This is a solemn plea to my fellow Nigerians to recognize football as the glue that binds the nation. Football does for us what, I am sure, we would never see from Nigeria politics.
Keshi
That said, it’s about time we flattened the tires of the Keshi must go bandwagon and accord the man the respect he richly deserves. Why is it that Nigerians are quick to forget the accomplishments of Keshi and other Nigerian greats.
Keshi has contributed a lot to our football, from his days in the Nigerian National League, through the junior national team, on to the national team. He was captain of the national team for years. Won the African Cup as a player and as a coach – I’m not sure of how many Africans who have achieved this extraordinary feat.
Played multiple World Cups and coached as well and equalled the best any domestic or foreign coach has managed for Nigeria in any World Cup, with a much weaker team. By the way, Keshi’s success as a coach goes beyond Nigeria having done exceptionally well with other National Teams.
Did I forget to mention that he practically opened the flood gate for Nigerian footballers going abroad. If you’re opposed to erecting Keshi’s statue in front of the National Stadium (I strongly recommend it), we can debate it, but to allow these indiscriminate attack and disrespect of Keshi is absolutely unfounded and downright ridiculous.
And the suggestion of some unknown and irrelevant Nigerian that Keshi should hide his head in shame as if he is a criminal, is all you need to know about these dishonest and self serving advisers.
All ex-internationals who’re on the Keshi must go bandwagon are wrong or self serving at best – especially when all they could proffer was that Sampson Siasia was sacked for not qualifying Nigeria for the AFCON and for that reason, Keshi must be sacked as well. That’s rubbish because Siasia’s sacking was a huge mistake and a major set- back to Nigerian football development.
You can’t right the error of Siasia’s sacking with another blunder. He had a formula that worked multiple times but was not given the time to transplant that formula to the Super Eagles.
In my opinion, the Super Eagles’ problem is “a four-wall” problem: 1) football development in Nigeria 2) football administration in Nigeria 3) the players and 4) football coaching in Nigeria.
Briefly, we no longer have a sustaining process of discovering and developing our youngsters like we used to way before football got this scientific. Nigeria was able to do this through grass root endeavors – greater tomorrow and secondary school competitions.
World class players like Henry Nwosu, Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kalu, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Adokiye to mention just a few influential midfielders were all products of these efforts. The entire midfield of our Super Eagles as it’s presently constituted, do not possess half the quality of any of the players mentioned above. Our best player is not even a first option at his club team.
Many well meaning Nigerians who sincerely have the interest of Nigerian football at heart have impressed upon this issue of going back to our grassroots football. Nigeria would never be in short supply of talent, we just forgot our ways. To get back there, let’s get behind the current football federation. To get back there, the mentality and attitude of Nigerian football fans towards Nigerian football badly need a makeover.
I don’t know how we can achieve that when legends of Nigerian football including our very own Segun Odegbami writes so illustriously about English football and about his beloved English team whichever it’s forgetting that there was a time not so long ago that his famed IICC Shooting Stars could beat any team in the present English Premier League. This mentality has depleted our talent pool to the extent that every 12 year old in Nigeria would rather go to play football in Togo than in Nigeria.
We don’t have a Keshi problem in Nigerian football. We have a problem with Nigeria’s obsession with English football and yet we expect performance out of the players from our league. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching football from leagues across the world but my priority is on how we can get our league to be the best and give hope and future to our budding football talents.
Contrary to the past regimes of non-accountability and non-transparency, the present NFF of Amaju Pinnick, has shown a promising and commendable start. Sending some referees and coaches overseas was a great idea. Pledging the return of funds to the federal government was unusual and refreshing. The idea of sending coaches made a lot of sense not because they’re going to see anything they’ve not seen before, but it’s good also to see what works for our competition.
However, if we can mobilize these coaches upon their return with the assistance of other ex-internationals and indigenous coaches to come up with coaching curriculum that can be followed at youth levels across the nation might return us to football glory. The past regimes failed because their main emphasis was just on the Super Eagles, instead of growing our league and developing talents so we have many to choose from.
The third problem with our football is the players themselves. We have such depleted talent pool.
Although the morale of the players were often and constantly dampened from nonpayment of allowances, they are still expected to perform if they decide to step on the pitch. However, Nigerian players should be paid what they are entitled.
Football is their profession but should be held accountable when they fail to perform like failing to qualify for 2015 AFCON. I don’t remember Stephen Keshi himself playing in any of the matches. When he did, he was a winner. At the end of the day, it’s about the players on the pitch, regardless of the coach. If the players refuse to put in the work, it’s not going to work. It does not matter the coach or the country.
Nobody ever mentions the turmoil that engulfed NFF during these period and how that impacts a team. I also recall how someone from then NFF saying that Keshi was walking around as if he won the African Cup in South Africa all by himself and now that Super Eagles failed to qualify, no NFF personnel is coming out to claim that they failed together. Instead, they’re quick to suggest his replacement with a foreign coach.
Foreign football administrators would do well in Nigeria as well, like Adokiye eloquently articulated. My blame for the players is only on poor efforts. Our exit from the World Cup and subsequent non qualification was as much of poor efforts and poor administration as it was coaching. Nigerians should not be this hard wired for blind and undue criticism of someone so deserving as Stephen Keshi.
I’m by no means saying, the final analysis, that Keshi deserve no criticism at all. I’m sure there are areas he could do things differently like his relationship with his players. I didn’t see a group of players determined to do battle and lay it all on the line in neither the round of 16 match against France nor in any of the AFCON qualifying matches.
Keshi has shown that he is not as inflexible as everyone is making him out to be. He has invited players that the nation urged him to invite. Perhaps Keshi’s stubbornness and edge to him is warranted. Every accomplished coach should be. You cannot appoint a coach and give him a list of players to invite or feature in a match. No foreign coach would allow that.
For those who sincerely support the rebirth of football in Nigeria, not only as part of Nigeria’s export but most importantly as aunifying force, should support the new NFF for what I have seen so far; lobby Adokiye Amasiemeka to become involved in Nigerian football administration in some capacity (any capacity – because he is honest and absolutely fearless); give Stephen Keshi a long term contract.
If we shore up all “four corners”, our football would return to its past glory. Let’s give honor where it’s due and not reduce Keshi so low to zero all the way from hero.
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