It is finished. The heavens opened its up and poured down on the U.J. Esuene Stadium in Calabar, signifying our triumph over the Ethiopians on a 4-1 aggregate. We have secured the 2014 World Cup ticket and there is celebration in the land. As usual, we are partying, with praise singers angling for slots in the mass movement of Nigerians to the samba nation from June 2014. Did I hear you say another jamboree? Is that not a way of life in Nigeria when the national cake is about to be shared?
The victory over Ethiopia didn’t come like a piece of cake. The Eagles laboured for it. The Ethiopians stuck to their entertainment football, which kept the fans on the edge of their seats for much of the game. If Saturday’s game was a boxing bout, the visitors would have nicked it via a technical knockout. But it was no boxing.
In football, flair not directed towards scoring goals is sheer entertainment. The Ethiopians realised this when the referee blew the final whistle. Goals win matches, not the number of passes strung together by players. The visitors dominated the game, such that the fans had to embark on the Mexican waves to warm themselves, having watched in awe as the Ethiopians ran ring around our boys. That is how cruel the round leather game could be.
And when the heavens opened up at the end of the game, it symbolised the need for everyone to critically assess the squad in order to fix the lapses noticed before the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
Where I sat in the stadium, I told those around me before the tie started that the Eagles would not give their best because of the Italian game in London. Someone challenged me insisting that I disliked the Eagles. I listened as he scolded me over past my columns. But the fact stared him in the face when the Eagles struggled. He abused virtually everyone on the field. Yet when a goal was scored, he celebrated. But who will blame such fans who denied themselves food and the luxuries of life to pay their way to watch the game.
As the game rolled through, I wanted to see how Stephen Keshi’s changes would improve the trend. Keshi’s changes were brilliant, culminating in the perfectly struck free-kick. Yet it was Keshi’s post-match comments that stirred the hornet’s nest. He recognised the fact that the team didn’t play well and hinged it on the players’ nerves and hunger to score goals. For professionals of our players’ stature, the argument was awful. On hindsight, it could be that Keshi didn’t want to berate them publicly. If that was the case, it was the best thing to do.
While the fans celebrated, I listened to their songs. They spent close to 40 minutes singing Nwankwo Kanu’s praises and you wondered if Papilo actually played the game. He didn’t, but the fans wanted to show their appreciation for all he had done to thrill them. Of course, the message from the fans’ praise was lost on the players. Kanu made Nigerians smile with his sublime skills, which produced goals for himself and others. Perhaps, they nursed the dream that drafting Kanu to the field to add spark to the team’s sloppy movement against the Ethiopians was something worth contemplating. But then everything – and everyone – has his time and season. There is no way we can reenact Kanu’s season again. We just have to live with the fact that we have come to the end of Kanu’s era.
On Tuesday, I wasn’t surprised that the Eagles stood up to the Italians. They knew that such a big stage was for any player to showcase his best. Even with the seeming depleted side paraded by Keshi, everyone fought for the ball and ensured that his position wasn’t used by the Italians to score goals. The Italians were good but must be pinching themselves back home how the Nigerians outplayed them in their defence.
Keshi showed courage in fielding home-based boys in the defence, except for Godfrey Oboabona. The Big Boss’ foresight has instilled the confidence that the home lads need ahead of the CHAN 2014 competition in South Africa.
Fielding Shola Ameobi raised hope that he could play alongside Emmanuel Emenike, although one has observed that Keshi has done otherwise. Keshi could consider this option (Ameobi/ Emenike) while in camp for the Mundial. Again, Bright Dike’s robust style reminds me of the Atuegbu brothers of yore. Only energetic players, such as Dike, could have scored Nigeria’s first goal. He smartly outmuscled his Italian marker to score the goal from Ameobi’s nifty cross. A half-chance goal and the assist that produced the first goal earned Ameobi my Man-of-the-Match tag, not forgetting Oguenyi Onazi’s yeoman showing during the game.
