Super Eagles at the Nations Cup

January 31st, 2010 | by: Bc Osunneye | Comments(12)

The developments of the past 3 weeks have been shameful for all of us who love Nigerian football. I decided to wait and watch the third place match before writing my piece on our preparation, participation and what I think should be the way forward, hoping that NFF and the Technical crew would listen. Also to reach out to our journalists who allow themselves to be used by different interest groups.

PREPARATION:

List: Rumours have it that NFF ordered Amodu to pick his 23players from the list of 30 in Abuja before the boys were seen in camp because of lack of funds. Then I wondered how Amodu could pick his list when the 30 boys did not go to the Durban camp. How do you know who is who on paper? For this singular reason, if true, I cannot blame Amodu. Why didn’t they spend money to take Adeleye, Ajolore, Olufemi & co to the camp in South Africa and 1 week later choose their first 23? If you were Amodu in this case what do you think you will do? I bet to say, as a coach you will pick familiar faces. You cannot take the risk of ‘trying’ new formations and ways but pick boys you have full idea of.

PTF: People think this group is a blessing but I do not see how I can support that stand. They are not a legal entity in national soccer management. I am appalled that some respectable people are on it. They flew in a ‘chartered plane’ to Angola and did not help matters with their open secret dissatisfaction for the technical crew. They put so much pressure on the team that turned negative. I think they should be disbanded before they become too much of a burden for us. At least if they were set up for us to qualify, we have, so thank you sirs. The money they used to charter the plane should have been used directly for the team. They should have influenced the sending of 30 players to South Africa. They could have funded Amodu in his personal capacity to a quick 2 weeks understudy of 2 top managers in Europe immediately we qualified for the World Cup. I am very sure Amodu would not have refused since he knows he would learn at least 1 thing or two.
Some members of this group obviously have personal agendas and I am glad one prominent and respected member has said as much.

NFF: Since you decided to leave Amodu and his crew in charge of the team why are there rumours of him not having a free hand to pick his side? If you agree that he is good enough, why put so much pressure on them. You should stay far away and only provide whatever the man requests as long as it is within his contract entitlements. Is it true you guys said you could not fund the entire 30 players to South Africa? What prompted or informed the Semi Finals target for the team when it had been obvious we needed to discover some new talents basically in midfield and defense? Don’t you know such a target would warrant the technical team to choose who they are sure and certain would deliver the Semi Final ticket? I am sure yesterday’s match against Algeria without much pressure brought out a bit more from the boys. If they dared to pick boys from Heartland or Pillars, Enyimba or younger boys like Rabiu then they lose in the first round what would happen?
What are your plans for Amodu and the Technical team?

Training: Amodu, do we have any scientific means of delivering required physical training pattern for these boys? Do we speak with their respective clubs to find out the regime requirements? Temperature conditioning? What should it take to deliver a top shaped team? How would they prepare so they will be agile for 120 minutes if need be? I think we have been lacking in this area and we still are. You wonder why boys close opponents down in their team and for Super Eagles they stroll. Most of them get very tired by 65, 70 minutes. Etuhu could not complete 90minutes. Obasi and Osaze were always panting by second half. The game against Zambia, I thought Shittu was going to faint right there on the pitch. This is about the only reason why we see some boys who have tons of stamina play for us when they should not averagely be part of any Nigerian squad.

Technical issues: Football Sense and Intelligence:
Amodu is this a requirement for a player making your team? How do you pick boys who do not know when to pass, who to pass to, cannot use their initiative appropriately? A host of times we saw some players playing against average football norms. Did Nwaneri have to be told to attack the ball by the post during a corner Kick? How come until Shittu started playing did we see the defense strike a balance and could hold their line? The Super Eagles not until the times Apam and Shittu played have not kept teams offside easily like they used to do in the days of Taribo and co. M.Yusuf & Keita could not control balls without the ball rolling a few metres away. Yakubu, Martins and Osaze found it hard to place balls in a direction they wanted it; they just did not have enough control of the ball. Is it the new FIFA ball? If yes, they have 4 months to master it.

TEAM PLAY:

Tactical view: I heard one of the players voice out against the coach and I advise a fine or a suspension from the team immediately. I hope NFF would support this but unfortunately he was a substitute yesterday. Osaze came out to say the Coach was not dynamic enough and they played 4-3-3 all the time and that they should have played 4-4-2 against Ghana. I find this very absurd but for the benefit of all of us I will try and address it. My first question is what pattern has Barcelona been playing for 5 seasons, since the days of Frank Rijkaard? What is the essence of tactics? Is it not to get behind a defense and score, create chances and bury them? Did the team create chances against Ghana playing 4-3-3? Yes they did, not once, not twice, not thrice, not four times Osaze. Where you a culprit? Yes you were. If you had hit the target on 3 occasions we would be playing the finals today. If you had square passed a ball in the first half to Martins we would have been matching up with Egypt again today. If you tracked well down the flanks we probably would not have seen the gap between midfield and attack. You simply were a big man throughout. You only chased balls around you and had a zero contribution to off the ball space marking and positioning. What do you think playing 4-4-2 would do? Create open chances and nothing else. 4-4-2 will not score goals Osaze, human beings like you, martins, Yak would have to convert.

