Sports

Nigeria’s Dream Team: Truth Or Fallacy?

Published

9 years ago

April 27, 2015

Since after the Nigerian U-
23 team won the gold medal of the football event of the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games, the team’s official designation has since changed to “Dream Team’’.
The team at that time had the very best of the nation’s football talents in its ranks, players like Nwankwo Kanu, Austin “Jay Jay” Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Taribo West, Uche Okechukwu among others were some of the stars that made up the team.
This array of talented footballers literally took the football world by storm by overcoming very stiff and highly talented opposition like Brazil and Argentina to win the much coveted gold medal in the quadrennial global sports fiesta.
It is pertinent to note that the team’s victory was the first time an African country was winning the Olympic soccer gold medal.
The name, “Dream Team”, that was eventually adopted by the all conquering U-23 team, did not drop from the sky, it was a recourse to the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where actually the concept was first used.
The original Dream Team, the U.S. basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona was a phenomenon on and off the court.
It mattered not that it dominated the Olympic competition, beating its eight opponents by an average of 44 points.
What was important was that the Dream Team, the first U.S. Olympic team to include NBA stars, gave fans a glimpse of basketball at its finest, and the entire world responded.
The team had three of the game’s all-time greats: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.
The team also had the irrepressible Charles Barkley, as well as seven more NBA All-Stars: centers David Robinson and Patrick Ewing, power forward Karl Malone, swingmen Scottie Pippen, Chris Mullin and Clyde Drexler and point guard John Stockton.
Their coach, Chuck Daly, was so overwhelmed by the array of mega talents at his disposal and described the team thus: “It was, like Elvis Presley and the Beatles put together.
“Traveling with the Dream Team was like travelling with 12 rock stars.
“That’s all I can compare it to,’’ he said.
The team was described as an unplayable team because opponents didn’t have a chance, but they didn’t care.
It was even reported that one player, while trying to guard Magic Johnson, was seen frantically waving to a camera-wielding teammate on the bench, signaling to make sure he got a picture of them together.
Since their advent in the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, the succession of U.S. basketball “Dream Team’’ have gone on to win the basketball events of the Atlanta1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and the 2012 London Olympics where Nigeria’s D’Tigers were crushed by a whopping score line of 156-73 in one of their outings.
The poignant question to ask at this juncture is whether the Nigerian Dream Team has lived up to its billing in terms of performance and reputation wise.
Since their epochal victory at the Atlanta ’96 Olympics, the closest the U-23 team has come to winning another gold medal was the silver medal that the Samson Siasia-tutored side won at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Since then the team had performed epileptically and not making the kind of impact that was expected of a team with such a name.
A development that made one of the nation’s renowned TV sports analyst, Kayode Tijani, to say that the U-23 team is not qualified to be called the “Dream Team’’.
“They are not qualified to bear the name Dream Team.
“We only named the victorious U-23 team, Dream Team after we won the gold medal at the football event of the Atlanta ’96 Olympics.
“Even the players themselves did not believe that they will win the competition, and the goalkeeper Joseph Dosu, said that at half time against Brazil, the players were more concerned about damage control.
“The players were more concerned about the reaction of the nation’s teeming fans and did not believe that they will turn the table against the Brazilian team that had the likes of Ronaldo da Lima, Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos, Dida etc.
“To me, what qualifies the U-23 to be called a Dream Team is to perform consistently like the American Olympics basketball team, the original Dream Team that has been consistently consistent performance wise,’’ he said.
In the same vein, a member of the victorious Green Eagles squad that won the 1980 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Lagos, Adokiye Amiesimaka said it’s a neither here nor there issue.
“You give yourself the name you want which you are entitled to, and I see it as an ego thing.
“But if others should name you according to their assessment, it will be a more realistic name that they will give to you.
“We can call ourselves whatever we want, it’s a neither here nor there thing.’’
There was a time when the Super Eagles were not performing well and fans started calling them the Super Chickens; but they are still known as the Super Eagles.
“As a matter of fact, our national team used to be known as the Green Eagles before our late Vice-President, Augustus Aikhomu, renamed the team Super Eagles after the team’s remarkable performance at the Maroc ’88 edition of the AFCON.
“Like I said earlier, self-assessment is not a realistic task, it’s more of an ego thing,’’the former AFCON winner said.
In spite of the misgivings by Amiesimaka and Tijani, a renowned football on air analyst, Eseoghene Edafe, was of the view that the current U-23 team can be rightly called the Dream Team VI.
He stressed that a world renowned team like the Selecao of Brazil have not been able to win the football event of the Olympic Games compared to the nation’s U-23 team that has a gold and silver medal in their kitty.
Edafe added that it will be unfair to compare the U-23 team to the famed U.S. basketball team that has all it takes to sweep every team out of their path since basketball was their forte, compared to the U-23 team that had succeeded where more illustrious teams have failed.
“Our football team is not even ranked in the top 50 of FIFA’s monthly football ranking, but yet the Nigerian U-23 team has won a gold and silver medal in the Olympic Games, compared to the Brazilians that have won the World Cup, Copa America, and FIFA Intercontinental Cup.
“But in all their achievements, they don’t have an Olympic gold medal in their trophy cabinet.
“You may not agree with me in terms of comparing our U-23 team and the U.S. basketball team in terms of consistency, but I feel our team has done well to be called the Dream Team VI,’’ Edafe said. With the nation’s qualification for the football event of the 2015 All Africa Games and the qualifiers for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games looming on the horizon, the nation’s current “Dream Team’’ is poised to prove that they deserve to be called Dream Team VI.
The Siasia-tutored side had to battle against the odds to eke out a 2-1 win over the hard fighting Zambians in Lusaka on April 12.
With Siasia at the helm again, the nation’s football fans are guardedly optimistic that the team is once more on the threshold of making Olympic football history by winning a second gold medal.
Okara is a staff of News Agency of Nigeria.

