Nigeria World Cup Team Blog » friendlies

Breaking News: Over-paid, Self-absorbed Footballer Will Condescend to Play For His Country

Lola — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:07:52 +0000

In recent news, New Castle United’s Obafemi Martins deigns to play for his country because “all the players want to be there to fulfill the big dream.”

Where, I ask were all the players when we got beat by Colombia? Where were they during the humiliating draw with Jamaica? But mention the World Cup and everyone comes running. As I have said before, Nigerian players need to internalize the fact that playing for your country is a privilege and an honor, not charity work that has the potential of making you look good (I’m talking to you, Joseph Yobo). And your national team does not improve by key talent missing training sessions and friendlies intended to hone team cohesion and technique.

However, the blame for this incredulous situation, one in which some players decide if and when they feel like playing, does not rest entirely with the players. Coach Shaibu Amodu is the chief enabler of this nonsense, with his myopic insistence on using foreign based players. Like that limitation is not enough, he “prefer[s] to stick to players [he has] worked with and who understand [his] ideas.” You read that right. Coach Amodu is telling his players that as long as we have a history, you can do whatever you want and still be assured a spot on the national team; we just hope you have the time and the inclination to honor our request. On a related note, I see Yobo was called up for the fixture against Mozambique as well (see below).

I was very excited when Amodu was renamed coach, and I thought that, this time, the Super Eagles really had everything it takes to go all the way. Talent-wise, we still do, but the leadership vacuum now seems insurmountable. Amodu has been criticized on all sides, and I hesitate to pile on. However, he needs to show his players some tough love, and also make them realize that they are not special. I know that sounds counter intuitive to a coach’s confidence-building task, but trust me, confidence is not a problem for our boys. Indeed, they could do with a bit less confidence, since they have nothing concrete like trophies to point to.

New rules need to be established for the national team. No matter your exploits in England, France, Italy or wherever, you need to prove yourself for NIGERIA on a consistent basis. There is no room for complacency at the national level and the players need to understand that they will be cut and/or relegated unless they display DESIRE, something that has been earnestly missed in the last few games.

The squad for the next qualifying game against Mozambique is listed below:
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Austin Ejide (Bastia, France), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei-Yehuda, Israel)
Defenders: Yusuf Mohammed, Obinna Nwaneri (both FC Sion, Switzerland), Onyekachi Apam (Nice, France), Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Danny Shittu (Bolton, England), Dele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam, Holland)
Midfielders: Oluwafemi Ajilore (Groningen, Holland), Jon Mikel Obi (Chelsea, England), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), Sani Kaita (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Kalu Uche (Almeria, Spain)
Strikers: Ikechukwu Uche (Getafe, Spain), Obafemi Martins (Newcastle United, England), Chinedu Obasi (Hoffenheim, Germany), Obinna Nsofor (Inter Milan, Italy), Joseph Akpala (Club Brugge, Belgium), Osaze Odemwingie (Locomotive Moscow, Russia)

Held in London

Lola — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:18:37 +0000

It’s been a few days, and I still don’t have any coherent thoughts about the friendly against Jamaica.
711football says many of the things that have been swirling around in my head, but that piece does not get to the crux of my problem. What is wrong with Nigerian football, and how do we fix it?
At this point, I would settle for the correct answer to the first part of the question: What is wrong with Nigerian football? I would not go as far as to call the team “Super Chickens,” but I cannot be the only fan wondering as of late: how Super are the Eagles?
The playful passion and pure joy that once defined our style is MIA and must be quickly recovered if we have any hope of even reaching South Africa. I think the problem flows from the bench on out, so Coach Amodu must somehow find a way to inspire his men to the greatness that they are capable of. How he does this, or if he even can, remains to be seen.

UPDATE: An example of the soft bigotry of low expectations: Goal.com’s match review headline. Quel triste.

Cali Crush

Lola — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:25:55 +0000

A match-up that seemed sort of even with the originally proposed team became positively lopsided following a torrent of injuries, withdrawals, and in Joseph Yobo’s case, pure douchebaggery. Although the Eagles fielded a sub-optimal team and eventually had to play with Sani Kaita sent off in the second half, Columbia did a great job. Los Cafeteros consistently created superb chances at goal, and it was only a matter of time before they put one past poor, inexperienced Austin Ejide. In Ejide’s defense, his composure grew as the match progressed, and he cannot really be faulted for Falcao beating the offside trap.

All that said, this match was supposed to be a preparation for the next slate of qualifiers for SA2010, and I was disappointed on many levels. Firstly, I don’t know why players who would fight each other to play for Nigeria in the world cup do not understand that in order to get to play in the world cup, you have to qualify, and in order to qualify, you have to prepare. Simple (actually, quite rambling, but I’m pissed). Yobo in particular deserves some sort of sanction for that stunt, but unfortunately, Coach Shaibu Amodu has claimed clemency for all withdrawals.

Of course, he is not to blame for that choice because he really does not have any options. In a match on which the world cup hopes of a nation rest, he has to put the best team on the field, even if that includes complete jackasses like Yobo, the perenially visa-less Vincent Enyeama, and the perpertually injured Obafemi Martins (Nigeria’s very own Louis Saha).

The take home lesson of Cali, Columbia is this: the Super Eagles as they currently exist are not a great team but a conglomeration of sometimes shining stars. Occasionally, the stars all (or mostly) shine together, and we witness a beautiful constellation. Mostly however, and increasingly lately, it’s been a few incoherent bright spots that might at times dazzle, but always lack a sense of completeness.