The “Super Chickens” of Nigeria on Wednesday February 11, 2009, were once again on display for the world to “admire” after a couple of month’s absence. This time around they chose to display their nauseating brand of football (they usually keep this for special occasions, the panic-laden one is the most popular) against a feeble Reggae-playing Jamaican side that obviously were more interested in joining Damian Marley on stage rather than kick some round object around.

The much talked about tactical incompetence of Amodu Shauibu was also on full parade as a bunch of over-paid and under-motivated boys almost made the infamous Ladan Bosso’s U-20 team (Bosso still has the top honors for tactical incompetence, and I won’t take it away from him) seem like World Champions after they played out what could easily be described as the most embarrassing 90 minutes of soccer in recent years.

The game itself was something of a lullaby and the few spectators who had churned out their hard earned cash to enter into the stadium (considering the present global economic situation) must have felt cheated. (A night at the Cinema watching Johnny Bravo or any other cartoon would have made more sense).

The most pathetic part of the whole scenario is the fact that the team Amodu put on that pitch at Milwall was undoubtedly Nigeria’s strongest force, who we all are hoping would take us to the next world cup! Need I say that at this point I can’t see that team getting us to South Africa? The Tunisians would really be counting themselves in after watching their biggest opponents play out their “best”.

The same uncoordinated tactical balderdash that characterized Berti Vogt’s African Nations Cup team, which was also the hallmark of Ladan Bosso’s “young-team” (Take a look at Edile for Christ sake!) was all too evident in Amodu’s special collection of over-pampered stars.

Many soccer pundits might want to blame the flaccid attitude of the players on the fact that it was just a friendly encounter, “why should they play out their heart for a meaningless game?” That ignorant submission quickly becomes discredited when you take a look at the England-Spain encounter or the Brazil-Italy game, both “meaningless games”.

It is still amazing that we do not see reasons to bring in a “natural” central offensive midfielder into the Nigerian senior team. Why do we keep forcing Mikel into a position that has been washed out of his system? Mikel has lost the ability (if he ever had it) to play the role Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha played for us for several years.

There is a certain Rabiu Ibrahim that can comfortably handle that position, but due to the Nigerian mentality that is so prevalent on Amodu’s technical team, they want him to “mature” first before he enters the National team. How old was Kaka when he started playing for the Brazilian national team? What of Pato, Rooney, Owen? The list is endless. A good coach knows who he wants, a bereft one wants who he knows.

It is quite co-incidental that just a day after that better-forgotten encounter against “the Musicians from the Caribbean” the nation slumped down the FIFA rankings from a questionable 17^th position to a more understandable 23^rd place (A position that FIFA might have to reconsider after watching that shallow exhibition between one of Africa’s erstwhile power-house against the minnows from the Caribbean).

The Nigerian Football Federation (a confused bunch of political jobbers who do not have the interest of the country at heart) have always found ways to inflict upon us their self serving interests, whereby they select coaches for the various National teams not on merit, but more on what they believe they would gain financially from having the coach on board. There is no other explanation as to why we should be suffering the double tragedy of Ladan Bosso and Amodu Shuaibu at the same time. Will we ever learn anything in this country?

I want to clearly state here that Mr. Amodu and his technical bench of trial-and-error individuals will not take Nigeria to the World Cup, and if they are left alone the damage to our beloved National team (yeah, I still love the team), would be so much that the nation’s football might relapse into a comatose state for a couple of years.

Awenlimobor Sylvester

The most shocking decision ever made by any Football Federation worldwide was unleashed on Nigerians by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) late last week when it decided to let go the most successful Nigerian coach in recent times, Samson Siasia.

 

This decision has fully exposed the hollow-mindedness that the body possesses; their vain quest for selfish glorification at the expense of patriotism has also come to the fore.

 

When professionalism and merit are thrown out of the window and in their place nepotism, greed and selfishness become the yardstick for recruiting people into our various senior national teams, the country is bound to fail. This is a fact that cannot be contested, it is as solid as saying the sun will rise tomorrow!

 

A brief look back into history will show that all the period Nigeria (Super Eagles) has ever achieved any form of glory either in the continent or in the globe; it has always been with a coach that had discipline. The lack of it (Discipline) has ensured that Nigeria has gone years without achieving any form of worthwhile glory. Save Yemi Tella (May his gentle soul rest in peace) and Samson Siasia, there is no discipline-instilling coach in this country anymore.

 

Is it Christian Chukwu? A man that was afraid of his players? A man that lost the right to select his starting team to his Captain? A man that was being controlled like a puppet by the NFA? Definitely not Christian Chukwu! Most definitely not!

 

Or is it Augustine Eguavoen? A man that could not define his role all through his stay with the team? A man that had (still has anyway) a suspicious vacuum in his tactical depth as far as I am concerned? Hell no!  Maybe Keshi, but definitely Not Eguavoen.

 

Is it Amodu Shuaibu? A man that could barely gather enough players to play a grade A friendly match in Columbia a few months back? A man that can not list his career achievements in more than two sentences? This is most definitely not the man for the job! And we all know it, so why do we keep deceiving ourselves?

 

Undoubtedly, the best Nigerian coaches in the last ten years have been Samson Siasia and Yemi Tella, the latter is now deceased leaving only Siasia as the best option for the country.

