Sports

2014 W/Cup: Posers For Keshi, S’Eagles

Published

10 years ago

April 7, 2014

With about two
months to go until Nigeria’s opening World Cup game against Iran, a number of unanswered questions still exist for Stephen Keshi and his Super Eagles.
Many fans, had hoped that the recent international friendly against Mexico would answer some of the issues that still linger around the squad and the Big Boss’s approach.
Unfortunately, the friendly largely failed to elucidate the watching world on some of the enduring questions that Nigeria faces ahead of the World Cup.
In fact, it was more a case of “like a bathroom wall, the more you look, the more you see” as, rather than questions being answered, a whole new set of potential problems now swirl ahead of the trip to Brazil.
The most pressing questions surrounding the expected performance of the Super Eagles at the World Cup include the followings among others;
Who Will Score the Goals?
Okay, okay, so the immediate answer here should be apparent to everyone. Who will score Nigeria’s goals? Well, Emmanuel Emenike will, right? Well yes, he will, as he has done so often, and so regularly, for Nigeria in the past.
But is that enough?
The dismissal of Ideye Brown and the inclusion of new boys Michael Uchebo and Imoh Ezekiel was a revealing window into Keshi’s concerns about the team’s ability to produce goals.
Beyond Emenike, who was the side’s saviour against Ethiopia in the World Cup play-off, and who scored four goals during the Cup of Nations, it is hard to see who can be considered a regular source of goals for the Super Eagles.
This may well be the issue that is making the Big Boss fret as Brazil draws near. It is one he cannot afford to ignore ahead of the World Cup – solutions, however, do not come without their own individual concerns.
Will a lack of playing time affect some of the squad’s Big Names?
This issue has emerged from the shadows and now, with its ogre’s sneer, represents a genuine concern for Keshi and his staff.
It is a problem that has come in the form of Nemanja Matic, of Layvin Kurzawa, and of Raheem Sterling. Too many of Nigeria’s would-be superstars are playing second fiddle at club level and not receiving the game time that might be considered necessary preparation for the World Cup.
To a point, this might not necessarily be a grave concern; many a fine World Cup side have, after all, been derailed by a fatigue and burnout.
No danger of that for Keshi’s current collective but, as was evidenced against Mexico, the lack of minutes has left the likes of John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses battling ring rust ahead of the world’s greatest sporting event.
How will Keshi configure the midfield?
The fact that this concern is even being raised is, probably, a good sign.
Nigeria’s preparation for their last two forays to the World Cup were both undermined by issues graver than this and many of us would probably accept Keshi facing one key tactical conundrum ahead of the sojourn to Brazil.
The identity of the would-be ‘Third Man’ or Keshi’s alternate midfield configuration remain mysteries and with no more pre-squad-naming friendlies left to play, they will remain works in progress until Keshi has at least identified his 30.
Against Mexico, the Big Boss appeared to be leaning towards a 4-4-1-1 formation, while the inclusion or continued ignoring of the likes of Sunday Mba, Nosa Igiebor and Nnamdi Oduamadi might also give clues as to the manager’s ultimate intention here.
Can any of the new additions secure a starting role?
By ‘new additions’ in the title, I refer not just to the likes of Ramon Azeez, Imoh Ezekiel and Michael Uchebo – all of whom made their international debuts against Mexico – but also to the likes of Ejike Uzoenyi, who was recalled to the squad for the friendly after a long period of absence.
Keshi’s decision to shuffle the pack ahead of that match at least demonstrated the manager’s keenness to assess a broad range of options ahead of the trip to Brazil.
His move to start Uchebo was a sign of great faith in the Belgium-based youngster, who, up to that point, had largely been overlooked by the majority of the media covering Nigerian football. In his brief cameo he showed the energy and creativity to suggest that he might be a genuine option for the Super Eagles behind Emenike in a 4-4-1-1 formation.
I was one journalist who had often taken the occasion to call for the inclusion of Imoh Ezekiel but, in truth, when his international recognition finally came, my attention had moved on to Olympiakos’s Michael Olaitan.
Had Leon Balogun not been injured so unfortunately, he might have been a contender for a starting berth but, as it stands, the Dusseldorf man needs an incredible change in fortunes just to make the plane.
It may be, then, that Ramon Azeez, championed by several of my colleagues as a midfield anchorman, is best-placed to force his way into Keshi’s starting plans.
Will Keshi stay true to his philosophy?
Keshi is a man who has built his reputation upon the bold and brave decision to jettison the underachieving and the tarnished to construct a side upon the young, the hungry, the uncelebrated and the inexperienced.
Up to a point, this approach has served him well; his Super Eagles elect did, after all, bring home the continental crown and seal World Cup qualification.
However, as the tournament approaches, the creaks appear to be emerging in Keshi’s masterplan.
Some of the deficiencies in the current squad may well find answers in some of those ignored by the Big Boss, not least Osaze Odemwingie, who is performing effectively at Stoke City.
Keshi’s decision to recall Joseph Yobo for the Mexico friendly was a first step on the potentially sloppy slope to ultimate compromise. Who else will follow?
Dove writes for kickoffnigeria.com
Ed Dove

Sports

Chess Championship: Dan-Jumbo Emerges Best Female Player

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2024

The Tide

The third edition of Naphtail Chess Open Championship which ended on Wednesday in Port Harcourt saw Rivers State born Queen Dan-Jumbo emerged best female player in the tournament following her impressive performance.

