England’s poster boy to the France ’98 World Cup, Michael Owen (at 18 years and 190 days), was furious on television when he analysed one of the Emirates FA Cup matches between host Peterborough and Leicester. The Foxes won the game 5-1, with Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho scoring a brace. Owen was miffed that Iheanacho scored his second goal when there was a better placed striker to jab the ball into an empty net. Owen, you will never walk alone. Owen hit the limelight playing for Liverpool.
Owen’s goal against Argentina still headlines some of the greatest goals scored at the World Cup, given his age and enterprise, until England exited the competition. He waltzed past three Argentines in a dribbling run, which began from almost the centre circle, before driving the ball beyond the goalkeeper to score the wonder goal. Owen scored this audacious goal, among others, because he thought he had the dribbling skills to bang in goals. Would it be appropriate now to ask Owen why he didn’t lay the pass to a better placed teammate, Paul Scholes, to score? Owen chose to finish what he started, even at the risk of kicking Scholes’ leg.
Owen’s pace and dribbling runs were his weapons, which he used optimally, irrespective of the fact that there were several times he had better placed mates to pass the ball to. Whenever he took on those dazzling runs, he had one thought – score a goal. And this came to him like his second nature.
I’m a Liverpool fan. I don’t know where to start listing how many times Owen committed the mistake for which he scolded Iheanacho. I can recall that one of the top class coaches (I don’t remember his name) said the hallmark of a striker is to be selfish, insisting that he sets his sight on where the goalpost is and how well placed or otherwise the goalkeeper is for him to know where to place the ball. The top tactician argued that the striker, on seeing the player who initiates the move, dashes towards the openings in the defence to receive the ball, which he despatches into the net.
Owen was a world class striker. His daring moves and crosses resulted in goals for Liverpool, England and every club he played for. Owen brought joy to Liverpool fans. It would be unkind to slam such a great star, especially when his comments were spot on, except that Iheanacho scored the goal. If the Nigerian hadn’t scored, he would have lost his shirt. Owen, will you blame Iheanacho for taking the chance to score the goals, considering the fact that he rarely gets to play for Leicester City?
Iheanacho needs to score goals if he hopes to excel at the Mundial playing for Nigeria. He represents those players discovered from the grassroots competitions organised by FIFA. Playing at the Mundial, a few years after emerging the best player at the FIFA U-17 World Cup, reinforces the need for FIFA’s 210-member nations to develop the game at the grassroots.
Four goals in less than a week is commendable, although many would wish that he left Leicester for a team where a first team shirt is guaranteed. Iheanacho has been a victim of the change of guards at the Foxes. The manager who recruited him was sacked, making it imperative for the new coach to pick his men, perhaps due to a change in tactics. Iheanacho has been given the task of marshalling the Foxes’ attacking onslaught for the English FA Cup. Good enough. But it would be nice to give the Nigerian a chance to show his stuff in the English Premier League.
The biggest relief for Rohr would be that his strikers are scoring goals, although he would also wish that they are not injured before the June 16 opening game against Croatia. Indeed, Odion Ighalo was spectacular with his Chinese side, Changchun Yatai, scoring in the first half, with his side whipping FC Sfintuk Gheorghe 3-0. Ighalo told the international press he was excited to be back to scoring ways. He wants to concentrate on being fit for the new season, obviously with the Mundial in mind.
I’m glad that Eagles manager Gernot Rohr followed our players’ movement during the transfer window. His warning to Iheanacho and Ahmed Musa culminated in the latter’s return to CSKA Moscow in Russia, where he excelled. Of course, CSKA didn’t hesitate to register their former player for the Europa League competition. CSKA’s fans are excited with Musa’s return, knowing that the club will benefit immensely from the Nigerian’s speed.
The transfer market was good for Nigerians, with Eagles right wing back Shehu Abdullahi completing the move to Turkish outfit Bursaspor in the January window. Abdullahi’s move sets the stage for the biggest fight for the right wing back position, where Ola Aina has done remarkably well for Hull City, scoring goals, aside defending stoutly.
