The Super Eagles goalkeeping department has never gone under scrutiny as it is at present with the underwhelming performance of current first choice Francis Uzoho. Used to be a strong department of the national team, the goalkeeping crisis in the coach Jose Peseiro-led Super Eagles has fuelled different opinions from some notable former internationals on a recent sports programme monitored by TUNDE LIADI.
Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Abiodun Baruwa, has urged Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro to declare a state of emergency on the goalkeeping department of the national team if Nigeria is desirous of winning the delayed 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to be hosted in January by Cote d’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles were denied a place at last year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar amid alleged ‘wobbling and fumbling’ of goalkeeper Francis Uzoho while it was also stressed that the Eagles could have gone far at the 2020 AFCON in Cameroon but for elementary errors of Maduka Okoye.
Meanwhile, Uzoho’s errors came to the fore again in the Eagles last two international friendly games with the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia and Mambas of Mozambique.
Baruwa, who was at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, said the Eagles goalkeeper trainer must give the remaining goalies chances before the 2023 AFCON.
“I didn’t watch the two games but I saw the results,” Baruwa said in a monitored sports programme on Brila FM. “Uzoho, I will say he is a good goalkeeper but in the goalkeeping department if you don’t have the support of your coach and the environment it is very difficult to perform.
“Uzoho has been given so many years to prove himself and if the coaches and the country still do not believe in him, the coaches can try new ones that had been there before. He has about four or five other goalkeepers. He should give them a chance or he sticks to Uzoho if he still believes in him.”
Baruwa, who recalled the keen competition for the number one spot in the Super Eagles in the past, explained what Uzoho should do to minimize his errors but revealed that he must first strive to be having regular games again and also work on his fitness level and command of his goal area.
He continued: “The secret about goalkeeping is you have to stick with your goalkeeper even if he makes mistakes, you still have to believe in him. Unless it is very obvious that he will not improve or ever change.
“Back then, it was not a rivalry but a very healthy competition. Most of us in camp that time were products of the game. We played in the league for so many years before we travelled abroad. There was competition between Ike Shorunmu, Dosu Joseph, Willy Okpara, Peter Rufai, Ademola Bankole among others.”
Baruwa stated that the Eagles have the wherewithal to win the 2023 AFCON but that the technical crew must sort the goalkeeping crisis because the Eagles must have dependable first choice goalkeepers to dream of a fourth AFCON title in Cote d’Ivoire.
“We can win it; we have all the attributes but the coach must sort out issues around the goalkeeping department,” he maintained. “It is a very essential component of the team and he can’t afford to joke with it. If it is not sorted out, there will be a big problem.
“As a former goalkeeper, that department has the hardest job to do on the pitch. The department is so sensitive and coaches need to focus on that position. If you want to win a competition, your first and second choice goalkeepers must be good.
The 48-year-old also expressed his readiness to help discover the next set of Super Eagles goalkeepers while adding that it will be his dream to work with the senior national team.
“I will be looking forward to coming back and supporting me if I am given the opportunity to become a goalkeeper trainer of the Super Eagles. I am working towards that.
But former junior international goalkeeper, Emeka Amadi has charged fans to get behind the under-fire goalkeeper Uzoho in the wake of his recent error-ridden performances.
Amadi, who was a star of the Flying Eagles at the FIFA U20 World Cup in Saudi Arabia in 1989, said all goalkeepers are bound to make mistakes no matter how good they are and that goalkeepers learn from their errors to become world beaters.
Citing the examples of renowned goalkeepers like Germany’s Manuel Neuer, Spain’s David De Gea and Andre Onana of Cameroon who just moved to Manchester United, Amadi noted that it is impossible to have a perfect goalkeepers and that if a new replacement is sought, he may be prone to similar danger because he may want to be too careful to impress and thus fall into similar trap.
“He (Uzoho) will learn from the mistakes. He knows he made a mistake. It is not enough reason to crucify him. We should encourage him and he will be a better goalkeeper,” Amadi said.
“He has all the traits and attributes to be a good goalkeeper. Even good goalkeepers like Manuel Neuer, Angel De Gea, Andre Onana and others also make mistakes too. We should not throw away what we have. If you change him now, the next person to replace him too will equally make mistakes too.
“If you go on crucifying the goalkeeping department and the Goalkeepers how will they improve? His replacement too will be afraid not to make mistakes.”
Speaking on the same issue, former Green Eagles defender and ex-coach, Super Falcons, Kadiri Ikhana has asked Nigerians to be patient with the present crop of the Super Eagles as they continue their build up to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations slated for Ivory Coast next year.
Ikhana who was speaking against the backdrop of recent unimpressive performance of the Eagles in friendly games, advised that Nigerians should give the Eagles technical crew and the players sufficient time to prepare the team for the AFCON and can express their satisfaction and otherwise close to the competition.
He said it is wrong to assess the Eagles based on the recent friendly games played when the technical crew is just about forming a team for the Nations Cup but that they should be allowed to do their job before scrutiny can come in later.
“We are preparing for the AFCON and matches played thus far are to serve as preparation towards it, we cannot evaluate the coach and the team based on friendly games it should be done during the tournament,” Ikhana, who led Enyimba to the CAF Champions League glory in 2003 said. “Friendly matches are for the adjustment of your team to perfect your team. You cannot just judge the team now. We have seen the loopholes and the technical crew have seen it as well.
The experienced tactician opined that the Eagles are still work in progress and are not immune from mistakes which he said would be corrected before AFCON.
“The various departments of the team need to be adjusted. We should allow the coaches to make this adjustment and by the time they are rounding off, we would be able to talk about the team being prepared for the AFCON.”
Similarly, former Under 23 goalkeeper, Andrew Aikhuomogbe has asked Nigerians to forgive the error ridden performance of Uzoho but should look at some of his past positive contributions to the Super Eagles and to his Cypriot club, Omonia Nicosia.
Aikhuomogbe who also represented Nigeria at Under-20 level affirmed that goalkeepers are bound to make mistakes especially on their off days and that complete rejection of the goalie after the error can make a mess of the goalkeeper future hence the reason he is pointing out that he should be corrected with humane perspective.
“Remember Uzoho was in his best form during the last AFCON in Cameroon. But he was not given the opportunity to be in goal until the third game of the group stage against Guinea Bissau,” Aikhuomogbe said. “Nigerians need to be patient with him. He was impressive against Manchester United in the Europa League. Nigeria’s fans should be patient and believe in him.”
The former junior international, however, faulted the decision of Uzoho to reply to some fans who trolled him on the social media in the aftermath of his performance against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique, adding the Omonia Nicosia keeper ought to have ignored the fans that were always passionate about the Eagles.
“I see his replies as bottled-up anger against the fans. It is common for fans to abuse a goalkeeper or even a player that makes a mistake. It was why he made the comment as he did,” he added.
