I so much like this rare, platter-of-gold opportunity you have handed to us to register our views.
Just like you rightly pointed out (in your column in the Sunday Punch), to say that our football is in shambles will make it sound a bit glossy. Coming through the years, we have never really learnt anything of note in the school of football management.
Our inept football administrators would rather continue measuring our football status by our performances in just concluded tourneys instead of calling a spade a spade and, consequently, going back to the drawing board. Now that we have broken a seemingly longstanding jinx by employing all grit to defeat cote d'voire, this is the time for the people in charge of our football as an ongoing project to sound the alarm; we are not there yet. All the stakeholders must realize that in the quest to make Nigeria conspicuous on the football map once again, we must win this tournament because that will be a very advanced starting point going forward. This inevitably begs the question: what happened right after we achieved a similar feat against our arch football enemies in the 2004 edition held in Tunisia?
I can vividly recall that Cameroun had become something of a boogey side for the super eagles in past editions of Africa's flagship tournament and the Nigerians had their backs against the wall. They dug out quality from within themselves aided by their determination and won that epic match. Now we have done it again and I'm beginning to have that feeling of 'we were almost there' all over again. The truth-seeking Nigerian would agree with me that right after that victory, the next thing on the minds of average Nigerian football lovers was that the eagles would lift the much-coveted diadem. What happened next is now history, ofcourse. We are therefore left with 'the now' which we can still manipulate. Now that the underdog tag will definitely not sit well on us anymore when we are placed side by side with the other three semi-finalists, we must not capitulate against Mali nor fail to capitalize on the weaknesses of either Ghana or Burkina Faso because the bottomline is winning the trophy. But fortunately and/or unfortunately, this task of properly gearing up the boys (not just financially) lies at the doorstep of the eggheads in the N.F.F. and other decision makers. History has a rather unsavoury record of the fallouts of past decisions and policies being embarked upon by successive administrators at the glass house.
Our administrators dive in headfirst in all the executive decisions they make. Rather than engage well-seasoned experts (both on the bench and in the technical committee) who would be in better positions to help salvage our dwindling football fortunes (ditto all other sports), they are busy scheming about the sharing formula for the next estacode or lining up friends, loyalists and families for the next jamboree.
The only arrow in our quiver as a football nation is the fact that we are a very populous nation and are also football crazy. In other words, finding raw talents for our age-grade teams isn't much of an uphill task. This easily translates to our enthusiasm and zest on the field of play as seen in the '94 eagles team. I dare say that all of our past successes and glories whatever they may be are attributable solely to these characteristics of ours as a nation and not to any modicum, whatsover, of administrative input from any quarter. I stand corrected; but can only concede that to anyone after his facts are rigorously tendered. There are no long-term, youth-centered policies being put in place. These are all intricate parts of a dynamic infrastructure system that is lacking in our sports and in the socio-economic background. Whence the larger Nigerian terrain is not in good stead then who, I say, is the sports sector to flourish.
P.S.
This piece was originally written on February 5 2013, 01:18hrs in response to Chief Adokiye Amasiemaka's column in the Sunday Punch two days earlier. It bears my opinion on the Super Eagles and their natural propensity to become complacent whenever they achieve a short term goal. In this case, the Super Eagles had just put the CIV to the sword and contrary to my fears we all saw how they soared afterwards.