Sports

Barcelona Open: Nadal’s Comeback Ended By World No 11

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

Rafael Nadal’s injury comeback was ended by Alex de Minaur as the 12-time champion waved goodbye to the Barcelona Open for possibly the final time. Nadal, 37, returned to court on Tuesday after a three-month absence, making light work of 21-year-old Italian Flavio Cobolli in a straight-set win.
A day later, Nadal lost 7-5 6-1 to world number 11 De Minaur in round two.
Nadal, a 22-time major winner, has indicated he plans to retire in 2024 if he is unable to compete regularly.
The former world number one, now ranked 644th, has only played five matches since January 2023 because of hip and abdominal injuries.
Nadal is hoping to be fit enough to make a return to the French Open, where he won a record 14 men’s singles titles, next month.
Facing a player of De Minaur’s pedigree was always likely to be a considerable step up, and a truer test of his level than his comeback outing against 62nd-ranked Cobolli.
The 25-year-old Australian tried to test Nadal’s movement by using drop shots early in the match, an effective tactic which helped him move 2-0 in front and tee up another break point for 3-0.
But Nadal survived to hold and improved his level, producing a number of explosive cross-court backhand winners as he fought back to lead 4-3.
Another backhand winner, this time down the line, even drew a clap of the strings from De Minaur and teed up another break point for Nadal.
Taking the chance would have left Nadal serving for the set, but De Minaur recovered and won 19 of the next 24 points to win an opener lasting more than an hour.
After so long out, and with playing on consecutive days, Nadal’s endurance was always going to be tested, particularly against an opponent known for his athleticism.
De Minaur played smartly in a one-sided second set and broke Nadal’s serve three times, silencing the Barcelona crowd in the process, to secure an impressive victory.
Nadal left the court bearing his name – for what could be the final time – to a standing ovation and rapturous send-off.
Meanwhile, British men’s number two Jack Draper reached his 10th ATP Tour quarter-finals at the BMW Open in Munich.
Draper, 22, fought back after a rain delay to earn a 4-6 6-1 6-1 win over
German world number 179 Rudolf Molleker at the clay-court event.