Likewise our other big man Mikel because you were told to bridge the midfield and attack through the middle did not mean do not tackle. You walked majestically most times that I thought you were on a runway. Balls were carried by your side without much resistance and I wonder if you were reserving energy or you just could not be bothered after all Etuhu and Ayinla or Keita are there to do the dirty job. We all know how a team plays when they lose the ball, watching the EPL & La liga. The first thing done is to close down the opponent and the NEAREST man to the ball takes the responsibility so that others could re-group quickly. You at least shadow mark and reduce the pace of the game.
The game plan switched to 4-4-2 by 65minute and what did you guys do? Chances were flunked continuously.

Joseph Yobo, you are the Captain (forget the great Kanu I beg) how come you can’t hold line? You cannot control your back four to know when to push or pull up? You always caused the harm by keeping opponents on side. You have been playing for Everton for a hundred years now and you do not understand the distance between you and your pair, how you switch when with the ball and without? You wonder off and ball watch without charging or attacking it until the few minutes when Shittu paired you. Is it a concentration issue? Do you think of your family or new wife or how you are going to spend your money or what for God’s sake is on your mind when playing? Do you need Amodu to teach you basics of defending?

Taiye Taiwo: You saw the Egyptian coming and turned your back by the edge of our 18. Is this elementary soccer or table soccer? I once heard you play in the French first division, is that true? What is your problem, Stamina? Or complacency? You are a very big option for us with your technical ability going forward but did we ever say you should stand on the half way line? You have been committing this offense of strolling back for God knows how long and I ask don’t you know you should recover strongly and cover the center half who in turn covers for you on the flank? You caused the equalizer for Tunisia in Abuja after our great Kanu had lost the ball easily, you strolled back watching play. Adeleye who should have charged the players was confused and only stood his ground back pedaling. Taiwo if you want to ball watch you can join us behind the Tv screen. You have a challenge going to the world cup, maybe you prefer left side of midfield.
I however have to commend you for yesterday where you ran back always, that is the spirit required.

Nwaneri: I am afraid I cannot spend time on this guy. I have never been his fan even at Enyimba and always thought he did not have any finesse and ball sense. He has never proved me wrong as he lacks rudiments of defending like keeping player to his wrong side, he only charges at you when he had pace but he seems to have lost his only assert, pace. How old is he please? One of the people that had no business in Angola nor in any Super Eagles squad.

Mohammed Yusuf: The minute Chidi Odiah came on and put the first cross through then controlled the ball 5 metres off, I knew why you were Amodu’s first choice. I had been wondering why Odiah was on the bench but he could not even put a decent ball across. You grew in the tournament but lack ball control and initiative. You need more confidence to know that sometimes you don’t have to release the ball because Obasi has been double teamed. You are definitely one of the few with adequate stamina, to last a whole game. This is your strength.
And also when pulling crosses the best target is the hole between defense and keeper, you drive not lob haba at this level?

Shittu: Strong and highly technical though lacking in ball control and engagement. You were so worried about the defense that the bench had to shout on you to support the attack towards the Ghana game. You must have been watching the play right? Since Enyeama too was watching were you playing Ludo with him? I like you because you are the only defender we have with basic knowledge of defending. It is obvious you were taught the rudiments so this has come to bare on our defense. Stability you brought and if I were Amodu, by the Zambia game it was obvious our defense was strong enough and we did not need two defensive midfielders again but maybe Amodu was still seeing something we could not see on Tv. You track your player, block when necessary, concede throw-ins and corner kicks when appropriate, speak to your defense, hold the line effectively, back up and attack as at when due. You were however fagged out midway into the 2nd half of every game you played. Is it as a result of not playing regularly for your club?

Apam: Short for a central defender but intelligent enough. You remain my choice ahead of Yobo as of today. You however need to understand how to tackle and intercept play more. This was Stephen Keshi’s strongest attribute, collecting ball from opponent without fouling. If he joins the technical crew, am sure he would teach you this. It means raising your ability to read the game, where would the ball go, at which speed is it coming, am I a step quicker or slower than my opponent?

Echiejile: Solid defensive showing but lacking in confidence going forward. You took your initiative against Ghana towards the end but lashed in a shot instead of a pass to Yak. You definitely defend better than Taiwo but lack his forward threats. This guy I think needs more games for the Super Eagles and he would be ready for South Africa.