Brown Ideye has been given a lifeline in quest for a shirt in the Eagles, with his loan move to Malaga in Spain, after his uneventful sojourn in the Chinese league. Rohr would monitor Ideye during Spanish league matches. Another Nigerian, Isaac Success, has moved on loan from Barclays English Premier League side Watford FC to Malaga.
Malaga offers Success the biggest opportunity to revive his career, having played for another Spanish side, Granada, where he was voted the club’s best player during the 2015/16 season.
The 22-year-old, who joined the Hornets for a record £12.5 million in the summer of 2016/17, failed to fulfil his huge potential in England, having scored just once in 20 appearances for the club.
Eagles’ midfielders cannot afford to be bench warmers because it is any team’s engine room. Hence, the news that Nigeria forward Oghenekaro Etebo moved to struggling La Liga side UD Las Palmas, from Portuguese side CD Feirense, was refreshing. This means that he will be playing regularly since his recruitment is meant to strengthen the Spanish side. Etebo must utilise his La Liga matches with Las Palmaras to get better deals from other clubs after the World Cup.
I won’t join the motley crowd of those who want Elderson Echiejile out of the Eagles. Echiejile isn’t the Eagles’ weakest link. Our star players who play on the left side never fall back to mark when we lose ball possession. Sadly, most teams have identified this weakness and exploited it. I really don’t understand why Victor Moses, for instance, doesn’t like to fall back to mark when he loses the ball, yet that is his biggest ace at Chelsea. Our players must play as a unit if they hope to block this leakage. Moses’ yeoman efforts for Chelsea account for the club’s victories when he plays.
Barcelona FC don’t have outstanding defenders because of their collective approach to their matches. As soon as they lose the ball, at least four players close up on the opponent with the ball. Most times, they gain possession within the next 12 metres. This style of play ensures that Barca dominates play and scores goals with aplomb. Moses, John Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo et al should be taught how to mark to win the ball back, not shadow mark or escort the opponents to score against us. Oguenyi Onazi and Alex Iwobi are exemplary in marking the nearest opponents when we lose the ball.
One player who has leaned from the transfer market is Mikel, and he showed it when he shunned entreaties from clubs, such Everton, Marseille and especially Fenerbahce, which offered a €3-million Euros per year deal till June 2020. Mikel opted to remain with Chinese side Tianjin TEDA. He is sure of a regular shirt if he is fit. He knows that it will be foolhardy to go for the cash in place of a regular shirt in a World Cup year, with a team where he is the captain.
I hope that others can take a cue from Mikel to pick clubs where they are sure of regular shirts.
Goalkeepers’ tournament
Nigeria’s team B are in the finals of the CHAN tournament against Morocco, with the heroics of our goalkeepers highlighting our last three matches. But for the sharp reflexes of goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa, the CHAN Eagles would have lost the two games against Libya and Angola, where we came back from a goal deficit to win both games 2-1.
The argument by proponents of the domestic league that the goalkeepers are part of the team is laughable. Goals make matches exciting. Our CHAN Eagles’ performances have been nerve-wrenching, with many people abandoning the games in the closing stages due to tension.
When Ezenwa got injured, most people pondered if we had a better goalkeeper. I told those who were watching the game with me that if the coaches introduced Ajiboye as Ezenwa’s replacement, he would be our saviour. ‘’Ajiboye!’’ many shouted. I reminded them of Ajiboye’s exploits at the U-17 World Cup where he was voted the best goalkeeper of the tournament, ahead of Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea of Spain. A few believed me. They feared that he was rusty.
Ajiboye was superb. He saved two point blank shots that ensured that we qualified for the final, notwithstanding the fact we played with 10 men for close to 35 minutes. The Sudanese eventually got a red in the 85th minute.
Aside our two goalkeepers, CHAN eagles look like a disaster waiting to happen, with they have played. Well, they could rise to the big stage on Sunday and shock the Moroccans. it is possible. Good luck CHAN Eagles. Up Nigeria!
