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Why Nigeria cannot again produce ‘Super’ Eagles (Part 1)
Demola Aluko, Sports Editor, African Examiner

Before changing his mind, President Goodluck Jonathan  suspended Nigeria from
international football for two years due to the poor performance at the 2010 FIFA
world cup in South Africa. Though the Eagles have been so consistent in their failure
but we have to hail the president for listening to Nigerians, FIFA, and former
presidents in order to rescind his decision.

We all know that Nigeria football was great in the sixties. In those days, there were
patriotic players that were willing to do anything including die on the pitch like Sam
Okwaraji, just to wear the popular Green-white Green national colour with HONOUR
and DIGNITY.

I can still remember great players like Moses Otolorin, Thunder Balogun, Emmanuel
Okala, Tunji Banjo, Adokie Amaesimaka, Felix Owolabi, Best Ogedengbe, Moses
Kpakpo, Segun Odegbami, Mudashiru Lawal to mention but few. These players did
not qualify for the world cup, not because they were not good, perhaps their best
was not good enough or due to ill luck as it was in the case of Godwin Odiye.

Presidential Task Force (PTF) VS Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)

The decision of the presidency to suspend the national team from international
football for two years was based on the recommendation of the Presidential Task
Force, set up by late president Umar Musa Yar’adua. The PTF was set up by the
late president to assist NFF when Nigeria’s qualification for the 2010 world cup was
seemingly slipping away.

Oh yes! The PTF did a good job as they  ensure we got the ticket. How we got it?
Not many Nigerians  wanted to know. But I can say here that NFF in conjunction with
their PTF partners got the nation an  undeserved world cup ticket and the result was
the most embarrassing and disgusting performance Nigeria ever put up at any FIFA
organized competition.

I think Nigerians have had enough of this bunch of selfish individuals that have cost
us so much embarrassment. I must say categorically clear that Nigerian football will
not move forward unless professionals who have true love for the development of
soccer in the country are allowed to dwell in our football house. NFF and PTF with
the exception of few individuals, are bodies at the moment,  made up of people
whose main ambitions are to get to certain position within the NFF or Sports ministry.

It has to be said that there has been a friction between NFF and the PTF from the
beginning but both bodies decided to play their card in a way that it would not affect
the only thing they had in common ''getting Nigeria to the world cup at ALL COST''.
Can anyone explain the reason why PTF agents would wait till after the Super
Eagles' last game which mark their end at the world cup before reporting the NFF to
FIFA accusing the football federation of corruption right there in the middle of the
global event?

It is a known fact that two members of the PTF are aiming for positions in the NFF
and they would use all power within their reach including blackmail to get to their
dream land. Knowing well how much they were going to make as members from
travelling allowances plus other benefits.

Back to President Jonathan's decision to suspend the team from international
football for two years, thank God, he has rescinded the ban, but I think it is far from
solving the problem facing Nigerian football right now.

The truth must be said,  as sad and controversial this may sound, I stand to be
corrected and at the same time welcome every individual opinion on how to move
Nigerian football forward. To me, the fault goes not only to the leadership of Nigerian
football but also to parents, coaches, players as well as may be not all, but well over
90% soccer lovers in this country. We are all killing Nigerian football with our win at
all cost attitude.

Do not get me wrong, there's absolutely nothing wrong in being patriotic especially
when it comes to football, the only thing that unites the nation. However, I think we as
a people sometimes go over the top and allow emotion and pride get over our true
sense of patriotism. Most Nigerians hide under the guise of patriotism to get their
sons to the top level in football by either lying about their true age or not exposing
them.

Here is my analysis:

FIFA U-17 & U-21 TOURNAMENT
To me, the problem with Nigerian football started far back in 1985, when Nduka
Ugbade led a group of overage players out in China and subsequently won the first
FIFA KODAK U-16 World Cup.

Then, just like yesterday, I remember millions of Nigerians trooped out to celebrate
what was seen as the first ever world cup to be won by the so called giants of Africa.
Ever since that time, Nigeria has always presented over-aged players as part of
propaganda by the NFA that never believed in the senior national team.

The then football association had little or no hope in qualifying the Super Eagles for
the world cup and therefore found solace in the age-group competition to put smiles
on the faces of soccer loving Nigerians who were also tired of seeing their beloved
national team try but never made it to the world cup finals.

Nigeria cheated again in 1987 until 2009 consequently defeating the purpose for
which FIFA introduced the tournament. The world soccer governing body has
repeatedly stated that the U-17 and 21 tournaments were introduced to help
countries discover and develop talented players for the future. Personally I welcome
FIFA's initiatives and considered it a great opportunity for a country like ours to build
a team for the future.

I have since stopped celebrating whenever Nigeria wins any age group competition
because, I like most Nigerians know that we were parading fathers as teenagers. As
much as I would not like to mention names here, I cannot but feel disgusted each
time I remember that someone that was a police officer once represented this
country and registered as being less than 17 years old when Nigeria hosted the
FIFA U-21 World Cup in 1999.

I'm sure a lot of football fans who remember Nigeria ‘99 know this player, and neither
does anyone needs to  be reminded that some of the real U-17 players that
represented their various countries turned out to be world super stars at their
respective clubs while our own police officer,  struggled in the former Soviet Union
before moving to one of the recognized football nations in Europe.

With Nigeria outstanding performance in U-17 world cup, even as it were, the best in
the world, why are we under achievers in U-21 and senior level? If we are really
parading U-17 players, they should then naturally graduate to the Flying Eagles. We
need to get things right at the U-17 level and our Eagles will be 'super' again.

Clemence Westerhof took the real Super Eagles to the first ever glorious world cup
in 1994 and won the country its second Nations Cup the same year. Was the Dutch
man a magician? No! Clemence was a manager who was given a free hand to
operate without interference from neither FA nor government officials.

He also had in his kitty the best ever group of Nigerian players who were not only
ready to play for their motherland but also mostly first team players for their clubs.

The likes of Stephen Keshi, Uche Okechukwu, Ben Iroha, Rasheed Yekini, Peter
Rufai, Chidi Nwanu, Mutiu Adepoju, Samson Siasia. Daniel Amokachi etc were not
only committed but also players at the highest level. But today, many top European
teams are not willing to sign Nigerian players. Why?

Watch out for the part 2