Nigeria football will bounce back (3)
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- Category: Sports
- Written by AMINU MAIGARI
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I was at the two international friendly matches the Super Eagles played against Botswana and Zambia within three days and I am convinced that new Head Coach, Mr. Stephen Keshi has started on a good footing.
There have so much discussion in the media on how long Stephen Keshi would last in the job, or whether the Nigeria Football Federation has not purposely digged man-holes for him with the contract to take Nigeria to the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa and qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, and also reach the quarter finals in Brazil.At the very first official meeting I had with Keshi, in the presence of the chairman of Technical Sub-Committee, chairman of Referees Sub-Committee and the Acting General Secretary, I made it clear that the Nigeria Football Federation would give him all the support.
It does not serve the interest of the Nigeria Football Federation and the mandate it is entrusted with, to do ANYTHING whatsoever to sabotage Stephen Keshi, or any Head Coach for that matter. Why do we need to do that?
I made it clear when I started this column eight months ago that it would only serve the interest of football and not the politics, or be used to ‘attack’ anyone. That promise stands.
However, it is pertinent that I address suggestions that the NFF is wishing Keshi bad luck with the clause in his contract to qualify the Super Eagles for 2014 FIFA World Cup finals and take the team to the quarter finals.
The milestones that are clearly set for Keshi is to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2013 African Cup of Nations and also qualify the team to the FIFA World Cup finals Brazil 2014, and take the team to at least the quarter finals.
In life, people set targets, goals and objectives. Any man without aspiration is not headed anywhere. There must be dreams, to be powered by hard work, perseverance, good judgement and painstaking adherence to principles along the way.
Samson Siasia was relieved of his appointment because the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, and not because he qualified and his team failed to reach the semi finals, as stated in his contract.
It is legitimate to be ambitious. A man without ambition is just another number, without any definite destination and certainly, without any desire for achievement. Perhaps, if Siasia had qualified the Super Eagles for the Cup of Nations and the team did well enough, even without getting to the semi finals, who knows what could have happened?
Someone suggested last week that the target set for Siasia was cynical? How, I ask? At the time Siasia was signing his contract, semi final-place at the African Cup of Nations by the Super Eagles was taken for granted. Reason: Before losing out of the race for the 2012 finals, Nigeria had failed to qualify for the semi finals of the African Cup of Nations only ONCE in 29 years. In 1982, as defending champions, the Green Eagles lost 0-3 to Zambia (yes, Zambia) after a 3-0 win over Ethiopia and 1-2 defeat by Algeria to crash out of the tournament in Libya.
In the following 28 years, it was only at the finals in 2008 in Ghana that the Eagles failed to get to the semi finals. Yakubu Aiyegbeni put Nigeria ahead in the quarter finals against host Ghana in Accra but the Black Stars overturned it for a 2-1 win to send the Eagles home early.
In 1984, 22-year old Stephen Keshi led the team that reached the final of the African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, and Muda Lawal scored to put Nigeria ahead after only 10 minutes, only for the more Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to turn the game around in the second half. Two years later, Nigeria failed to qualify for the finals in Egypt.
In 1988, the Eagles reached the final in Morocco only to lose to Cameroon, again. In 1990, despite losing the opening match 1-5 to host Algeria and rampaging Rabah Madjer, Nigeria got to the final, this time losing by a respectable 0-1 to the same team.
In 1992, we won the bronze medal in Senegal, after beating Cameroon, and in 1994, the team captained by Stephen Keshi lifted the trophy in Tunisia.
The Eagles were not in South Africa in 1996 and were absent in Burkina Faso in 1998, both for political reasons. In 2000, as co-hosts with Ghana, Nigeria reached the final, though losing to Cameroon, again, on penalties.
At Mali 2002, Nigeria won the bronze medal at the expense of the host nation, and in 2004 in Tunisia, another bronze at the expense of Mali, again. In 2006 in Egypt, bronze against Senegal and in 2010, bronze after beating Algeria in a third place match in Benguela.
I have gone through the memory lane to show that no one meant any evil when it was included in Siasia’s contract to qualify for the African Cup of Nations and reach the semi finals.
And in the case of Stephen Keshi, qualification for the 2013 African Cup of Nations is absolute priority. After failing to qualify for the 2012 finals, even the Executive Committee would feel something is seriously wrong if we fail to make it to 2013.
And of course, qualification for the FIFA World Cup finals must be pursued with total seriousness and sense of purpose. After failing to qualify for Germany 2006, we made it to the 2010 finals on the last day and then failed to fly in South Africa. Nigerians want to see their team DO SOMETHING at the FIFA World Cup stage.
