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Nigerian Comment: Don’t Cry If Super Eagles Don’t Qualify For The World Cup
Chris Obukwelu, the director of Sports Ben Television and the president of the Sports Writers' Association of Nigeria United Kingdom (SWAN UK), is brutally honest about the shortcomings of his national team…
Nov 11, 2009 11:37:56 AM
As I cleared the paper in my library, my fingers took me to
the last phrase of my speech as the president of the SWAN UK: “I am humbled by
the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the
sacrifices borne by your strength. I thank the generosity and cooperation shown
throughout this transition to form SWAN UK," and it indeed reminded me of the
promises we receive from the top leaders and yet no result. At this point I was
thinking about why people take up a post and soon forget their promises.
I am tired and ashamed that a nation that calls itself the giant of Africa has been reduced to mathematicians just to make sure their national anthem is heard and its country's flag is seen at the first World Cup on the African continent!
But where does one start to write about the Super Eagles or Nigerian football in general? Writing about the problems of the Super Eagles can make a person age faster than can be imagined, but we must do our bit, right?
Do we start from the friendly matches, or the Presidential Task Force? Do we spend time debating about how the sporting press influence what goes on in the glass house, or lack of private sector participation in our football?
The World Cup is a stage for the best, not for an experimental team like the present Super Eagles and their technical crew. How can you approach the World Cup qualifiers with different players at different stages - what are friendly matches meant for?
Some of us believe the team should play as many friendly games as possible so we don’t have to use the big names matches to experiment with players, but we see little of that and the coach acts like he is dodging these encounters.
I thought by now our administrators could have learned from the mistakes of Shaibu Amodu, a man who was advised to play a friendly match by millions of Nigerians but declined and showed us a tactless performance by the Eagles. I don’t see any Nigerians who are not disappointed with all the razzmatazz of the Nigerian team struggling annoyingly to qualify for the World Cup; maybe the players and coaching crew think it is normal and are not bothered.
The President, Umaru Yar'Adua, must have since seen the writing on the wall; no wonder the Presidential Task Force was set up.
When I saw a handful of them in London, it seemed a simple assignment, at least from a conceptual perspective. What was needed was for the team to find the organisation and professionalism to execute the task, against the backdrop of the potential rewards they could earn for themselves, and the patriotic emotions of the 140 million people in Nigeria.
But it either seems the task is too much for the Task Force, or the players do not care about what ever rewards they will receive for playing at the World Cup or the emotions of Nigerian supporters.
Then what about the coach of the side, Shaibu Amodu? Nigeria is one country where mediocrity is celebrated. I believe in the saying 'never kick a man when he is down', but Amodu to me is a not a good technical coach and I am not sure of his ability to guide the national team.
How did Amodu get the job in the first place? Did he come top in an interview session that involved Samson Siasia, Stephen Keshi and Sunday Oliseh? Then something is definitely wrong.
Then again, we must look at the other matter of the influence of the sporting press.
Did I hear some section of people agree that the media add to the trouble of the Super Eagles? How true is that? Sports journalism in Nigeria is threatened; a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some has damaged the proud image of sports reporting and investigation in the country.
Most journalists don’t see their families for months, others have not been paid for years and still manage to remain passionate and faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents. They are men who do their job without fear or favour but firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, than reporting sports stories and news; the love of the game that keeps Nigeria happy even in the difficult period which we all now know as the credit crunch.
Solving the problem(s) of Nigerian football in general goes beyond appointment of a sports lover, because a lot of politicking is done at the federal level. Mr. President should be told that the government’s will to properly boost development of the sector surely should start from a grassroots level.
If I may ask, was there any emergency when the Task Force decided to mobilise funds for the Eagles? Why did they invite people to raise N2.3 billion when they had already received a substantial amount from the Federal Government?
How come they did not hold on to or work with the money given to them by government? Maybe after we qualify for the World Cup, a proper fund raiser can be held.
Then, talking of kits, what is the situation with Adidas or the discussion held in Germany with the NFF? The system is failing, believe it or not.
Why were the NFF sidelined from the luncheon/VIP viewing of the 18-karat gold World Cup trophy? We are hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup and staff members are complaining of not being paid?
What was the difference between the Nigeria -Tunisia encounter and the game against Kenya? What about the missing $236,000 dollars meant for Super Eagles camping? What is the yardstick of employing a coach for the female or male team in Nigeria? True lovers of the game are very concerned and asking questions.
Is it wrong for Nigerian sports fans to be asking critical questions of Nigerian football? I plead that any Nigerian who seeks to sow conflict or blame another sport for their misdoings or decide to follow the path of corruption and deceit should remember that these actions will bring them on the wrong side of history.
Our football cannot grow when government owns everything - the teams, stadia etc. - and I really do not blame the private sector for keeping a distance since you pay for what you believe in.
We struggle to remain hopeful for our dear country in the face of huge disappointment on their journey to the mundial. But before we write off the Nigerian fans as being impatient and lacking in understanding, we should praise them for their long suffering for a dying team, the Super Eagles.