 

But the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) obviously has other sinister plans and ideas. They hope to crumble our football, probably they would be thinking to themselves…”If Galadima did not die for not taking us to the last World Cup, why should we be afraid?”

 

We are currently at the precipice of another woeful and disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign, the signs are boldly written on the wall, in plain English and yet the NFF can’t see. Their eyes are blinded with fat allowances and bonuses.

 

 

 

 

Awenlimobor Sylvester

The most shocking decision ever made by any Football Federation worldwide was unleashed on Nigerians by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) late last week when it decided to let go the most successful Nigerian coach in recent times, Samson Siasia.

This decision has fully exposed the hollow-mindedness that the body possesses; their vain quest for selfish glorification at the expense of patriotism has also come to the fore.

When professionalism and merit are thrown out of the window and in their place nepotism, greed and selfishness become the yardstick for recruiting people into our various senior national teams, the country is bound to fail. This is a fact that cannot be contested, it is as solid as saying the sun will rise tomorrow!

A brief look back into history will show that all the period Nigeria (Super Eagles) has ever achieved any form of glory either in the continent or in the globe; it has always been with a coach that had discipline. The lack of it (Discipline) has ensured that Nigeria has gone years without achieving any form of worthwhile glory. Save Yemi Tella (May his gentle soul rest in peace) and Samson Siasia, there is no discipline-instilling coach in this country anymore.

Is it Christian Chukwu? A man that was afraid of his players? A man that lost the right to select his starting team to his Captain? A man that was being controlled like a puppet by the NFA? Definitely not Christian Chukwu! Most definitely not!
Or is it Augustine Eguavoen? A man that could not define his role all through his stay with the team? A man that had (still has anyway) a suspicious vacuum in his tactical depth as far as I am concerned? Hell no!  Maybe Keshi, but definitely Not Eguavoen.

Is it Amodu Shuaibu? A man that could barely gather enough players to play a grade A friendly match in Columbia a few months back? A man that can not list his career achievements in more than two sentences? This is most definitely not the man for the job! And we all know it, so why do we keep deceiving ourselves?

Undoubtedly, the best Nigerian coaches in the last ten years have been Samson Siasia and Yemi Tella, the latter is now deceased leaving only Siasia as the best option for the country.

But the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) obviously has other sinister plans and ideas. They hope to crumble our football, probably they would be thinking to themselves…”If Galadima did not die for not taking us to the last World Cup, why should we be afraid?”

We are currently at the precipice of another woeful and disastrous World Cup qualifying campaign, the signs are boldly written on the wall, in plain English and yet the NFF can’t see. Their eyes are blinded with fat allowances and bonuses.

Awenlimobor Sylvester

A lackluster performance by the country’s U-20 side in a friendly encounter against lowly Nigerian league outfit, Heartland FC of Owerri, has cast further doubt on the ability of the side to lift the trophy this year.

 

Though the Nigerian side won the encounter 1-0 courtesy of a goal by Ganiu Oseni, off a fine cross from Germany-based striker Macaulay Chrisanthus, the display of the team on the day left much to be desired.

 

Who would believe that the large chunk of players that make up this team were two years ago FIFA U-17 World Champions with the late NIS Professor, Yemi Tella? How could they have deteriorated into this mess in so short a period? Well the answer cannot be far-fetched….Ladan Bosso

 

The NFF as usual are setting the ground for catastrophe (something they have become used to), watching as a talented bunch of players go to waste in the hands of a “talent-destroyer”.

 

Whatever happened to the players that Bosso took to Canada two years back? Someone ever asked that question? NO!

 

I think we can stop this cataclysmic process at its infant stage before we kill a perfectly good generation of future Super Eagles players.

 

 

 

Awenlimobor Sylvester

By Awenlimobor Sylvester

Head coach of the Nigerian senior National team, the Super Eagles, Amodu Shuaibu has stated that he does not feel threatened by the exploits of coach of the Nigerian Olympic soccer team Samson Siasia, amidst rumours that the latter was shaping up to take over from him soon as coach of the senior team.

Speaking with reporters from local newspaper Vanguard just before departing for South Africa for Nigeria’s 2010 World Cup/Nations Cup qualifying game against the Bafana Bafana, the former Orlando Pirates coach stated that he does not feel threatened, and would not want to be distracted by side talks.

“The match against South Africa is important and we should face it squarely.” he was quoted as saying on the newspaper

“Honestly, I am not threatened. There is nothing to be afraid of. Siasia has done so well with his boys and should be commended We are neck-deep in the match against South Africa and I guess that the match is more important that these trivialities about Siasia taking over my job” he added

“I have a contract with the NFF so why I should I panic?”

Amodu also promised to ensure that the jinx that has seen the Super Eagles dominate the Bafana Bafana over the years.

“We are going for a battle. The battle plan is to kill your enemy. And that is what we are going to do. South Africa has never beaten Nigeria in any competitive game. It is not going to start from my tenure as Eagles Coach. We are guarding jealously that record” he promised

Nigeria plays South Africa in Port Elizabeth on Saturday, September 6th in a game that holds more importance for the South Africans than the Nigerians.