Chase After Title Number Three!
We had travelled flown out of Lagos in the morning, from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight. An uneventful flight ended when we landed at the Mohamed I International Airport in Casablanca. On the road to Tangiers from Casablanca – the economic capital of Morocco – I had cause to […]
We had travelled flown out of Lagos in the morning, from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport aboard a Royal Air Maroc flight. An uneventful flight ended when we landed at the Mohamed I International Airport in Casablanca.
On the road to Tangiers from Casablanca – the economic capital of Morocco – I had cause to ruminate over the past 15 months and the challenges that we had faced as a Football Federation.
Among these have been distractions here and there by some groups, as well as the need for more money to run our very many programmes which even keep multiplying by the day. But in the end, I convinced myself that we have no choice but to continue to manage the resources we have and also to ensure that our teams are well-prepared for tournaments and competitions – which is the core of our vision as an administration.
For U-23 team, preparation started ever since the team defeated Tanzania home and away to qualify for the eight-nation CAF U-23 Championship. But failure to qualify for the All-Africa Games in Mozambique robbed the team of what could have served as great tune-up competition.
As I stepped inside the Hotel Andalucia Golf in Tangiers, I was met with the picture of a very confident and optimistic Coach Augustine Eguavoen, the U-23 Team’s Head Coach. He was in company with other members of the technical crew, including assistants Stanley Eguma and Benedict Iroha, and goalkeeper trainer Alloy Agu.
‘Pastor’ Alloy looked as trim and fit as he was in his playing days and you would be tempted to think that he could go in there and do the job during the tournament! I recalled quickly how Alloy Agu turned out as goalkeeper and skipper at the 1990 African Cup of Nations, in next-door Algeria.
The players were optimistic as well and I was happy at the mood around. Despite the challenges this team has faced, you are unlikely to be accused of unnecessary adulation if you applaud them as a group.
Following the failure to reach the All-Africa Games, the team’s last competitive match was against Ghana’s Black Meteors in Kumasi in August. That was about three months ago. The Head Coach, alongside the chairman of Technical Committee of NFF traveled to Europe to discuss with the Directors of clubs where some of the foreign-based players are employed, with a few to getting them released for the tournament, which falls outside FIFA approved dates for international matches.
Barrister Green and Eguavoen spent days in Europe, sometimes traveling by road in unfamiliar territory. At the end, some clubs promised to release players; some insisted they would not.
In the end, even some of those who promised to release players did not. VVV Venlo of Holland pledged to let TWO of our FOUR players on their books come around for the competition. Days later, in a letter sent to the NFF, the club backed out. On Tuesday this week, the club wrote to say they would let go defender Alex Nkume. We simply threw away the paper!
We wanted Ahmed Musa, Uche Nwofor and Uchebor Okechukwu as well, but they would not let any of those ones go.
Other clubs held on to Lukman Haruna (the team’s captain), Ekigho Ehiosun, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Nosa Igiebor and Odion Ighalo. How nice it would have been if these players should turn up in Morocco?
Also, when the team got to Morocco, the host FA (we would be playing their country in the tournament’s opening match this evening), set up a number of difficulties with the training ground, despite earlier assurances to the NFF that our team would have no problems whatsoever.
But as a Federation that does not believe in crying over spilt milk, we would have to make do. The players in camp, from skipper Obiora Nwankwo to the experienced goalkeeper Dele Ajiboye, showed enthusiasm and determination to scale the hurdle.
And it is a big hurdle. For the Nigeria Football Federation, this is a big one. Failure of the Super Eagles to reach the 2012 African Cup of Nations and the Falcons’ misadventure in the last round of qualifiers for the London 2012 Olympics have compelled that we win the ticket to the Men’s Football Tournament at last year’s Olympics. It is must for us to pick one of the THREE automatic tickets, as we don’t wish to go through the trauma of a play-off with an Asian country – which would be the fate of the fourth-placed team.
I can assure that spiritually, morally and technically, the Dream Team V is prepared for this challenge. Technically, the team is in the hands of an experienced man, who has coached the senior team on two different occasions. Morally, some officials of the NFF including myself are here to boost their morale and to convey to them the message from Mr. President and the desire of Nigerian football fans.
On Wednesday, just before flying out of Abuja to Lagos, I listened to one ex-international on a popular sports radio station. He played to the gallery by wondering what officials of the Nigeria Football Federation were going to do in Morocco.
Amazing, isn’t it? One would have expected someone to ask him what obtained when he was playing internationally for Nigeria. Were the Federation officials abandoning them at international competitions, refusing to attend those competitions to carry out the functions designed for Federation people?
I have stated several times that the era of jamboree has ended at the NFF. Only those who have things to do are here in Morocco. If anyone goes to the Glass House now, they would meet top officials and would be attended to.
For us, it is important not to think about coming second or third here. Last night, I had a meeting with the players where I told them every Nigerian expects them to come tops. It is time that our teams start responding on the field, giving Nigerians the results that the planning and sincerity of the present NFF administration deserves.
I ma also happy that the Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi is here. He is here in advisory capacity and I know that being bossom friends, himself and Eguavoen would work well. We do not foresee any problems. And Keshi himself has said that he has come to look at the players and see which ones can make the grade at senior level.
For sure, the players have an extra motivation there, to go all out. And it would be important that they start from this evening’s match. All eyes are on Morocco not only for hosting the tournament, but the fact that this is the inaugural championship for African U-23 players. And Nigeria would be top act, certainly.
About 15 years ago, our U-23 team became the first from Africa to win the gold medal of the Men’s Football Tournament at the Olympics. Cameroon followed up four years later in Sydney. Cameroon’s Lionceux are not here but the Dream Team V dismissed the Tanzanian team that knocked them out in the preliminaries.
Victory in Morocco would be the THIRD TITLE for the present administration, since we came into office 15 months ago. We have the African Women Championship and African Youth Championship trophies to flaunt, among several FIFA tournaments.
The stage is set, and we do expect, Insha Allah, glory at this fiesta in North Africa. The two week competition will see the Dream Team V squaring up against Morocco today, Senegal on Tuesday and Algeria on Friday. Nigerians, please pray for this team. God bless our country.
Congrats, NNL
I was thoroughly impressed by the organization of the Super Four tournament of the Nigeria National League in Bauchi last week, and I told High Chief Emeka Inyama, the chairman of the NNL Board, so. Despite the little time and resources available to them, they were able to stage a tournament worthy of the name and with promises to make it bigger and better the next time.
I congratulate Wikki Tourists of Bauchi for winning the competition. And I also congratulate the other teams who took part. Looking forward to a new and wonderful season.
NEXT WEEK: Reflections On Past 15 Months