Unwarranted outburst!

I am talking about the ugly outburst, during the week, of the former Coach of Ethiopia National Team, one Mr. Sewnet Bishaw, who went on air to accuse world football-governing body, FIFA, of favouring Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off between both countries late last year. It is the most ridiculous accusation […]

I am talking about the ugly outburst, during the week, of the former Coach of Ethiopia National Team, one Mr. Sewnet Bishaw, who went on air to accuse world football-governing body, FIFA, of favouring Nigeria in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying play-off between both countries late last year. It is the most ridiculous accusation in the history of football.
I am aghast at the allegation, coming so many months after the Super Eagles showed their true colours as champions of Africa, dismissing the Antelopes by 4-1 on aggregate. If Mr. Bishaw actually had a sincere case, he could have made his case immediately after the two legged fixture, or some days or weeks after. Certainly not more than FIVE (5) MONTHS after the first leg was played!.
I am very sure that the world governing body, FIFA, would not bother to respond to the unimaginable statement from Mr. Bishaw. He is too low to warrant a response, and certainly his remarks come smack out of a palmwine drinker’s shop; neither would the NFF bother to respond. As an individual, I feel free to comment on the matter, particularly to provide illumination on the events of the two legs.
What was clear in the two matches was that the Nigeria Football Federation prepared the Super Eagles adequately, and the determination of the players and their officials to qualify for the World Cup was never in doubt. It was also clear that the entire Nigeria nation, from our dear President, His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, wanted so much to see the Super Eagles qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals that is happening in a year that our country is celebrating its Centenary.
The difference was so clear, on and off the field. The Nigeria contingent of nearly 300 flew to Addis Ababa for the first leg in a Dreamliner jet belonging to Ethiopia. Our minds were clear and clean. We harboured no hatred and held on firmly to fairplay.
However, it was not the same with the Ethiopians. Our large contingent was only able to get places to lay their heads thanks to the fact that we sent an advance party well ahead. The Ethiopians made heavy weather of two issues that should not have generated any rancour at all: jersey colour and match tickets.
At the match coordination meeting, the Ethiopians flatly refused to change the colour of their stockings in order not to clash with the outfit of the referees. It was left for ourselves to offer to change our goalkeeper’s outfit so that the referees would be able to wear some other colour.
The match tickets was a big issue. We thought the Ethiopians were joking when they told us that we would only have FIVE (5) VIP Extension tickets and that would be ALL! We reported to the match commissioner but this did not change anything. On the morning of the match, Technical Committee chairman Chris Green and Assistant Director (Media) Ademola Olajire spent several hours in a hostile Addis Ababa Stadium trying to purchase tickets for the large Nigeria contingent.
Before the match, our officials stayed in the rain and trying to gain access to the match venue, to no avail. It took the intervention of the FIFA Security Officer, Nicholas Musonye from Kenya, for the right thing to be done. Even at that, several of our dignitariesw, including legislators and NFF Executive Committee members, had to stay in the popular stand and some even on the track!
The goal scored by the Ethiopians was somewhat disputable, but our players made no bone about it and duly stirred to win the match 2-1.
The Super Eagles were definitely inspired by the visit to the stadium the  previous day, by President Goodluck Jonathan, who forsook his lunch with fellow African Union leaders to come see the boys at their only pre-match training session at the Addis Ababa Stadium. The President offered the players very soothing and assuring words and told them he was very sure they would win. When the Ethiopians took the lead in that controversial circumstance, the players told themselves they had to double their efforts in order not to disappoint President Jonathan.
The Ethiopians could not even get their Head of State to attend the match!
Surely, the fixture was already determined before the second leg in Calabar. It was amusing when the Ethiopians sent us a letter ahead of the second leg, demanding for 50 VIP tickets and 1,500 normal stadium entrance tickets for the match at a 10,000 -capacity venue. The same people who told us in Addis Ababa that the whole of Ethiopia wanted to watch the match and their 25,000 -capacity stadium was not sufficient, so offered us only 5 tickets!
Mr. Bishaw’s comments, coming only few weeks before the FIFA World Cup starts in Brazil, is in very bad taste and should be treated as the rantings of a frustrated soul. He has since lost his job, after the blue-and-black thrashing by the Eagles, and looks to have no way back to the fold of the Antelopes.
It is amazing, in any event, how he would imagine that Ethiopia would, in whatever circumstances, be able to stop the Super Eagles from qualifying for the FIFA World Cup. Even in the 70s and 80s when we had problem reaching the FIFA World Cup finals, the likes of Tunisia, Algeria and Cameroon were responsible, not the likes of Ethiopia!
Next Week: The Road To Rio (1)