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Super Eagles And The ‘If’ Permutation

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14 years ago

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Football-loving Nigerians at home and in diaspora are sad again, for the umpteenth time. The country’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, have disappointed them again by their unimpressive performance and consequent ouster at the on-going South Africa 2010 world cup.

Like it was in the country’s last appearance at the mumdial  in Japan/Korea 2002, the Eagles could only get a draw in three group matches. While the only draw was 2-2 against Korea Republic at South Africa, it was 0-0 against England in 2002.

By their last Group B match against Korea, the Eagles had no point, having lost to Argentina (0-1) and Greece (1-2) in their first two matches.

However, there was the mathematical chance that if they could defeat  Korea Republic, and Argentina could do same to Greece, Nigeria could quality.

The scenario reminded close watches of the one on the final day of qualifiers for the on-going World Cup: if the Eagles could defeat Kenya in Nairobi, and Mozambique could do same to Tunisia on home soil, the if permutation.

Luckily, the permutation favoured the Eagles, and they proceeded to South Africa, only to find themselves in the same if permutation scenario again.  

Blames have long started pouring in from all angles. As expected, most of the blame is on the players. Yakubu Ayegbeni seen to be the number one culprits for missing that vital goal with an open net staring at him against Korea.

Sani Keita is another culprit. He can hardly be forgotten for attracting the red card that distabilised the already wobbling Eagles team that saw them lose 1-2 to Greece.

Another set of people are also blaming the Eagles’ coach, Lars Lagerback, for not presenting good team at South Africa 2010. Only quite a few people seem to have paused and pondered to view the entire scenario concerning the Nigerian team to South Africa. Only these few seem to have appreciated the fact that the performance of the Super Eagles is only a reflection of their ill preparedness and unfitness.

Surely, if the truth must be told, it would have been a great injustice to the game if the Eagles had gone beyond the first round going by the performances of all the teams that qualified for the last 16 stage.

This has nothing to do with patriotism. In fact, if patriotism should be mentioned in this issue without questioning the patriots in those who manage Nigeria’s football, particularly regarding preparation of teams for major championships, it would amount to a display of high level of ignorance in what it takes to do well at that level of the game.

Sincerely, to have expected the Eagles to do more than they did in South Africa is natural and can only be done out of patriotism considerations, because they really did not merit it.

Not that on a good day the players, individually, are not good, but rather because Nigeria, not the players in isolation, was not prepared for this world cup.

The picture painted here is a parent sending his child to a major examination, knowing that he did not create an enabling environment for the child to study real hard for the exam, but relying on the child’s previous knowledge.

Meanwhile, the parent decides to provide every other thing in abundance to encourage the child on the day of the examination, with high expectation of the child excelling at the end of the day.

For those in this picture, they seem to have forgotten how times have changed even in the football world. So much so that from being a means of entertainment, football has in addition become a huge business.

Also, that world football governing body, FIFA, almost on daily basis does everything possible to make the game more technical and difficult for any unserious country to reap from its benefits, while also making the game more interesting.

In the process, FIFA has gradually changed the game from being more physical, as it was in the early days, to being more scientific. It thus requires more mental work than physical work.

Consequently, the displays we watch on the turf, by which we judge teams, only constitute about 40 per- cent (Probably less) of total work required to enhance success in a championship in the fold of the world cup. A lot of other factors make up the remaining 60 percent.

 These factors include such things as the coach/technical adviser of the team, whether he is the right choice, his strategy and how long he has to achieve set goals; the quality of players and their psyche before and during each match; as well as how long members of the team has to function as a team, different from individual performance.

Also, how best these factors turn out is to a large extent a function of how committed the managers of football in a country or team are the extent to which they are committed to ensuring success, and sustaining same.

Again, all of these factors could be in place, and a team can still fail without the element of luck, which is another factor. However, a team can also have only some of these factors and can still succeed with luck.

But it amounts to a misnomer to depend solely on luck because luck thrives better when all other factors are in place.

In the case of the Super Eagles to the South Africa 2010 World Cup, the country, better still, managers of the country’s football, relied on luck because every other factor were either not in place, or there was not enough time for such factors to mature. Lars Lagerback, the Eagles helmsman, may be one of such factors.

To do better in future world cups, therefore, Nigeria must first seek to put that 60 per cent in proper perspective. It will be easier for the 40 per- cent to fall in place after then.

It is what the French did from the mid-eighties that saw them produce a solid team that gave them the world cup tile in 1998. A little painstaking research can do the trick for Nigeria.

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Finidi Lists Three Foreign Assistants For Eagles

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1 day ago

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May 10, 2024

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Newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Finidi George, has listed three foreigners in a five-man technical crew that will include former Nigeria International Daniel Amokachi and current goalkeepers trainer, Abideen Baruwa.
George and chieftains of the Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) have been meeting over the last few days to iron out the final details of a contract for the former Ajax Amsterdam winger who was recently announced as the substantive manager of the national team following the departure of Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro after the silver-medal finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire.
The issue of others that would work with George has dominated discussions in sports circles but sources at the NFF has now hinted that the 52-year-old coach has tabled a proposal of five technical crew with words rife that a German-Nigerian has been listed as first assistant with Amokachi to be a second assistant.
While Baruwa would maintain his status as the goalkeepers trainer, there are places for two more foreign assistants who would serve as physical trainer and match analyst respectively.
Yet, it was gathered that a one-year contact will be signed by George with an extension clause should the Super Eagles reach the semi-final stages of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) to be hosted in Morocco.
Tidesports gathered that the NFF is yet at sea on how funds would be sourced for the foreign assistants with many said to be worried that George is making things rather difficult as regards the listing of three foreign assistants.
But former Nigeria international and a member of the Technical & Development Committee of the NFF Dr. Felix Owolabi insists that George is duty-bound to pick his own assistants in order to enjoy a good working environment.
“He (George) should be allowed to pick his assistants because that is the right thing to do,” Owolabi who won the AFCON with the Green Eagles in 1980 said recently. “ The NFF cannot choose for him; it has to be the prerogative of the coach to determine those who are to work with him.”

