where players would be protesting over their entitlements. It shows we have learned from what happened in previous tournament. This is the way forward.
Major competitions are replete with upsets; otherwise, how could a Nigerian side that was rushed out of the country with less than 45 days to the Olympic Games win the gold medal? It is about time our boys played their hearts out for the fans, who also give their all to support the team with prayers for those who don’t have the cash to give them.
Everything stops when Eagles have a game. The country is aglow when they win matches. It is always a graveyard when they lose. A lot is lost by Nigerians who key into the marketing windows of the country’s participation in the Mundial like making gift items from the players’ shirts, calendars, mufflers of the team etc. Business centres experience a boom when Eagles are doing well. Viewing centres expand their operations to cope with customers’ demands. Up Eagles, Up Nigeria!
