Of idle speculations and rumours

When the ‘story’ first broke, it certainly did not come from the office of Nigeria Football Federation. It gained wings and circulated widely, even wildly, and I was bemused to read, during the week, a lengthy abuse by one legal practitioner, who claimed to know more than anyone else about these matters.Remarkably, the present administration […]

When the ‘story’ first broke, it certainly did not come from the office of Nigeria Football Federation. It gained wings and circulated widely, even wildly, and I was bemused to read, during the week, a lengthy abuse by one legal practitioner, who claimed to know more than anyone else about these matters.
Remarkably, the present administration at Nigeria Football Federation has always talked about giving Keshi the full support for him to succeed in his work. Back in November 2011, when he put pen to paper as Nigeria’s new Head Coach, I had told the world that we would be solidly behind him and that the NFF would afford all assistance that he required.
Amazingly, it was the same word that was used by a member of the Technical and Development Committee, which apparently, the interviewer muddled up. Between the NFF saying it would give Keshi all the ‘assistance’ for him to succeed at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, someone mistook that for ‘assistant.’  Shameful.
As I said on Thursday, the present NFF administration deserves so much credit for the accomplishments recorded over the past three-and-half years. Despite all manner of distractions, the present NFF has surpassed all teams before it by winning 10 trophies from different championships and friendly matches, and for the very first time, the Super Eagles qualified quite easily for the FIFA World Cup finals.
Going back in time, qualification for our debut appearance at the FIFA World Cup was tough. Our chances were on the wire going into the last match against Algeria in Algiers (Stephen Keshi himself was Captain of that team), and it was all praises to God at the final whistle, when we were able to get the draw (1-1) needed to sail through to USA 1994. A further goal in a testy second half by the Algerians would have knocked the Eagles off the boat.
Qualifying for France 1998 was no less difficult, and in the race for 2002, Liberia was ahead of the Eagles after a faltering start to the campaign that included losing to Sierra Leone in Freetown, and it took our winning the last three matches to get to Korea/Japan. Qualifying for South Africa 2010 was as hard as granite. Tunisia, who skipped past us to qualify for the 1978 finals in Argentina and who denied us a place in the finals in Mexico ‘86, were at it again, and led till the last match of the race. We needed to win in Kenya and for Tunisia not to win in Mozambique. That was exactly what happened and we sailed through.
For Brazil 2014, there was never any doubt about qualification, after our dear President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s inspiring visit to the team’s only training session in Addis Ababa saw us fly past Ethiopia right in their backyard in the first leg. The return in Calabar, five weeks later, was a formality.
I challenge anyone to truly prove that the present NFF has not given indigenous Coaches the respect they deserve. Before Keshi was Samson Siasia. At the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, we had a Swede, Lars Lagerback as Head Coach. When the present team came into office, we decided our own people can do it well, if not better.
Siasia did quite well but the team failed to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations, conceeding a last-second goal to Guinea in Abuja. Had the ball not gone into Dele Aiyenugba’s net in that last second, we would have qualified. Siasia gave way to Keshi, and Keshi has been doing well. He won the Africa Cup of Nations, qualified the B team for the African Nations Championship for the first time, qualified the A team for the FIFA World Cup finals and won the bronze medal with the B team at the African Nations Championship.
Since we came into office, the U-23 Men’s Team has been coached by Augustine Eguavoen; the U-20 boys team by John Obuh and the U-17 boys team by, first, Monday Odigie and later, Manu Garba. The Super Falcons have been coached by Eucharia Uche and Kadiri Ikhana, and lately on caretaker basis by Edwin Okon.
The U-20 girls team has been coached by Egan Adat, Edwin Okon and presently, Peter Dedevbo, and the U-17 girls by Peter Dedevbo, and presently, Bala Nikyu. Only on Wednesday, the Technical and Development Committee recommended the appointment of Manu Garba as Head Coach of the U-20 boys, to be assisted by Nduka Ugbade and Fancy Ewulu.
Can someone tell me which of these persons is a foreigner?
A national newspaper, on Thursday, devoted almost its entire back page to an article on ‘bleaching complex’, whatever that means. That was after the Technical Committee had made it clear that no one had contemplated or suggested a ‘foreign assistant’ for Stephen Keshi! I am galled at the way so many people, including retired footballers and tired politicians, reacted to this matter that never came out of the NFF. Everyone wanted his voice to be heard. Even people who had long lost their relevance in the public space, chose to utter words and be quoted in the newspapers or just to see their face on television.
For avoidance of doubt, it is not the NFF that contemplated, suggested or recommended a so-called ‘foreign technical assistant.’ That came from the imagination of certain folks who then tried to deny it themselves early in the week, before the Technical and Development Committee felt the need to arrest the silly campaign.
Next Week: LMC And New Heights For Our League