It is interesting how Nigeria’s ambition for AFCON 2013 is evolving. In the past seasons of AFCON, we watched with chagrin how Nigeria’s ambition declined from targeting the trophy to just an appearance at the semi-final. A manager who is able to achieve this has excelled. We saw an era where Nigeria began to tout what is now derisively regarded as the “golden bronze” as the token of success at the AFCON.
From semi-finals, we regressed to dropping out of the competition from the quarter finals and to the point that we could not even make it out of the qualifiers to enter Africa’s showpiece event. My compatriot, Samson Siasia, will oblige with appropriate explanation, if and when you see him.
Enter Stephen Keshi (SK) and we are in AFCON 2013.
At first the rumour was that SK would be adjudged to have done well if we reach Quarter-finals of AFCON 2013. Recently, this target has been upgraded to winning the trophy. This much better, if this is true.
In my view, there should be no confused signals as to our ambition or intent for the AFCON 2013. I agree totally with an upgraded target. However, my lingering concern is whether we have the team that is able to go all the way.
It is now 19 years that Nigeria attained its golden era in AFCON with a swashbuckling generation of players who represented it at the 1994 Nations cup. This was a squad of the Super Eagles which paraded the likes of Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, George Finidi, Taribo West, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, Dan Amokachi, late Rashidi Yekini and Emmamuel Amuneke, to mention the key figures.
I make bold to say that Sunday Oliseh, Dan “the Bull” Amokachi and Emmanuel Amuneke provided the “X-factor” for this team . You would recall that Zambia had no answer in the AFCON final that year to the marauding movements of Emmanuel Amuneke at outside left or the ball holding capacity of Dan ”the Bull” playing from the right; the long-range passes from midfield from Sunday Oliseh, who was then rightly nicknamed the “pass master” and the spot-on crosses of George Finidi. It is ironical that it is the kind of ability in Oliseh that attracted Madrid to Xabi Alonso!
That Super Eagles possessed serious goal threats from every area in the forward line. George Finidi could score, goals were coming from Rashidi Yekini, Oliseh and Okocha could deliver from set pieces, Dan the Bull could also weigh in with goals. Our style of play though slow was compact; there was effective transition from the defence to midfield and to attack.
I do not pretend to know all the players in the current 23-man squad closely or able to comment on what they can give. The friendly games or warm-up matches have not given me sufficient comfort that we have a team that can lift the trophy. This will not be because the players are not committed or they do not want to but because from previous campaigns, the tactical naivety of our teams was glaring.
It is interesting that in the modern game Nigerian teams only seek to score either through the middle or off the run of play. No clear attention or emphasis has been placed on posing a goal threat through set pieces. Opportunities for goals abound from direct free kicks, throw-ins and corner-kicks. Our teams play throw-ins and corner-kicks devoid of any clear plan or intent to use these to score goals. Competitions are won based on proper tactical preparations and dose of luck or providential goodwill but never without preparation in all aspects of the game. Fanny Amun, the proponent of “fumble and wobble” eventually wobbled out of Nigerian’99.
There is a limit to the level luck can take you without preparation. The latin maxim is “Amat Victoria Curam” meaning “Victory favours the prepared”.
Thus, if there is an area that I would like the duo of SK and Dan the bull to emphasise, it will be our ability to defend on one hand and score goals from, set pieces.
The second area will be achieving coherence in our passing game. We may not be able to play like Barcelona but we cannot also be conceding possession like school boys. These are supposed to be professional footballers.
The third area will be the speed at which we recover possession from the opposition. We may need to deploy high pressing game here but this requires fitness. How fit then are the players?
It is time for SK and Dan “the Bull” to translate all their reviews on Super Sports to defining success at the AFCON.
Otherwise….
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