Reflections On The Past 15 Months (1)

Inside the aircraft, as we flew over the Sahara Desert and onwards to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, I was able to reflect on the past 15months of the present administration at the Nigeria Football Federation. From the beginning, it was not easy. We conducted an election accepted by reasonable bodies, international organizations and […]

Inside the aircraft, as we flew over the Sahara Desert and onwards to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, I was able to reflect on the past 15months of the present administration at the Nigeria Football Federation.

From the beginning, it was not easy. We conducted an election accepted by reasonable bodies, international organizations and credible stakeholders, but some disgruntled individuals took the cudgel and vowed to make things difficult.

They went to court, and for the first time in my life, I appeared in a court of law. World football-governing body, FIFA made it clear that football matters don’t go to the courts but they turned deaf ears and pursued their action with vendetta.

While we should have been settling down to articulate our vision and mission and harmonize our programmes for football development in the country, we were shuttling from one court to the order, thanks to detractors and mischief makers.

It goes without saying that it has been a difficult past 15 months. In the midst of these, the Super Eagles had an African Cup of Nations qualifying match and we had to go to Calabar. We won the match 2-0 to kick-start the race and everyone was happy that the Super Eagles had re-discovered themselves and were set to put behind them the disastrous outing at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa.

Days after that win, the elections were annulled by the Federal High Court, Lagos. There followed trips to Lagos and the Federal High Court for hearings. There was a FIFA ban and Nigerian football looked to be headed to the wilderness.

There was an African Cup of Nations qualifier between the Super Eagles and Syli Nationale of Guinea in Conakry upcoming, and plenty of hassles. Eventually, a meeting was convened and the suit was struck out, which enabled FIFA to lift the ban and the Super Eagles to play in Conakry. We lost that match and it had serious consequences for our 2012 Nations Cup race.

In September 2010, there was the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finals in Trinidad and Tobago. As I have always said at every forum, Nigeria has no reason to hold women’s football in disdain. Whether it is women’s football or the men’s version, we take the matches and competitions serious, no matter the situation. And that was why the ladies did not lack anything as they prepared for the tournament in Trinidad and Tobago and at the competition venue proper.

Two years earlier, the Flamengoes, as they are called, failed to qualify from their group at the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand. The Class of 2010 went a step further, reaching the quarter finals and taking eventual champions South Korea ‘to the rubber’ before losing after extra time.

That feat came only one month after the U-20 Women’s Team, also known as Falconets, reached the final of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Germany, losing to the host nation.

 

After the defeat in Conakry, the need to have a new Head Coach for the team became pronounced. Mr. Austin Eguavoen was handling the team in caretaker capacity and the defeat did not go down well with the members of Exeand cutive Committee, as well as the Technical Sub-Committee.

The interview process began a lot of work was done by the Technical Sub-Committee. Eventually, Samson Siasia got the job and was unveiled on the first day of December.

The previous month, the women were again on show. Now, do you get it? Women’s football has always been there for us and we have a responsibility to uplift it with everything we have got. As we chart a way forward following the current reverses, we are determined to always include a roadmap for the women’s game, such that the Women’s League and the Women’s Challenge Cup become more glamorous in the way they are organized.

The tournaments should also be organized more purposefully, with the aim of discovering talented players, as there is urgent need to replace a few tired legs in the senior team.

While the ascent will be on youth football and grassroots development programme, we will also ensure that women’s football gets its deserved attention and applause when necessary.

In December, we had to set up an ad-hoc Medical Committee when a player of Ocean Boys FC died while playing in a Premier League match. Sad one. We lost the young man, Emmanuel Ogoli in that match and the findings of the committee were instructive as well as illuminating for the way our clubs are generally administered.

December was also the month of the conclusive part of the 2010 Annual General Assembly of the Nigeria Football Federation. The event took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and it was a refreshing experience for all the Chairmen and Secretaries of the 37 States of the Federation and the FCT, and our other members who were there.

For the Executive Committee of the NFF, it was a wonderful experience moreover as we were gradually settling down to work, after all the hassles of court cases and all.

January came with new hope and new ideas and we doggedly pursued our vision for the Nigeria game.

In February, the Super Eagles drew a large crowd to the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos for an international friendly football match against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone. We wanted another team for the match but it didn’t work out and we just had to get the Sierra Leoneans in order not to miss that FIFA free window. Eventually, it turned out to be a worthwhile experience.

Even as the Eagles won 2-1 (which some considered a low scoreline), there were positives as the Head Coach talked excitedly about one young man by the name Joel Obi. Today, Joel Obi has become an integral part of the Super Eagles and going strong.

There have been lots of memorable moments and amazing occasions. That is what football is all about. There have been unbelievable comebacks and moments of anguish. There have been anxiety and tension here and there and there have also been occasions to smile.

I admit that things are not what they should be today, but as was generally agreed at the meeting with the distinguished members of the Senate Committee on Sports and Social Development on Wednesday, there has to be re-focus and re-strategizing. We have to look at the players we have at home better than those who play abroad.

Sure, all countries invite foreign-based players for international matches. But I share the feeling of the distinguished members that we should have good number of home-based players in any of the National Teams going for international matches or competitions.

The experience of Morocco 2011 is an eye-opener. Coach Eguavoen surely did not give the home boys the confidence they needed that they would be the ones representing Nigeria at the competition. By the time he realized that his foreign-based platoon would not be available, it was too late to get the home boys, who naturally thought they would once again serve as training materials, into proper tournament mood.

NEXT WEEK: Reflections On Past 15 Months (2)