As I wrote last week, the Nigeria Football Federation has confidence in Stephen Keshi and hope he will do those things that are necessary to deliver. We will give all the support and assistance necessary and provide conducive environment. We will make the job easier for him through our co-operation and understanding. We will work together towards the same goal.
Keshi has achieved and led well as a player and I am impressed by what I saw in his first two matches. The Super Eagles showed spirit and desire and played with renewed confidence against Botswana in Benin City, even though the goals failed to come. They created chances and were pushing upfield. They were firm at the rear and showed no palpitations.
Against Zambia in Kaduna on Tuesday, the team did likewise. I was discussiing with a couple of media persons and I made it known how I felt about a couple of players. But we all agreed that if the Head Coach needed to take risks, to look at some players and make up his mind on them, that could only be done in a friendly match. And I am happy that at the end, Keshi himself said some players don’t deserve to be called into the Senior National Team of Nigeria.
At the same time, it means that Keshi now knows the players he will work with. And with the race to the 2013 African Nations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals just by the door, we don’t have time to waste. We must get our acts together NOW and be focused on the challenges ahead.
Kenya, Namibia and Malawi have been confirmed as the Super Eagles’ opponents for the group phase contest of the African qualifying series for 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Nigeria Football Federation, Stephen Keshi and indeed all stakeholders must work together in the interest of the nation for us to make it a simple run as it looks.
Congrats, NPL
I have to congratulate the Nigeria Premier League on the eventual end to what many have termed ‘the longest season in the world’. Now that it has ended, the NPL would be compelled to sit down with the NFF in order to ensure that this NEVER happens again. And we also have to sit down and harmonize the different calendars in the interest of the Nigeria game.
I also congratulate the champions, Dolphin FC of Port Harcourt for their never-say-die spirit, even though the formal declaration of champions and relegated teams would come from the Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation which comes up next month.
Sunshine Stars came so close, leading with one point into the last day, only to crash away to Kano Pillars while Dolphin FC won away to Bukola Babes in Ilorin.
That scenario going into the last day made it a breath-taking finale. We hope that next season would be even better.
NEXT WEEK: Fiesta in North Africa
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Nigeria football will bounce back (3)
Category: Sports Written by AMINU MAIGARI Hits: 445
I was at the two international friendly matches the Super Eagles played against Botswana and Zambia within three days and I am convinced that new Head Coach, Mr. Stephen Keshi has started on a good footing.
There have so much discussion in the media on how long Stephen Keshi would last in the job, or whether the Nigeria Football Federation has not purposely digged man-holes for him with the contract to take Nigeria to the 2013 African Cup of Nations in South Africa and qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, and also reach the quarter finals in Brazil.At the very first official meeting I had with Keshi, in the presence of the chairman of Technical Sub-Committee, chairman of Referees Sub-Committee and the Acting General Secretary, I made it clear that the Nigeria Football Federation would give him all the support.
It does not serve the interest of the Nigeria Football Federation and the mandate it is entrusted with, to do ANYTHING whatsoever to sabotage Stephen Keshi, or any Head Coach for that matter. Why do we need to do that?
I made it clear when I started this column eight months ago that it would only serve the interest of football and not the politics, or be used to ‘attack’ anyone. That promise stands.
However, it is pertinent that I address suggestions that the NFF is wishing Keshi bad luck with the clause in his contract to qualify the Super Eagles for 2014 FIFA World Cup finals and take the team to the quarter finals.
The milestones that are clearly set for Keshi is to qualify the Super Eagles for the 2013 African Cup of Nations and also qualify the team to the FIFA World Cup finals Brazil 2014, and take the team to at least the quarter finals.
In life, people set targets, goals and objectives. Any man without aspiration is not headed anywhere. There must be dreams, to be powered by hard work, perseverance, good judgement and painstaking adherence to principles along the way.
Samson Siasia was relieved of his appointment because the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, and not because he qualified and his team failed to reach the semi finals, as stated in his contract.
It is legitimate to be ambitious. A man without ambition is just another number, without any definite destination and certainly, without any desire for achievement. Perhaps, if Siasia had qualified the Super Eagles for the Cup of Nations and the team did well enough, even without getting to the semi finals, who knows what could have happened?
