The jubilation that greeted the victory of the Golden Eaglets at the just concluded U-17 World Cup was an outpouring of emotion by a country that has been deprived of anything to celebrate for too long. Nigerians are a soccer-mad people and ardent supporters of their teams so the reaction was not surprising. Beyond the celebrations and the several events that have been staged to fete the victorious youngsters, crucial questions touching on the future of Nigerian football must now be confronted.

The perennial syndrome of age-cheating which continues to dog age-grade football in African countries cast a pall over the golden eaglets. In 1989, FIFA placed a two year ban on Nigeria from participating in FIFA age-grade tournaments and also withdrew the country’s right to host the 1991 World Youth Championship. The infraction for which Nigeria was banned was the alleged falsification of the ages of three players, Andrew Uwe, Samson Siasia and Dahiru Sadi. The trio had featured for Nigeria in the U-20 World Cups of Mexico 83 and Moscow 85 and had altered their ages to participate in the Seoul 88 Olympics.

Cynics and critics may well be justified in observing that the boys were ‘golden’ but were far from ‘eaglets.’

Age falsification is one of the reasons why Nigeria has never translated her impressive record in age-grade tournaments into dominance at the senior level. When the Brazilian legend, Pele, watched the golden eaglets play at the Scotland 89 championship, he was moved to predict that an African nation, most likely Nigeria , would win the senior world cup before the end of the twentieth century. Yet the starlets of that generation with the exceptions of Victor Ikpeba and Godwin Okpara failed to make a mark at the senior level or make any impact in the top flight. Footballers who falsify their ages in order to feature at age grade competitions fail to peak later in their playing careers because they are older than advertised. The curve of progress expected of these starlets fails to materialize. In this way, age cheats are costing Nigeria future victories in world football.

Philip Osondu was a stocky skilful forward that made waves at the

Canada 87 silver-winning golden eaglets. He was taken abroad on a lucrative contract in the Belgian league and simply disappeared afterwards. The classic case study is the U-20 team that featured in Saudi 89 World Youth Championship. That team was one of the most skilful ever assembled in Nigeria and duly recorded impressive victories over various sides including the memorable Damman Miracle game in which they reversed a first-half four goal deficit against the Soviet Union . It seemed only fair for that team to lose the final match against an equally talented Portuguese side starring players like Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Joao Pinto. These Portuguese players came to be known as the golden generation and became the driving force behind that country’s impressive showings in subsequent European Championships and World cups. They also made it into the bracket of the world’s top players. In contrast, their Nigerian contemporaries with the exceptions of Mutiu Adepoju, Christopher Ohenhen and Nduka Ugbade failed to make the grade at the senior international level. Other talented members of that team such as Bawa Abdullahi, Dimeji Lawal and Samuel Elijah simply went into oblivion. It is significant that while Luis Figo still plays competitive football with Inter Milan of Italy, no Nigerian of that generation still plays competitively.

Followers of the modern international game have long noted Nigeria as a potential world soccer power. That potential has never been realized. The reason for this is not far-fetched. At the just concluded U-17 World Cup, spectators gushed at the silky skills of players like Rabiu Ibrahim, Kabiru Akinsola and Macaulay Chrysanthus (top scorer and the second most valuable player). More informed enthusiasts are more circumspect. As we serenade the golden eaglets, we have to remember that their victory will only be worth while if we see a number of these starlets performing at the world cup in 2010.

The age- falsification syndrome is not an isolated incident. It is part of the fabric of maladministration that has arrested the development of Nigerian football. Nigerian players lie about their ages to get into youth teams because international exposure is their only chance of escape from a poor paying and badly run domestic league. The most successful soccer nations are those who have realized that the domestic league is the fulcrum of their football development. Pitches in Nigeria are more suited to grazing cattle than hosting matches. The local game is bedeviled by corrupt refereeing, hooliganism and various ills. The substandard condition of our domestic football is the main reason why players keep trying to flee abroad for greener pastures. Many talents otherwise destined for greatness have been lost in this way.

The extent of the maladministration of soccer by the dysfunctional football association is highlighted by the most recent news from the football scene. The female football team, the super falcons went on strike during the ongoing women’s world cup in China over their unpaid bonuses and allowances and general neglect. The NFA insisted that it was cash-strapped but was still able to send an unwieldy number of officials for the competition. The Super Falcons expectedly exited the cup in the first round due to shoddy preparations and poor management. Meanwhile the FA and the National Football league are locked in a struggle over the running of the domestic league. Nigerians unanimously agree that if Nigeria never wins the world cup it won’t be for lack of talent, but for lack of decent administration.

Members of the victorious eaglets have been given houses by the federal government. It is important to note that the members of the super eagles that won the African cup of nations in 1994 have still not received their houses over a decade after those gifts were given. It seems that nothing really has changed to alter the descent of Nigerian football. That decline can be traced back to the period just after the impressive debut of the super eagles at the USA 94 World Cup and the Atlanta 96 soccer gold-winning effort. Things have never been that good. Nigeria crashed out of the first round of France 98 to the disappointment of fans and pundits. In Korea-Japan 2002, a lack-luster side led by Festus Onigbinde failed to win a single game and then crashed out disgracefully in the first round. Four years late, a side coached by the hapless Christian Chukwu failed to even qualify for Germany 2006.

The golden eaglets’ victory does not signal a renaissance of Nigerian football. Considering the general state of the Nigerian game, their victory was a fluke on the part of the NFA. Their triumph was produced by the grit, determination and skill of the youngsters and the management and mentoring of the highly competent coach Yinka Tella. It is worth mentioning that Coach Tella had to overcome a heart ailment before leading the eaglets to victory. That sort of determination and commitment is what gives many Nigerians hope for the future. However if the NFA continues the culture of maladministration, Nigerians will not be singing any victory songs at the 2010 world cup in South Africa . And the potential of yet another highly gifted generation of Nigerian footballers will be brought to naught.

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Comments Page: 1 posted on 09-27-2007, 08:45:57 AM Godwin Re: After The Eaglets Have Landed Nigeria crashed out in the 2nd round of France 98 World Cup and not the 1st round. If I may ask what did the "golden generation" of Portugal win at senior level? Some players peak @ U-17 and fade away while some peak later @ 24-28 before fading away even without age falsification. Scotland played in the final of U-17 World cup in 1989 and yet they are not world beaters by any standard ever since. The issue of age falsification is not pecuilar to footballers, a lot of unemployed graduates falsify their ages so as to be within the catchment age and among the employed, a lot of people also falsify their ages so as to be below the retirement age. The reason our footballers look for greener pastures overseas is the same as the reason doctors, nurses. engineers also flee. The Nigerian Press does a very poor watchdog role when it comes to age cheating in football. Before the national teams compete at African or World Championship to acquire laurels, the press could have fished out any cheat if there are any, but to wait till after the team has won something before making the allegations will sound like sour grapes. A look at Primary school & Secondary school records of the players will certainly put a lie to the cheats but a quick look at our U-17 team will show some of the players graduated from secondary schools at age 12-14 making them "geniuses". Go to the Full Discussion Thread Comments Page: 1

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