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Bayelsa To Host 2024 NWFL Super Six Tournament

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1 day ago

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May 10, 2024

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The Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) has announced Bayelsa State as the hosts of the 2023/2024 NWFL Premiership Super Six.
The highly anticipated NWFL Premiership title championship is scheduled to run from Thursday May 16 to Sunday 26, 2023 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Bayelsa was confirmed as host by the NWFL last Tuesday following a review of bid interests from various states to stage the playoff competition.
Nkechi Obi, the NWFL chairman, said: “On behalf of the board and management of the NWFL, let me congratulate Bayelsa State for being selected as the hosts for the NWFL Premiership Super Six.”
“We hope this opportunity to host a great Super Six will further boost women’s football in Bayelsa and raise the profile of the sport in Nigeria.”
This will be the first time that the NWFL Premiership playoff tournament will be hosted by Bayelsa State. Yenagoa is also the home ground of Bayelsa Queens, who had a memorable 2022 NWFL Premiership campaign where they famously won the domestic title, WAFU-B playoff and eventually finished third at the 2022 CAF Women’s Champions League held in Morocco.
Shabi said the participating clubs are expected to arrive in Yenagoa on Thursday, May 16 2024, followed by the draw and pre-match meeting to be held on Friday, May 17 from 10 am.
The playoff tournament would begin on Saturday, May 18 with Matchday One and end with the Matchday Five on Sunday, May 26. Three matches will be played on each Match Day, with breaks in between match days.
With holders Delta Queens missing out, six giants will battle for the coveted Nigerian league crown, having qualified as the top three finishers from two groups during the regular season of 14 matches.
The six teams include the host team Bayelsa Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels, Confluence Queens, Nasarawa Amazons and Heartland Queens.
In Group A, Nasarawa Amazons finished as group winners with 27 points from 14 matches, followed by Confluence Queens in second with 25 points and Heartland Queens in third with 24 points.
Sitting top in Group B was Rivers Angels with 27 points, four ahead of Edo Queens in second and Bayelsa Queens in third with 22 points from 14 games.
The title winner of this year’s Super Six tournament will represent the country in the WAFU-B qualifiers to qualify for the 4th CAF Women’s Champions League.

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Legal Threat Hangs On FIFA Over Calendar

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1 day ago

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May 10, 2024

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World governing body, FIFA is facing the threat of legal action from world players’ union, FIFPro and the World Leagues Association, which includes the Premier League, if it continues with plans to host a 32-team Club World Cup at the end of next season.
They say the global football calendar is “now beyond saturation, to the point that national leagues are unable to properly organise their competitions” while “players are being pushed beyond their limits, with significant injury risks and impacts on their welfare”.
It was reported in December that the PFA was taking legal advice over the lack of consultation over an increasingly congested calendar and the impact that was likely to have on its members.
PFA chief executive Maheta Molango has been part of a series of high-level discussions over the intervening period, including the European Leagues general assembly last month, when Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said the calendar was at tipping point.
Next season, all three European club competitions will be expanded to 36 teams. The Champions League and Europa League will have eight first phase games compared to the current six. It is possible a club would have to play 17 matches to win either competition.
Manchester City and Chelsea are among the 12 European representatives at the expanded Club World Cup, to be held in the United States in June and July next year.
In a letter addressed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and general secretary Mattias Grafstrom, seen by Tidesports source, FIFPro and the World Leagues Association say if FIFA extends its own competitions then it should alter others.
It adds that “imposing the burden of adaptation on national leagues and players is inherently abusive” and is “jeopardising national leagues and affecting the health and wellbeing of players”.
However, it is understood that FIFA believes it has taken into account player welfare with their scheduling programme.
It argues that, in a country that has an 18-team league with one cup competition – like Germany – the Club World Cup and Intercontinental Cup would only account for 2.3per cent of matches played at club level over the course of the season.
It also believes the influential European Clubs’ Association backed the Club World Cup plans in a statement in December.
FIFPro and the World Leagues Association believe they have already provided FIFA with ample opportunity to address their concerns.
However, in their letter they state clearly that if FIFA “refuses to formally commit to resolving the issues” at its council meeting in Bangkok on 17 May, members will be advised “on the options available to them”.
“These options included legal action against FIFA,” they said.
The FIFA council meeting in Thailand will see all 211 member associations get together, with a vote on the host nation or nations of the 2027 Women’s World Cup set to take place.
The threat of legal action against FIFA comes against a backdrop of Premier League clubs announcing lucrative post and pre-season tours.
Yesterday, West Ham, Wolves and Crystal Palace announced a three-team pre-season tour of the United States, while Newcastle and Tottenham will play one another in Melbourne, Australia just three days after the end of the Premier League season.
Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, Bournemouth will all tour the United States next summer.

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