Etuhu: was Angola too humid for you. Why was your play more of a drop ball specialist hardly moving 5 metres with the ball and don’t you know that is training ground football? You were a support defensive midfielder and not the last call. You had the freedom to drive the ball, interchanging with Keita or Ayinla but you seem to have left everything in the hands of Mikel in terms of creating openings. I definitely prefer this guy as a lone defensive midfielder or at most pairing with Mikel no other player. Mikel being an EPL player and they will understand switching role play. He is one of the few that the crew must get a physio report on. Etuhu you and your fellow midfielders are almost always awol for 2nd balls up front and also failed in this department against Egypt when defending

Ayinla: Your greatest strength is ball tracking and screening. You do it so well that I wondered each time why you do not have a permanent shirt in the team. But seeing the few matches you played I saw the reason why. You do not show enough passion therefore always a step slower. You seem to be content with average, ‘no bi me spoil am’ football. The days are gone for that, your place is up for grabs bro.

Keita: Your strength is in your stamina. I just cannot comprehend how you pick a shirt before Olofinjana except that the press had shouted the boy down severally forgetting he played as a single defensive midfielder for tons of games and covers the entire length of the pitch. Ball control is zero and am amazed. You seem to always pick the wrong pass even if it gets to the intended although not as square as Etuhu and I can assure you that you can be sure of picking a shirt if these guys remain lazy. This is why Garba Lawal played for Eagles under any and every coach. He was a workaholic same with Keita. I really cant blame the coach.

Mikel: Mikel Mikel, you are supposed to be a star in our team with your profile. The international press cannot mention the Super eagles without speaking about Mikel Obi so what is your problem mr. big shot? You seem to drift in and out of games. You played one of the best matches ever for us against Ghana creating over 8 chances with your balls behind the defense. We do not want this to be sporadic or random but constant. You have to support play, see football as draft or checkers as holes have to be plugged. No strolling off the ball but I know you know all these, if you are not ready to change please play this guys only as a full defensive midfielder.

Obasi: quick footed boy with promise, not a finished product yet so I can excuse his mistakes. He looks very intelligent on the ball and requires a bit more tutelage to excel.

Yakubu: I just cannot explain your position as the no 1 big man in the team. Is it because of the 1 year injury? Do you promise a different approach in the next few months since you are the highest scoring African in the premiership? You have scored over 170 goals in Israel & EPL what is your problem. You were just too heavy, or did NFF take pounded yam to Angola? You should be on a diet and if possible go vegetarian for a while. Your place is up for grabs men!

Martins: harrr! You personally threw away the game against Ghana and have caused the abuse on the tactical plan for that day. If you had put away 2 or 3 of the 6 chances you had we will be competing for the Cup. Okay, someone said you just came back from injury but is that enough an excuse? It might be so we have to expect a different Obafemi in the next few months.

Osaze: talked about you earlier and think you only need to see yourself as a team player and not a champion in the midst of some boys.

Nsofor: This guy needs to be schooled properly in the rudiments of soccer. He has to practice shooting and balance as his strong points are dribbling and strength. He seems to lack basic football sense and almost always takes the wrong decision but gladly after making several stupid plays yesterday he took initiative to drive in for the goal. Your place is very shaky.

Going Forward:

I do not recommend the sacking of Amodu as I think the challenges surrounding managing the Super Eagles do not allow for a fair appraisal. Why should I judge his team list when he was instructed to make semi finals and if he had to choose players on paper? If certain players decide to misbehave on the pitch is that his fault? Yes he takes responsibility for choosing them but in this circumstance where friendlies are not encouraged do you think a tournament is the platform for trials? Yes it could be if NFF and Nigerians had agreed that Angola should be used as preparation ground.

Keshi should join the team as proposed and handle the defensive department with the midfield linkage.

We must send Amodu to EPL to understudy killing off games and switching play under Fergie, ball ‘custody’ under Wvenger and if possible marking and closing down with Ancelloti or Fergie too.

Friendlies should be arranged with the mind of playing new boys entirely from midfield to attack however the defense line needs to play together so we have to field the same boys excluding Nwaneri and including Adeleye and Olufemi Adebayo. Osaze, Mikel and co should be out until May. They need to see the possibility of being left out to wake up. Yes we require a bit more of blending but I think the problem of lackadaisical attitude is worse than blending problem.

Do we have the materials to qualify for the 2nd round of the world cup? Yes we do.

There are a few boys ready to pounce on the opportunity this squad has presented. Players like John & Peter Utaka, Ike Uche, Ajilore, Adeleye, Olufemi, Akpala and a few more are possibilities. For me these two players should be given a fair well, Nwaneri and Kanu.

Just reading about the girls issue, is this what sapped your stamina boys?