THE Scottish first goal in the first half of that entertaining build-up match, against the Super Eagles was a World Cup act.
You cannot blame our surprised Goal Keeper, Austin Ejide. We excuse the Defence who like the players on both sides were lost in admiration as the leather took a curving flight from the back heels of beautiful Charlie Mulgrew to land at the far corner of the Nigerian net.
However, at the end of that pulsating encounter it is clear that Nigeria has a promising squad, but lack the defence and our full backs, i.e. Nos 2 and 3, remain our Achilles heel. These two problematic wings have been our worry since the advent of coach Keshi.
Do we close business and hand over our fate on the left flank to the rigid southpaw, our own Ashley Cole. Echiejile is a very strong lad, can block and defend, but his problem is his inability to overlap without the opponents intercepting, and reading his passes. Like Chelsea’s Cole, his right leg is a log. We need a mobile left full with typewriter-like two legs in case we need to counter Argentina’s offensive or hold our eighteen against a forward line that probes from the inside! We had suggested Godfrey Oboabona the utility defender to move to that wing. Then Mikel Obi really comes home to pair Omeruo. Obi did exactly that for Chelsea to deny Liverpool the English Premier League Championship.
We have to do that to contain Argentina. We have great midfield jugglers who can really take Mikel Obi’s job in the midfield until we solve our headache in that porous defence. For Nigeria, we have a collection of beautiful midfield postmasters, namely, Osaze, Onazi, Victor Moses, Uzoenyi, Nosa Igiebor, Babatunde, Oduamadi. The midfield is not lacking in materials.
The right full back position is another problematic position for the Eagles. Against Argentina and with Di Maria constantly on the torment, we expect nothing but trouble as our best No. 2 Efe Ambrose may be good on the offensive, am afraid he is not fast enough to return after an attack. Secondly he lacks the stamina.
The Warri Wolves captain, with the perfect body that fits the shape of our great liberos, Okoroji, Victor Oduah, Christian Chukwu, Stephen Keshi, Uche Okafor etc. in all his matches with the Green Eagles has failed all the tests. He has no confidence. He cannot head the balls down. Does not have the ball control and does not seem to know when to slide for a neat tackle. Always a rough house easily picked up by eagle eyed referees, his hands more than his legs can ruin our World Cup aspirations. His panicky second goal gift to Scotland cancels, once and for all, his ticket to Brazil.
Significantly after the Scottish encounter I’m going ahead to pick my new and the last POSSIBLE XI FOR THE SUPER EAGLES.
No. 1 Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama the No. 1 Keeper in the French League. Must hold the ball on the catch.
No. 2 Efe Ambrose: must train for stamina
No. 3 Godfrey Oboabona
No. 4 Ogenyi Onazi
No. 5 Kenneth Omeruo
No. 6 Mikel Obi
No. 7 Victor Moses
No. 8 Uche Nwofor
No. 9 Emmanuel Emenike
No. 10 Osaze Odemwingie
No. 11 Ejike Uzoenyi
SOUTH KOREA: THE EMPERORS FROM THE FAR-EAST.
Perennially, regarded as the Asian soccer power, Korea was the great team in Wembley 1966, that led Eusebio’s Portugal 3-0 before the Black Panther sprang into action, and Portugal levelled up to win 4-3. Physical, fast with few tall players, respected in Asia but won a lot more for itself in their USA World Cup final outing against Germany. They almost pulled a draw after three goals down. This is a team for the coming century.
Road to Brazil Star Squad
GK- Jung Sung- Ryong Suwon Blue wings
MF- Lee Chung- Yong – Botton Wanderers
MF- Kisung- Yueng Sunderland
MF- Kim Bo- Kyung Cardiff city
FW- Son Heung Min Bayer Leverkusen
FW- Park Chu Young Watford Former (man u)
ENGLAND
Have searched for a winning team since 1966 when Bobby Moore, the Charlton Brothers, Geoff Hurst, Alan Ball, and Gardon Banks won the Cup at home. Today, in place of Sir Alf Ramsey, Manager Bobby Robson, there have been foreigners before Roy Hodgson. On the field, it is a different story.
The only vision of the past is goalkeeper Peter Shilton, whose over 100 national team appearances provide the only consistency. The New England squad repeatedly dominates minnows but cannot find answers to top teams. For the post-Ramsey winning generation, England waited on Gary Lineker, Neil Webb; John Barnes, Owen and to ring a bell.
For Gerrard, this year has been a journey, an eventful escapade. He had the chance to sign off in gold. But he lost in the final rounds and Brazil like the English Premier League is going to prove a bridge too far. England will not go beyond the preliminaries.