Someone suggested last week that the target set for Siasia was cynical? How, I ask? At the time Siasia was signing his contract, semi final-place at the African Cup of Nations by the Super Eagles was taken for granted. Reason: Before losing out of the race for the 2012 finals, Nigeria had failed to qualify for the semi finals of the African Cup of Nations only ONCE in 29 years. In 1982, as defending champions, the Green Eagles lost 0-3 to Zambia (yes, Zambia) after a 3-0 win over Ethiopia and 1-2 defeat by Algeria to crash out of the tournament in Libya.
In the following 28 years, it was only at the finals in 2008 in Ghana that the Eagles failed to get to the semi finals. Yakubu Aiyegbeni put Nigeria ahead in the quarter finals against host Ghana in Accra but the Black Stars overturned it for a 2-1 win to send the Eagles home early.
In 1984, 22-year old Stephen Keshi led the team that reached the final of the African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, and Muda Lawal scored to put Nigeria ahead after only 10 minutes, only for the more Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to turn the game around in the second half. Two years later, Nigeria failed to qualify for the finals in Egypt.
In 1988, the Eagles reached the final in Morocco only to lose to Cameroon, again. In 1990, despite losing the opening match 1-5 to host Algeria and rampaging Rabah Madjer, Nigeria got to the final, this time losing by a respectable 0-1 to the same team.
In 1992, we won the bronze medal in Senegal, after beating Cameroon, and in 1994, the team captained by Stephen Keshi lifted the trophy in Tunisia.
The Eagles were not in South Africa in 1996 and were absent in Burkina Faso in 1998, both for political reasons. In 2000, as co-hosts with Ghana, Nigeria reached the final, though losing to Cameroon, again, on penalties.
At Mali 2002, Nigeria won the bronze medal at the expense of the host nation, and in 2004 in Tunisia, another bronze at the expense of Mali, again. In 2006 in Egypt, bronze against Senegal and in 2010, bronze after beating Algeria in a third place match in Benguela.
I have gone through the memory lane to show that no one meant any evil when it was included in Siasia’s contract to qualify for the African Cup of Nations and reach the semi finals.
And in the case of Stephen Keshi, qualification for the 2013 African Cup of Nations is absolute priority. After failing to qualify for the 2012 finals, even the Executive Committee would feel something is seriously wrong if we fail to make it to 2013.
And of course, qualification for the FIFA World Cup finals must be pursued with total seriousness and sense of purpose. After failing to qualify for Germany 2006, we made it to the 2010 finals on the last day and then failed to fly in South Africa. Nigerians want to see their team DO SOMETHING at the FIFA World Cup stage.
As I wrote last week, the Nigeria Football Federation has confidence in Stephen Keshi and hope he will do those things that are necessary to deliver. We will give all the support and assistance necessary and provide conducive environment. We will make the job easier for him through our co-operation and understanding. We will work together towards the same goal.
Keshi has achieved and led well as a player and I am impressed by what I saw in his first two matches. The Super Eagles showed spirit and desire and played with renewed confidence against Botswana in Benin City, even though the goals failed to come. They created chances and were pushing upfield. They were firm at the rear and showed no palpitations.
Against Zambia in Kaduna on Tuesday, the team did likewise. I was discussiing with a couple of media persons and I made it known how I felt about a couple of players. But we all agreed that if the Head Coach needed to take risks, to look at some players and make up his mind on them, that could only be done in a friendly match. And I am happy that at the end, Keshi himself said some players don’t deserve to be called into the Senior National Team of Nigeria.
At the same time, it means that Keshi now knows the players he will work with. And with the race to the 2013 African Nations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals just by the door, we don’t have time to waste. We must get our acts together NOW and be focused on the challenges ahead.
Kenya, Namibia and Malawi have been confirmed as the Super Eagles’ opponents for the group phase contest of the African qualifying series for 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Nigeria Football Federation, Stephen Keshi and indeed all stakeholders must work together in the interest of the nation for us to make it a simple run as it looks.
Congrats, NPL
I have to congratulate the Nigeria Premier League on the eventual end to what many have termed ‘the longest season in the world’. Now that it has ended, the NPL would be compelled to sit down with the NFF in order to ensure that this NEVER happens again. And we also have to sit down and harmonize the different calendars in the interest of the Nigeria game.
I also congratulate the champions, Dolphin FC of Port Harcourt for their never-say-die spirit, even though the formal declaration of champions and relegated teams would come from the Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation which comes up next month.
Sunshine Stars came so close, leading with one point into the last day, only to crash away to Kano Pillars while Dolphin FC won away to Bukola Babes in Ilorin.
That scenario going into the last day made it a breath-taking finale. We hope that next season would be even better.
NEXT WEEK: Fiesta in North Africa