The scent of South Africa 2013 in Cote d’ Ivoire

Once again, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are in the hunt for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)title in Cote d’ Ivoire and the same scenario that was witnessed before the last triumph in South Africa in 2013 is playing out. I am talking about the mounting skepticism that is trailing the Super Eagles’ […]

Once again, the Super Eagles of Nigeria are in the hunt for a fourth Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON)title in Cote d’ Ivoire and the same scenario that was witnessed before the last triumph in South Africa in 2013 is playing out. I am talking about the mounting skepticism that is trailing the Super Eagles’ performances so far at the ongoing AFCON.

Many of us are living witnesses to how the 2013 squad led by Stephen Keshi wasn’t given any chance of smelling the AFCON title but in the end, the Super Eagles shocked bookmakers by lifting the prestigious trophy.

It will be recalled that before 2013, foreign coaches had led the Super Eagles to two AFCON victories. The Brazilian football tactician, Otto Gloria, was in charge of the victorious Green Eagles in 1980 while Dutchman Clemence Westerhof led the team to the second victory in 1994 in Tunisia.

Therefore, when an indigenous coach, Keshi was to lead the Super Eagles to the 2013 AFCON, the temptation to dismiss his technical competence with a wave of the hand was high. Some of his compatriots had also disappointed Nigerians in the past. Moreover, against all odds, the former captain of the Super Eagles insisted on injecting home-based players in the team. He was responsible for the inclusion of home boys like the eventual hero Sunday Mba, Reuben Gabriel, Godfrey Obobana who were regulars, Ejike Uzoenyi, Juwon Oshaniwa, and Chigozie Agbim. The presence of these green horns further lowered Nigerians’ confidence in the squad

Apart from that, the team was dominated by players in lowly rated European clubs as only John Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Onazi Ogenyi, Joseph Yobo, Ahmed Musa, Vincent Enyeama, Efe Ambrose, Ikechukwu Uche, Brown Ideye, and Emmanuel Emenike were playing for well-recognised clubs in Europe. The rest were either playing at home or in some average clubs abroad. Therefore, it was practically difficult not to doubt the capacity of the team to withstand other star-studded teams in the competition.

Therefore, most people wrote off the Super Eagles even before the kick of the ball in South Africa. Interestingly, the Super Eagles proved such critics right as they struggled to draw their first two matches against Burkina Faso and Zambia. Both fixtures ended in 1-1 draw with Emenike scoring in each of the matches. It was enough reason for the people to say ‘we told you it would end in disaster’.

The Super Eagles then squeezed past Ethiopia 2-0 in the final group match to finish second with five points. The two goals came from the penalty spot in the last ten minutes of the match. At that point, only incurable optimists still believed the team had any chance of reaching the finals in South Africa.

However, the unexpected happened in the quarter-finals when the Super Eagles took on the star-studded Elephants of Cote d’ Ivoire and triumphed 2-1. The victory was the tonic the boys needed to win the championship. Of course, when the then young and courageous Omeruo literally pocketed the much dreaded Didier Drogba, he felt there was no striker in the world he wouldn’t stop again. The small but mighty Ogenyi from Lazio also withstood the bulky frame of the immensely gifted Yaya Toure and battled him to a standstill in the midfield.

And when home-boy Mba scored the match winner, he instantly believed he was good enough to score against any team in the world. Indeed, he went on to score the only goal of the match in the finals against Burkina. So, that was how the victory over Cote D’ Ivoire emboldened the Super Eagles to go all out for victory in South Africa.

It may be very hard to compare the present squad to the team that won the 2013 AFCON but we can’t deny the quality in the team in Cote D’ Ivoire. Of course, the 2013 set had influential players like Mikel Obi, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, and Vincent Enyeama, but there was neither an African Footballer of the Year in the squad nor ‘N’Golo Kante’ of Nigeria’ Alhassan Yusuf in the team.

Therefore, it will be most uncharitable to quickly dismiss the present Super Eagles as lacking in quality. Yes, they blow hot and cold, but they are among the best players on the continent as was seen when they took down the Elephants of Cote d’ Ivoire last Thursday.

Even as I am a known critic of the Super Eagles, I want to confess that even as they didn’t trample on the Elephants, they at least repented last Thursday as the players showed the commitment and resilience that we all have been asking for. Had they maintained their lackadaisical attitude, by now they would have packed their bags. However, they stood firm to emerge with the crucial win which many of us now believe will spur them to more victories. Surely, there is no greater motivation than beating the host team before its vociferous supporters.

Well, the signs may not be very clear at the moment but as a patriotic Nigerian, I am trying to convince myself that South Africa 2013 is still possible for the Super Eagles. But it is not going to be a stroll in the park. Like my good friend, Alhaji Ahmed Shuaibu Gara-Gombe rightly observed, the present euphoria over the victory against Cote d’ Ivoire is unnecessary because the ‘real AFCON’ is yet to start. The renowned football administrator and social critic wants us to wait till the start of the knock-out matches.

Therefore, even as I can smell South Africa 2013, I am not taking my friend’s advice for granted. However, I still want to observe that whenever the Eagles are not given a chance, they soar high. It is against this background that I am queuing behind those who are saying the Super Eagles may triumph in Cote d’ Ivoire. But let’s continue to criticise the Super Eagles till they come home with the fourth AFCON title.

NFF should investigate Sadiq Umar’s ‘miraculous’ healing

The temptation to write on Sadiq Umar’s controversial injury and eventual withdrawal from the ongoing AFCON was strong but I couldn’t resist the urge to use this week’s article to ginger the Super Eagles to go for victory in Cote d’ Ivoire.

However, I want to appeal to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to revisit the issue immediately after the ongoing AFCON.

Even though Umar himself has attempted to sweep the serious issue under the carpet, some of us are of the opinion that there is still something fishy.

The medical team should be asked to explain how with its self-acclaimed expertise and professionalism, it couldn’t differentiate between meniscus injury and a bruise discovered by doctors at Real Sociedad.

This is necessary to establish if indeed the medical team connived with someone to send Umar away from the AFCON. I am not saying somebody worked for Umar to be dropped for another player but this is Nigeria where anything bad is possible.

Therefore, I most respectfully call on both the NFF president, Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau and the General Secretary, Dr. Sanusi Mohammed, to dig deeper into the mess to find out if indeed no one worked against the star from the north.