What 2015 might hold for Nigerian football

0

ADEGBOYE Onigbinde was the first indigenous coach to occupy the position as manager/coach of the senior national team, the then Green Eagles, in 1983.

 Stephen Keshi
Stephen Keshi

He was relatively unknown then, but the leadership of the Nigeria Football Association decided to give Onigbinde the chance as a way of experimenting with a full time indigenous coach.

As at the time of his appointment, Onigbinde had only worked as coach of the then Water Corporation of Ibadan in the mid 1970s. But he could talk the game so well, in addition to his ?box-full? of certificates.

Despite many shortcomings he encountered in the course of the job: ?no balls and no allowances tom pay players,? Onighinde went on to produce one of the best records by any indigenous coach at that time, taking the Green Eagles to the final of the 1984 African Cup of Nations, which they narrowly lost to Cameroun in the final.

To Nigerians, finishing second in a Nations Cup, which the country had won barely four years earlier in 1980, was not a major success. So, Onigbinde was moved to the National Institute for Sports (NIS), as Vice Principal to pave the way for another indigenous coach, Christopher Udemezue, who was then in charge of the Flying Eagles.

Udemezue?s tenure as coach of the Green Eagles was brief. He was re-deployed in 1986, after losing 1-2 to Tunisia on goals aggregate in Mexico ?86 World Cup qualifier. That gave room for Paul Hamilton to step in.

And ?Wonder boy? Hamilton did well, going by the results the Green Eagles got, though his teams were described as lack-luster, patterness and unorganized.

Then, the contention was that Nigerian coaches lack technical ?depth? in the game to compete favorably with the best in the World. Hamilton?s tenure as coach of the Green Eagles came to an end.

Before the authority took the decision of experimenting with indigenous coaches, some foreigners had managed the team.

Otto Gloria made history in 1980 by guiding the Green Eagles to win the African Nations Cup on home soil. That was the era, when Nigerian teams find it more difficult facing their counterparts, especially North African countries such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Otto Gloria was celebrated for the historic achievement in 1980, but the euphoria only lasted for a year.

The coach soon faced the wrath of Nigerians, when the same Green Eagles failed to beat Algeria in a qualifying match for Spain ?82 World Cup.? Nigeria had lost the first leg at home and Otto Gloria was in Europe preparing the Eagles for the second leg in Algeria when he was recalled to Lagos and his contract terminated.

Another coach was assigned the responsibility of taking the Eagles to Algeria for the second leg, but the Eagles went down 2-1. No basket for rotten mango, according to Urhobo top musician, Okpan Aribo, and so, the coach never showed his face again.

After many trial and errors with foreign coaches that culminated at South Africa 2010 World Cup, where the Super Eagles crashed out in a disgraceful manner, authority of the Nigeria Football Federation once again decided to experiment with indigenous coaches.

First to step in was former Eagles? defender Austin Eguavoen. He was shoved aside few months later following poor results in the qualifiers for the 2012 African Nations Cup.

In 2011, Samson Siasia, the man from the same state with President Goodluck Jonathan took over the Super Eagles. He was more acceptable choice for many Nigerians who argue that as an ex-international player himself, he would be in a better position to understand and feel the passion of the game.

Though, Siasia was seen as ?arrogant? in some quarters, but he continued to enjoy the support of many Nigerians until the Eagles failed to beat Guinea in their last qualifying game for the 2012 Nations Cup, which was co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

There were several moves by some individuals to save Siasia?s job. Their argument then was that Siasia should be given another chance since he inherited a ?bad team? from Eguavoen.

In football circle worldwide, a coach is as good as his last result, so, the campaign to allow Siasia continue as coach of the Super Eagles failed. He was shown the exit doors.

The Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi won the Nations Cup in South Africa 2013 and also qualified for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil 2014. He was celebrated as hero.

Even before the trip to Brazil, many Nigerians had complained that the ?Big Boss? had not proved enough in terms of his technical knowledge of the game. Many had picked holes in his selection of players for a game, his substitutions, reading of matches and relationship with players.

They argued then that except Keshi changed his ways, it would be difficult for his team to compete favorably with the best at the World Cup.

With zeal and determination to make name on part of the players, coupled with prayer from many soccer-loving Nigerians, the team managed to weather the storm and booked a place in the second round.

In the game against the Les Blues of France, who were waiting to be slaughtered, Keshi?s Eagles failed to lift their games.

Before leading the Eagles to Brazil, Keshi had failed with the home-based Super Eagles in January this year at the 2014 CHAN competition in South Africa, where his squad lost to their West African rival, Ghana, in the semifinal.

The sad ouster of the Super Eagles from CHAN 2014 raised more eyebrows in soccer circles regarding Keshi?s philosophy of scouting players in the domestic league amid an array of star players who are ignored.

His contract expired after the World Cup in Brazil, but Keshi was temporarily re-engaged by the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo, to oversee Nigeria?s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) double-header against Congo and South Africa, pending when the NFF board will finalise discussion on whether or not to renew his contract.

And for the first time in many decades, Keshi led the Super Eagles to a home defeat in the hands of Red Devils of Congo in Calabar. He could only manage a goalless draw with the Bafana Bafana in South Africa three days later.

Instead of allowing the NFF do away with Keshi as the practice over the years, some powerful group of Nigerians resorted to intimidating the newly elected board members, using the name of the Presidency.

Keshi was eventually given the nod to lead the team to the last two qualifying matches against Sudan and South Africa and the rest is history.

Before the Super Eagles finally crashed out in their last match against the Bafana Bafana in Uyo, many ex-players, including Emmanuel Babayaro, had warned of the danger of allowing Keshi to continue.

?An average Nigerian, myself inclusive, are very sentimental people and football and sentiments don?t go together,? Babayaro said. ?That is why we have this situation where Keshi never invites the best hands, for one sentimental reason or the other.?

With 2015 by the corner, many soccer fans are worried about the activities of those ?die-hard supporters? of Keshi, who are bent in using the name of the Presidency to arm-twisting board members of NFF to eat their vomit.

To them, forcing the NFF to renew Keshi?s contract despite his failure to take the Eagles to Equatorial Guinea 2015 is not the wish of Nigerians and might be counter productive for the nation?s football.

Source: Gowon Akpodonor , The Guardian Nigeria

Send your news stories to [email protected] Follow News Ghana on Google News

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here