It was clash of the Titans as top Chess players in Nigeria gathered to chase honours.

The three days competition was held at Vee Hotel, Trans Amadi ,in Port Harcourt and over 80 players in Nigeria registered for the tournament this championship was recognised by International Chess Federation (FIDE).

Speaking with Tidesports in an exclusive interview on Saturday, Dan-Jumbo said her dream was to become Grand Master in Chess worldwide.

According to her, she started playing Chess at the age of 15 but went into it professionally in 2009 as she represented Rivers State in National Sports Festival (NSF) in Kaduna, the same year.

“I started playing Chess in the early 2000s. I picked the interest through my my elder brother as him and his friends always play Chess in our compound so I began to learn it.

” In 2009 I went to National Sports festival in Kaduna represented Rivers State and I won a silver medal on my board.

“In 2011 and 2012 NSFs I won two Gold medals each hosted by Rivers and Lagos States respectively. While in Edo NSF I won bronze medal” Dan-Jumbo said.

The Asari-Toru, in Rivers State born Chess player use the forum to advice upcoming Chess players to be focus, saying losing a game is part of every competition but the most important thing was that you don’t lose hope.

“My advice for upcoming chess players was that don’t lose focus. Even when you lose, find a way to adjust and get back out”, she added.

Tonye Orabere

Sports

Siasia Blames NFF Over FIFA Ban

Published

1 week ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

Former Super Eagles Coach, Samson Siasia says the Nigeria Football Federation supported FIFA to have him banned for alleged involvement in match-fixing in August 2019.
In a recent interview with Athlist, the 56-year-old, whose ban ends in a few months, said the NFF not only refused to support him but also carried out FIFA’s instruction not to let him know he was under investigation by the world football body.
“Nigeria abandoned me at that time of need; that’s my own take on how this thing played out,” the former Eagles striker and member of the 1994 AFCON-winning squad, said.
“It’s an allegation; they said bribery. What is bribery? Is it not when money changes hands? Was there any proof of that? There were none.
“I spoke with someone who was trying to hire me as a coach in Australia. I didn’t know the guy was a match-fixer, but FIFA knew this guy. Why would they allow him to be around any FIFA tournament?
“So, when they found out through emails, our correspondence about how this guy would take me to Australia, I played in Australia, so I felt it would be nice to go back there.
“We talked about how much salaries, transfers, bonuses, and sign-on fees were, and that was all.
“When FIFA was looking for me, I didn’t even know. I am not affiliated with FIFA; their affiliation is with the NFF. So, they went to the NFF and told them not to let me know that they were investigating me. But if they didn’t tell me, how was I supposed to defend my self Siasia added, “Then they sent me a letter, but it went to my spam. It was two days before the ban that I found out that FIFA was looking for me.
Siasia added, “Then they sent me a letter, but it went to my spam. It was two days before the ban that I found out that FIFA was looking for me.
“Then we started to see how we could communicate with them to see how I could have a hearing. But they said the time had elapsed and I should go to the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport).

Sports

WADA Plans Review Of Failed Tests

Published

1 week ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will launch an independent review after 23 Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete at the Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive for a banned substance.
WADA has said it was not in a position to disprove an assertion from the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) that contamination was the source of the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) for which the swimmers tested positive.
Findings of the independent investigation, led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, are expected to be delivered within two months.
“WADA’s integrity and reputation is under attack,” said Wada president Witold Banka.
“WADA has been unfairly accused of bias in favour of China by not appealing the CHINADA case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“We continue to reject the false accusations and we are pleased to be able to put these questions into the hands of an experienced, respected and independent prosecutor.”
United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Chief Executive Travis Tygart said WADA and CHINADA had swept these positives under the carpet, claims WADA described as completely false and defamatory while adding that it had referred the comments to its lawyers.
Aquatics GB said it was extremely concerned by the allegations, which it said threatened “potential loss of trust and reputational damage to sport”.
WADA was notified of CHINADA’s decision in June 2021, ahead of the delayed Games, and said it had no evidence to challenge China’s findings and that external counsel had advised against appealing.
In addition to the independent investigation, WADA said it will send a compliance audit team to assess the state of China’s anti-doping programme and invite independent auditors “from the broader anti-doping community” to join the trip.
WADA director general Olivier Niggli said: “While not one shred of evidence has been presented to support any of the allegations made against WADA, we wish to deal with the matter as quickly and as comprehensively as possible so that the matter is appropriately handled in advance of the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Details of the positive tests were revealed by the New York Times, which shared reporting with German broadcaster ARD.
China won six swimming medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including three golds.