Nigeria football will bounce back (2)
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- Written by AMINU MAIGARI
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Dateline: London. July 30, 1966. At the final blast of Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst’s whistle, the England players were ecstatic. It was the FIFA World Cup final, and scoreline stood at ENGLAND 4 WEST GERMANY 2. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick had done the trick and the English were the world champions for the first time.
In front of more than 93,000 spectators, the Three Lions had come good on their big day. Jack Charlton knelt, his face in his hands, and Nobby Stiles jumped on the back of George Cohen. Goalkeeper Gordon Banks had a big grin on his face, as did Ray Wilson, Alan Ball, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Charlton, Roger Hunt and John Connelly.And Coach Alf Ramsey? He just sat there in total satisfaction. Before the World Cup finals, press-shy Ramsey had told the media that “most certainly, England will win the World Cup”. The sceptics and the optimists alike held him to his words at every turn. Now was his own time to scowl at them.
It was a spectacle. Amidst the euphoria and the endless celebration, Captain Bobby Moore, stepping majestically, climbed old Wembley’s 39 steps to receive the FIFA World Cup from the Queen. An unforgetable moment.
Yet, it could all have come to nought. It was 2-1 with few minutes remaining but the Germans found an incredible equalizer with one minute left in regulation time, and the World Cup final went to extra time for the first time since 1934 – when Italy and Czechoslovakia finished 1-1 after 90 minutes in Rome.
Geoff Hurst’s shot that crashed underside of the bar, which was ruled a goal by Dienst after he consulted with Azerbaijani assistant Tofik Bakhramov, is still debated till today.
Four years earlier, England had been torn to shreds in the quarter finals by Brazil, who were inspired by Garrincha, Vava and the precocious Pele. In 1958 in Sweden, the Three Lions did not even make it to the quarter finals, after losing a play-off to USSR following three draws against the Brazil, Austria and the Soviets.
In 1950, one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup history was recorded when the United States of America (hardly a known name in football then), defeated England 1-0 in a group phase match in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. To the whole world, it was unbelievable. But 16 years later, England would lift the World Cup trophy.
As I mentioned last week, England failed to qualify for the 1994 even after a masterclass performance in Italy in 1990, when it lost to Germany 3-4 on penalties in an enthralling semi final match in Turin.
In Italy in 1990, Cameroon became the first –ever African team in the quarter finals. but the Indomitable Lions have failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Certainly, the disappointment of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals, and the ouster of the Super Falcons from the race to London 2012 Olympics’ Women’s Football Tournament continue to bite hard. But surely, the Nigeria Football Federation is taking measures, some of them drastic, to ensure we do not witness this kind of turn of events ever again.
Personally, and like all other members of the NFF Executive Committee, I believe Stephen Keshi has something to offer. He started quite early in his own playing career, right from the secondary school at Saint Finbarr’s in Lagos, and remains the longest-serving captain of the Super Eagles in history.
Someone sent me a text message asking whether we had dwelt on past performance to make a choice of the man to replace Samson Siasia. I told the chap that there was no way you would wish away past performance when considering persons for positions of responsibility. When an adult slips, he looks behind him at what has caused the fall, and learns to dig his feet firmer into the ground.
More than that, however, is the fact that at the last interview exercise for the Head Coach’s job, Mr. Stephen Keshi came second. And it is natural that he be considered for this position now that the man who came first had been relieved of the job.
Stephen Keshi captained Nigeria for 11 years, and played for the senior team for 13 years. He had a tremendous presence everywhere in those years and after, and even now, people still refer to him as ‘Big Boss’. He is no stranger to the Nigeria game.
As we seek to re-position our football, Keshi comes with impressive credentials. As someone who started from the schools, he will not be averse to catching them young from the schools. There are a number of talent-hunt programmes in the countries aside the youth competitions and academies.
Keshi was a member of the National Greater Tomorrow squad brought together in 1976. And though he missed the cut for the 1980 African Cup of Nations, Keshi would immediately become part of the team the following year. Yet, he played in the qualifying series of the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship, tough Nigeria lost home and away to Cameroon.
As a senior player, he won his first cap against Burkina Faso (then known as Upper Volta, before the coming of Thomas Sankara) in a friendly match on July 18, 1981. Nigeria won that match 1-0. His last cap was against Greece at the FIFA World Cup finals, on June 30, 1994, which the Super Eagles won 2-0 to overhaul Argentina and top group D of the finals.
After being surprisingly kept on the bench for the crucial Espana 1982 World Cup final qualifying fixture against Algeria (Nigeria lost the first leg 2-0 in Lagos), Keshi would not look back again. He was in the squad to the 1982 African Cup of Nations in Libya, and played in four more Nations Cup finals: 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994.