Honestly, it is not just qualifying (if at all) that worries me, but that we might be terribly disgraced at the World Cup with the set of players and technical crew we have now. Nigerians, Let the God of football judge if we deserve a spot amongst the best, but please don’t cry if we don’t qualify for the World Cup.
Chris Chinedu Obukwelu, Goal.com
I am tired and ashamed that a nation that calls itself the giant of Africa has been reduced to mathematicians just to make sure their national anthem is heard and its country's flag is seen at the first World Cup on the African continent!
But where does one start to write about the Super Eagles or Nigerian football in general? Writing about the problems of the Super Eagles can make a person age faster than can be imagined, but we must do our bit, right?
Do we start from the friendly matches, or the Presidential Task Force? Do we spend time debating about how the sporting press influence what goes on in the glass house, or lack of private sector participation in our football?
The World Cup is a stage for the best, not for an experimental team like the present Super Eagles and their technical crew. How can you approach the World Cup qualifiers with different players at different stages - what are friendly matches meant for?
Some of us believe the team should play as many friendly games as possible so we don’t have to use the big names matches to experiment with players, but we see little of that and the coach acts like he is dodging these encounters.
I thought by now our administrators could have learned from the mistakes of Shaibu Amodu, a man who was advised to play a friendly match by millions of Nigerians but declined and showed us a tactless performance by the Eagles. I don’t see any Nigerians who are not disappointed with all the razzmatazz of the Nigerian team struggling annoyingly to qualify for the World Cup; maybe the players and coaching crew think it is normal and are not bothered.
The President, Umaru Yar'Adua, must have since seen the writing on the wall; no wonder the Presidential Task Force was set up.
When I saw a handful of them in London, it seemed a simple assignment, at least from a conceptual perspective. What was needed was for the team to find the organisation and professionalism to execute the task, against the backdrop of the potential rewards they could earn for themselves, and the patriotic emotions of the 140 million people in Nigeria.
But it either seems the task is too much for the Task Force, or the players do not care about what ever rewards they will receive for playing at the World Cup or the emotions of Nigerian supporters.
Then what about the coach of the side, Shaibu Amodu? Nigeria is one country where mediocrity is celebrated. I believe in the saying 'never kick a man when he is down', but Amodu to me is a not a good technical coach and I am not sure of his ability to guide the national team.
How did Amodu get the job in the first place? Did he come top in an interview session that involved Samson Siasia, Stephen Keshi and Sunday Oliseh? Then something is definitely wrong.
Then again, we must look at the other matter of the influence of the sporting press.
Did I hear some section of people agree that the media add to the trouble of the Super Eagles? How true is that? Sports journalism in Nigeria is threatened; a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some has damaged the proud image of sports reporting and investigation in the country.
Most journalists don’t see their families for months, others have not been paid for years and still manage to remain passionate and faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents. They are men who do their job without fear or favour but firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, than reporting sports stories and news; the love of the game that keeps Nigeria happy even in the difficult period which we all now know as the credit crunch.
Solving the problem(s) of Nigerian football in general goes beyond appointment of a sports lover, because a lot of politicking is done at the federal level. Mr. President should be told that the government’s will to properly boost development of the sector surely should start from a grassroots level.
If I may ask, was there any emergency when the Task Force decided to mobilise funds for the Eagles? Why did they invite people to raise N2.3 billion when they had already received a substantial amount from the Federal Government?
How come they did not hold on to or work with the money given to them by government? Maybe after we qualify for the World Cup, a proper fund raiser can be held.
Then, talking of kits, what is the situation with Adidas or the discussion held in Germany with the NFF? The system is failing, believe it or not.
Why were the NFF sidelined from the luncheon/VIP viewing of the 18-karat gold World Cup trophy? We are hosting the FIFA Under-17 World Cup and staff members are complaining of not being paid?
What was the difference between the Nigeria -Tunisia encounter and the game against Kenya? What about the missing $236,000 dollars meant for Super Eagles camping? What is the yardstick of employing a coach for the female or male team in Nigeria? True lovers of the game are very concerned and asking questions.
Is it wrong for Nigerian sports fans to be asking critical questions of Nigerian football? I plead that any Nigerian who seeks to sow conflict or blame another sport for their misdoings or decide to follow the path of corruption and deceit should remember that these actions will bring them on the wrong side of history.
Our football cannot grow when government owns everything - the teams, stadia etc. - and I really do not blame the private sector for keeping a distance since you pay for what you believe in.
We struggle to remain hopeful for our dear country in the face of huge disappointment on their journey to the mundial. But before we write off the Nigerian fans as being impatient and lacking in understanding, we should praise them for their long suffering for a dying team, the Super Eagles.
Honestly, it is not just qualifying (if at all) that worries me, but that we might be terribly disgraced at the World Cup with the set of players and technical crew we have now. Nigerians, Let the God of football judge if we deserve a spot amongst the best, but please don’t cry if we don’t qualify for the World Cup.
Chris Chinedu Obukwelu, Goal.com
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