Victor Moses showed why he is the toast of Liverpool. He troubled the Italians with his pace and tricks on the ball. Surprisingly, Mikel had an off-day. Big games bring out Mikel’s best, like we saw at the Confederations Cup in Brazil. Not so against the Azzurris. He wasn’t sharp. He didn’t stamp his authority on the game the way Moses did. Perhaps he was tired and no one will blame him. Keshi must warn Moses and, indeed, his players not to take off their shirts after scoring goals. It really sickening that players, knowing full well that there is always a reprimand for taking off your shirt in celebration, still go ahead to commit such an infringement. Such action attracts a yellow card. Such needless card could scuttle a coach’s tactical plan. Moses should learn from Dike, who hesitated in removing his short after his goal, realising the implications.
The Italian friendly should signpost the new direction of international friendlies for Nigeria. The drawn game was the best exhibition of our game to the top ten countries in FIFA rankings to play us anywhere in the world.
Conventionally, most European countries set up games with African teams to prepare them for the daunting task against any African opposition at the Mundial next year. I won’t be surprised if the Spaniards decide to confront Nigeria in a high profile friendly. The significance of playing such big ties is that it improves Nigeria’s rating on the FIFA log. It also opens a new vista for our football because European scouts would nurse the desire to visit the country in search of talents to expose to big clubs in Europe.
Such Grade A games also help our coaches to develop. It helps them to gain the confidence to prosecute subsequent matches. It raises their profile and provides them with enough tactics to outwit weaker opponents. Our coaches learn new tricks thrown at them in the course of such ties. They could use such platforms to exchange notes and ideas with coaches whose system they admire.
The talk of getting a foreign technical adviser to do recce jobs for Keshi is cheap. Rather, we should choose between seeking an arrangement where Keshi and his men can spend time with some of the big European coaches to see how they prepare their teams for matches or get them to attend regular refresher courses. Our coaches would use the opportunity to watch how these coaches handle half-time pep talks. Matches are won from the decisions taken at half time by the technical crew.
However, it is good that the sports minister insists that only Keshi can ask for the recruitment of a technical adviser, who in any case would be the Big Boss’ subordinate. The import of this ministerial directive is that Keshi could remain as the Eagles tactician after 2014? Why? The experience from the World Cup will enhance his work ethics and make him a better coach. We must learn to encourage continuity. Let’s hope that Keshi keys into this arrangement, irrespective of our inability to pay his wages regularly.
Our players have taken their trade to Europe and have clinched shirts from other nationals. Our coaches need to step up, starting with exposing Keshi et al to refresher courses and clinics to update their knowledge. To compete with the best, you must have the ingredients that make them tick. And they do not come by sitting at home or embarking on long holidays, eating buggers and guzzling beer.
The World Cup is a serious business. Our fifth appearance would be appreciated if we become the first African country to qualify for the semi-finals. At that stage, anything is possible. After all, who would have thought that Nigeria would win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta? Senegal didn’t need a pilgrimage of World Cup appearances to hit the quarter finals in their debut outing at the Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup. The Senegalese are not as talented; neither are the Cameroonians.
Nigeria will be a super power in soccer, if the Eagles excel in Brazil next year. We are World Cup champions at the U-17 level for a record fourth time. And it won’t be out of place, if we emerge as champions in Brazil. It is possible. We must set the template to achieve that feat.
Good night Austin Agbare
I don’t like being a harbinger of bad news. But this sad story concerns a friend who follows this column religiously. He is the first to praise any good column and also points out those he has issues with.
Walking through the The Nation’s newsroom on Thursday evening, I was accosted by the Acting Business Editor, Simeon Ebulu. He wore a forlorn look and I asked what the problem was. He hissed and shook his head. I immediately knew something terrible had happened.
Ade, I just received a text message stating that Austin Agbare died in India on November 20. I held him, mouth agape. What did you just say? I asked. Yes, his assistant just confirmed it. I wept. I knew Austin at the Government College, Ughelli. He was in Oleh House. He played badminton and was a silver medalist at the 1975 National Sports Festival.
Austin has joined his friend Nnamdi Anazia in the bossom of the Lord. It really hurts. Good night Austin Agbare. Mehen nosen!
