So THE BIG BOSS’ tenure has come to an end?
Or should I say that the game of musical chairs continues at the Glass house in Abuja?
Nigeria Football Authorities have once again sacked their National team coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, after three years at the helm of the Super Eagles.
G W F Hegel says “The only thing we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history.”
Once again, what have we not learnt?
A few months ago, in the aftermath of our 2014 World cup debacle, I wrote a piece on VISIONS, SYTEMS AND STRUCTURES and also HOW the Germans won the World Cup again; planning, taking action and executing.
Let me cull some of my piece and add it here before I move on:
“Nigeria, Africa…. What have we learnt?
What have we learnt since 1990? ’94? ’98? 2002? 2006? 2010?
Players still fighting officials over money. Government delegations larger than players…
Nigeria, AFRICA IS CATCHING UP…. I HOPE WE DON’T WAIT UNTIL WE LOSE 0-5 TO A YOUNG KENYAN TEAM AT ABUJA OR 0-4 TO AN UNKNOWN AFRICAN TEAM AT HOME, BEFORE WE REALISE THAT THE GAME IS UP, AND THEREFORE THERE IS NEED FOR A CHANGE
AS NIGERIANS CELEBRATE OUR “PERFORMANCE”
I ASK; ‘IS A 2ND ROUND EXIT TO AN ORDINARY FRENCH TEAM (NO DISRESPECT TO A PREVIOUS AND WORTHY WORLD AND EUROPEAN CHAMPION) REALLY SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE?
Are we acting? Are we reacting? Or should we just say ‘they tried’ ‘better luck next time’
I don’t expect Nigeria to win the next world cup, we are still miles away, but what I want is TANGIBLE PROGRESS in STYLE, ORGANISATION, and SYSTEMS AND PERSONNEL, both on and off the field.
THE REALITY IS THAT EACH TIME WE TAKE A STEP FORWARD, WE MANAGE TO TAKE A COUPLE BACK……
1994 to 1998…….. BACKWARDS
2002 TO 2006 TO 2010……. BACKWARDS
2014 …… 2018? WHICH DIRECTION?”
That was July 2014. Fast forward two/three months later:
Yes we didn’t lose 0-5 and 0-4 but we lost, and YES! WE LOST AT HOME!!
6th September 2014: Calabar. Nigeria 2 – CONGO 3
10the September 2014: Capetown, SA. South Africa 0 – Nigeria 0
11th October 2014: Khartoum. Sudan 1 – Nigeria 0
Only one point out of a possible nine! Against Sudan, Congo: and South Africa?
Well, I warned everybody…Even Congo came to Nigeria and beat us on our own soil?
Was there not a time when the mere thought of facing any Nigerian team sent shivers down the spine of any African team for that matter? Our team sheet alone meant we had won even before we got on the pitch: Okocha, Kanu, Amokachi, Yekinni, Oliseh, Amunike, Finidi, Taribo, Okechukwu, Ikpeba, Adepoju, Keshi, Eguavoen, Siasia…..
Can we roll back the years please?
Now another own goal has been scored by the Sports authorities.
Forget the recent circus surrounding Maigari’s sack that happened three times and was overturned three times by FIFA. Forget the sham at the world cup over payments and bonuses, this is a spectacular own goal; Nigeria names the 21st coach for Super Eagles in 20 years!! Amodu is back in charge as the Super Eagles coach for the 5th time!! What?
Let me just say this piece is nothing against Coach Amodu: a fantastic coach, a gentleman and a hard working tactician. In my book, you will see that Coach Amodu actually discovered me and was instrumental to my development as a footballer and my introduction to professional football.
Coach Amodu also gave me my first ever call up to the Super Eagles, so I do not have a problem with Coach Amodu.
What then? Since 1994, Nigeria has appointed a National team coach for the Super Eagles twenty one times (Yes, 21) which is an average of more than one appointment in a year!!!
Of the twenty one appointments, two coaches have been appointed twice; while Shuaibu Amodu remains the most nominated coach (this is his 5th appointment in 19 pears)
If this is the case, then I ask: is our problem really the coach/es being fired and re-hired or is it the authorities who are showing a lack of direction and understanding?
Is it a problem of players or a lack of talents?
Is it the organisation? Or should I say the disorganisation that runs through every strata of our society?
What would truly make a difference to Nigeria football?
What would bring back the goose that laid the golden eggs?
Peradventure you don’t realise it; that goose went into a coma long ago, taking with it the dreams of a nation that always united itself on its feathers.
Can we bring the goose back to life?
Where are the academies? Where are the football factories churning out youth players?
How many clubs in Nigeria have a youth development strategy?
How much of our world cup revenues are being re-invested into football at grassroots level?
What is the project for 2018? Are these not the real issues at hand?
Should we continue to ignore this and deceive ourselves with the usual ‘turn by turn’ approach for the players and the ‘musical chairs’ for the coaches?
The recent soap opera at the glass house is an indication of the direction our football is heading again in the foreseeable future: backwards.
We need a change, and we need one quickly: not the convenient approach of hiring and firing coaches yearly: not the shuffling of players and neglect of youth development: otherwise Nigeria could end up in the chronicles of Football HAS BEENS, soon to be forgotten in the wilderness of failure.
One of the definitions of insanity is ‘Doing the same thing but expecting a different result’
We need to move on from this comedy of errors and embrace a viable project that would not only save our football, but leave an indelible print on the world map, thereby returning Nigeria to the forefront of Africa and World football.