In all these four editions, he won medals. The Green Eagles, captained by youthful Keshi, lost the final of the 1984 Cup of Nations to more experienced Cameroon, despite taking the lead in Abidjan through Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal. That gave him silver.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1986 African Cup of Nations (hosted by Egypt) after disciplinary measures that kept Keshi and some of the big stars out of the squad. In 1988, Keshi flew in and out of Morocco to represent his country and it was unfortunate that we again lost in the final, again to Cameroon. He got another silver there.
In 1992, Keshi showed from the opening match of the tournament what leadership meant. Nigeria had shot ahead early through Samson Siasia but a mistake by Keshi allowed the host nation to level with minutes remaining in the first half. He roused his team-mates and in the second half, scored the winning goal through a scorcher from outside the box. The Super Eagles lost to Abedi Pele-led Black Stars of Ghana in the semi finals but overpowered Cameroon 2-1 in the third place match to give Keshi and team-mates the bronze medal.
Two years later, it was party time in Tunisia. On 10 April, 1994, the Super Eagles defeated Zambia 2-1 at the Stade el Menzah in Tunis and even though he was injured and did not play many matches, Keshi was the leader and the rallying point. Fittingly, stand-in skipper Augustine Eguavoen handed the trophy to Keshi after receiving it from CAF President Issa Hayatou. Gold medal for Stephen Keshi.
Keshi led the Senior National Team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time. Smarting from being left out of the game against the same Algerians in a similar final qualifier 12 years earlier, Keshi played through the pain barrier to ensure the Eagles secured the draw in Algiers needed to earn a ticket to USA 1994.
I have dwelt on Keshi’s achievements as a player to show why we believe the man is not ‘a stranger’ as some people are insinuating. He played with his heart and soul and left no one in doubt about his patriotism. He rallied the group each time and made them realize what it meant to wear the green and white.
Keshi sparked off the so-called Belgium Trek by our footballers in the mid-1980s, and as a Coach, he qualified minnows (we are told there is no team that goes by that tag again!) Togo to their first ever FIFA World Cup finals. He has also coached Togo and Mali at the African Cup of Nations.
We have confidence in Stephen Keshi to steer our senior team football back to winning ways and the Nigeria Football Federation will give him all the support he requires to succeed in the job.
NEXT WEEK: Nigeria football will bounce back (3)
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Nigeria football will bounce back (2)
Category: Sports Written by AMINU MAIGARI Hits: 971
Dateline: London. July 30, 1966. At the final blast of Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst’s whistle, the England players were ecstatic. It was the FIFA World Cup final, and scoreline stood at ENGLAND 4 WEST GERMANY 2. Geoff Hurst’s hat-trick had done the trick and the English were the world champions for the first time.
In front of more than 93,000 spectators, the Three Lions had come good on their big day. Jack Charlton knelt, his face in his hands, and Nobby Stiles jumped on the back of George Cohen. Goalkeeper Gordon Banks had a big grin on his face, as did Ray Wilson, Alan Ball, Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Charlton, Roger Hunt and John Connelly.And Coach Alf Ramsey? He just sat there in total satisfaction. Before the World Cup finals, press-shy Ramsey had told the media that “most certainly, England will win the World Cup”. The sceptics and the optimists alike held him to his words at every turn. Now was his own time to scowl at them.
It was a spectacle. Amidst the euphoria and the endless celebration, Captain Bobby Moore, stepping majestically, climbed old Wembley’s 39 steps to receive the FIFA World Cup from the Queen. An unforgetable moment.
Yet, it could all have come to nought. It was 2-1 with few minutes remaining but the Germans found an incredible equalizer with one minute left in regulation time, and the World Cup final went to extra time for the first time since 1934 – when Italy and Czechoslovakia finished 1-1 after 90 minutes in Rome.
Geoff Hurst’s shot that crashed underside of the bar, which was ruled a goal by Dienst after he consulted with Azerbaijani assistant Tofik Bakhramov, is still debated till today.
Four years earlier, England had been torn to shreds in the quarter finals by Brazil, who were inspired by Garrincha, Vava and the precocious Pele. In 1958 in Sweden, the Three Lions did not even make it to the quarter finals, after losing a play-off to USSR following three draws against the Brazil, Austria and the Soviets.
In 1950, one of the biggest upsets of the FIFA World Cup history was recorded when the United States of America (hardly a known name in football then), defeated England 1-0 in a group phase match in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. To the whole world, it was unbelievable. But 16 years later, England would lift the World Cup trophy.
As I mentioned last week, England failed to qualify for the 1994 even after a masterclass performance in Italy in 1990, when it lost to Germany 3-4 on penalties in an enthralling semi final match in Turin.