Sports

Leverkusen Chief Backs Alonso To Join Madrid

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

Bayer Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro has claimed that Xabi Alonso will coach Real Madrid, while also lending fresh hope to Liverpool.
Alonso’s remarkable success at Leverkusen, who clinched their first-ever Bundesliga crown at the weekend, has positioned him as one of the most sought-after managers in Europe, with Liverpool and Bayern Munich previously leading the chase. Despite the interest, the 42-year-old Spaniard has affirmed his commitment to remain at the helm of the Bundesliga outfit for at least one more season.
However, Leverkusen’s leadership acknowledges the challenge of retaining Alonso over the long term, given his burgeoning reputation and the inevitable interest from top clubs across Europe. Among the potential destinations for Alonso, Real Madrid stands out prominently as Carro expressed his belief that Alonso could eventually return to the Spanish capital, where he enjoyed a distinguished playing career.
Speaking to Tidesports source, Carro also suggested Liverpool still have a chance of striking a deal for Alonso one day, as he stated: “I have no doubt that Xabi Alonso will coach Real Madrid at some point. What I am not clear about is when, but that he will end up at Real Madrid I have no doubt, as it is also possible that he trains Liverpool or Bayern.
There are a lot of clubs interested, that’s how it is, which doesn’t mean that in the future he can’t coach some of the clubs mentioned, especially his former teams as a player. But he feels comfortable here, otherwise he wouldn’t continue. We will maintain our ambition to play in the Champions League next year.”
Despite Real Madrid’s current managerial stability under Carlo Ancelotti, whose contract is due to run until 2026, reports suggest that the club’s hierarchy views Alonso as the ideal candidate to succeed Ancelotti when his tenure concludes. The backing of Real Madrid’s board, including club president Florentino Perez, further solidifies Alonso’s prospects of potentially assuming the managerial reins at the Santiago Bernabeu in 2026. Allegedly aware of the esteem in which the club’s leadership holds him, Alonso has opted to remain at Leverkusen, biding his time for a potential return to Real Madrid.
Alonso is focused on preparing Leverkusen for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League quarter-final against West Ham at London Stadium on April 18, following their 2-0 victory in the first leg at BayArena.

Sports

Barca Blame Referee, Panic For Loss To PSG

Published

2 days ago

April 18, 2024

The Tide

Barcelona had a two-goal aggregate lead and were seemingly in control of their UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg match against Paris St- Germain in Spain until it all turned to chaos.
A disaster performance from the referee, panic from Barcelona’s players and an unnecessary expulsion, according to Barca sources, were all blamed on a dramatic Tuesday evening at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys as PSG ran out 4-1 winners.
Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo’s sending off turned the tide in their Champions League quarter-final as PSG came from 3-2 down in the first leg to win the tie 6-4 on aggregate.
A double from Kylian Mbappe, a long-range strike from Vitinha and an Ousmane Dembele goal against his former club sent Barcelona spiralling out of control – and out of the competition.
As Barcelona turned in a performance riddled with mistakes, referee Istvan Kovacs had a busy evening. The Romanian showed three red cards to the hosts – manager Xavi’s frustrations getting the better of him, before a member of his coaching staff was dismissed for dissent. That only compounded the damage done by Araujo’s red-card inducing challenge on Bradley Barcola early in the first half.
“The referee was really bad. I told him his performance was a disaster. I don’t like to talk about referees, but it had a clear impact in the season and it has to be said,” Xavi told news men.
“We are very upset and angry because the red card was the decisive factor in the match. With 11, we were in a good position, playing well and in command.
“It’s too much to flash a red card in a game like this. There was another game after that… It is a pity that the work of the season was ruined by an unnecessary expulsion.”
Araujo’s early exit allowed PSG to build momentum. The goals flowed; Barcelona collapsed. Joao Cancelo needlessly brought down Dembele in the box, allowing Mbappe to score the first of his two goals from the penalty spot.
“You can’t make mistakes in the Champions League,” former Barcelona striker Thierry Henry said after the game.
“If you make mistakes, you pay the price straight away and that’s why it is so hard to win that competition because you cannot make one mistake.”
Having left Paris with a 3-2 victory, Barcelona got off to the perfect start in their second leg when Raphinha deflected in teenager Lamine Yamal’s cross.
But Barcelona’s lead did not last long and PSG took control in the second half as the cards came from Kovacs.