It wasn’t a great week to be a Nigerian football fan.
Last week, in the space of seven days or less, we – and of course, the rest of the world – saw in full colour, everything that is wrong with our football.
Let’s not get dramatic and say Nigerian football is in grave danger. But we might not be a great distance away from oblivion.
Before we could settle into the week properly, the Flying Eagles were dumped out of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand. They were not terrible by any stretch of imagination. They just did not measure up. Tactically and technically, the Germans were superior. It did not mean there was nothing Manu Garba could have done to get something from the game. He ran out of ideas – if he ever had any.
On Friday, the Super Falcons took on their Australian counterparts in their second group game at the ongoing FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada. Having weathered the storm against Sweden to claim an impressive 3-3 draw, the ladies appeared lost.
Coach Edwin Okon unnecessarily tinkered with his formation, dragging Asisat Oshoala wide and leaving Ngozi Okobi in the middle. Even when it was not working, he did not summon Courtney Dike or even Perpetua Nkwocha from the bench. Neither did he tweak his tactics. Maybe, he was expecting some divine intervention. After all he said before the match that “Nigeria has God on their team, they are very serious about it. I will not joke about this name of God especially. The morale of the team is very, very, very high. Because in the name of the father, God is with [Nigeria] and the players are aware of this.”
He left what man should do to God.
To ‘crown’ it all, on Saturday, the Super Eagles – with Stephen Keshi back in the driver’s seat – took us through a painful first-half ride, on the bumpy pitch of the Ahmadu Bello Stadium. The performance was cringe worthy. The players were barely interested. No plan, no pattern.
In 2013, Nigeria won the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. They failed to qualify for the next edition this year in Equatorial Guinea. Both the Flying Eagles and the Falcons went to the World Cup as African champions.
From every indication, coming out tops in the continent is not usually a big challenge. But on the world stage, where we come up against the best, we are always found wanting.
What is needed? Technical know-how.
Coaches who can be proactive and reactive. Who are knowledgeable in systems and formations and can tweak them in-game. One is not saying the NFF should go out there and get in another unknown Caucasian. For every national team, we need a manager who knows his onions and can deliver. A manager who will take our football to the next level.
It is not reaching for the stars. It is ensuring our star doesn’t dim completely.
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