In Italy in 1990, Cameroon became the first –ever African team in the quarter finals. but the Indomitable Lions have failed to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Certainly, the disappointment of the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals, and the ouster of the Super Falcons from the race to London 2012 Olympics’ Women’s Football Tournament continue to bite hard. But surely, the Nigeria Football Federation is taking measures, some of them drastic, to ensure we do not witness this kind of turn of events ever again.
Personally, and like all other members of the NFF Executive Committee, I believe Stephen Keshi has something to offer. He started quite early in his own playing career, right from the secondary school at Saint Finbarr’s in Lagos, and remains the longest-serving captain of the Super Eagles in history.
Someone sent me a text message asking whether we had dwelt on past performance to make a choice of the man to replace Samson Siasia. I told the chap that there was no way you would wish away past performance when considering persons for positions of responsibility. When an adult slips, he looks behind him at what has caused the fall, and learns to dig his feet firmer into the ground.
More than that, however, is the fact that at the last interview exercise for the Head Coach’s job, Mr. Stephen Keshi came second. And it is natural that he be considered for this position now that the man who came first had been relieved of the job.
Stephen Keshi captained Nigeria for 11 years, and played for the senior team for 13 years. He had a tremendous presence everywhere in those years and after, and even now, people still refer to him as ‘Big Boss’. He is no stranger to the Nigeria game.
As we seek to re-position our football, Keshi comes with impressive credentials. As someone who started from the schools, he will not be averse to catching them young from the schools. There are a number of talent-hunt programmes in the countries aside the youth competitions and academies.
Keshi was a member of the National Greater Tomorrow squad brought together in 1976. And though he missed the cut for the 1980 African Cup of Nations, Keshi would immediately become part of the team the following year. Yet, he played in the qualifying series of the 1981 FIFA World Youth Championship, tough Nigeria lost home and away to Cameroon.
As a senior player, he won his first cap against Burkina Faso (then known as Upper Volta, before the coming of Thomas Sankara) in a friendly match on July 18, 1981. Nigeria won that match 1-0. His last cap was against Greece at the FIFA World Cup finals, on June 30, 1994, which the Super Eagles won 2-0 to overhaul Argentina and top group D of the finals.
After being surprisingly kept on the bench for the crucial Espana 1982 World Cup final qualifying fixture against Algeria (Nigeria lost the first leg 2-0 in Lagos), Keshi would not look back again. He was in the squad to the 1982 African Cup of Nations in Libya, and played in four more Nations Cup finals: 1984, 1988, 1992 and 1994.
In all these four editions, he won medals. The Green Eagles, captained by youthful Keshi, lost the final of the 1984 Cup of Nations to more experienced Cameroon, despite taking the lead in Abidjan through Mudashiru Babatunde Lawal. That gave him silver.
Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1986 African Cup of Nations (hosted by Egypt) after disciplinary measures that kept Keshi and some of the big stars out of the squad. In 1988, Keshi flew in and out of Morocco to represent his country and it was unfortunate that we again lost in the final, again to Cameroon. He got another silver there.
In 1992, Keshi showed from the opening match of the tournament what leadership meant. Nigeria had shot ahead early through Samson Siasia but a mistake by Keshi allowed the host nation to level with minutes remaining in the first half. He roused his team-mates and in the second half, scored the winning goal through a scorcher from outside the box. The Super Eagles lost to Abedi Pele-led Black Stars of Ghana in the semi finals but overpowered Cameroon 2-1 in the third place match to give Keshi and team-mates the bronze medal.
Two years later, it was party time in Tunisia. On 10 April, 1994, the Super Eagles defeated Zambia 2-1 at the Stade el Menzah in Tunis and even though he was injured and did not play many matches, Keshi was the leader and the rallying point. Fittingly, stand-in skipper Augustine Eguavoen handed the trophy to Keshi after receiving it from CAF President Issa Hayatou. Gold medal for Stephen Keshi.
Keshi led the Senior National Team to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time. Smarting from being left out of the game against the same Algerians in a similar final qualifier 12 years earlier, Keshi played through the pain barrier to ensure the Eagles secured the draw in Algiers needed to earn a ticket to USA 1994.
I have dwelt on Keshi’s achievements as a player to show why we believe the man is not ‘a stranger’ as some people are insinuating. He played with his heart and soul and left no one in doubt about his patriotism. He rallied the group each time and made them realize what it meant to wear the green and white.
Keshi sparked off the so-called Belgium Trek by our footballers in the mid-1980s, and as a Coach, he qualified minnows (we are told there is no team that goes by that tag again!) Togo to their first ever FIFA World Cup finals. He has also coached Togo and Mali at the African Cup of Nations.
We have confidence in Stephen Keshi to steer our senior team football back to winning ways and the Nigeria Football Federation will give him all the support he requires to succeed in the job.
NEXT WEEK: Nigeria football will bounce back (3)