30 Jan 2008 |
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Iwedi Ojimnah Admin Note: This article was written before the Benin game  ou simply lack the ability to improvise and in Africa this is the equivalent of a Snail wearing a rucksack of Rock salt. Ezeala or no Ezeala this can only end one way – namely badly.
In these last few months you have succeeded in doing nothing except exposing the NFA’s inept managing style and passing on your lukewarm temperament to a team that once was as hot as a chili pepper. They now resemble a plate or of cold Sauerkraut and being half German I know a thing or 2 about "kraut. Ther are no pepper corns and even one Sausage no dey. Rather you have confused everybody, fans, press and players alike with your “yeye” tinkering. You have torn down what was once a passable 11 and built your tower of Babel to no where. Your team plays one formation in the back and as it moves forward it morphs into at least 2 different ones, with some players cancelling out others and allowing our opponents to send extra defenders up front because their work is already been done for them.
You removed your best player against Mali, Mr. Osaze obviously because he got tired of standing akimbo in wasted space and listening to inept calculations while reintroducing basic hustle and tenacity to your flawed game plan. But you wanted to win your way and put the only offensive arrow worth mentioning back in the quiver. Not once was the Malian GK taxed……yet ours left with scuffed knees and praising the Secondi wood that kept the ball from going in. 20 mins into the game everything was put in correct and unfortunate perspective when a shocked onlooker asked us just as the Malian Number 17 slid through our defense like a knife through butter …. “So are you saying the team in white is not Nigeria?” Normally this would have prompted a symphony of expletives (especially as the team in white were wearing such cheap kits that they were starting to fall apart during the game) But now? We might have well been watching “Silence of the Lambs” - not one pim. Herr Vogt’s African Football is full of ambushes and on any given day any team can beat any other one. It is how one responds after defeats especially in do or die situations that separate the Alpha wolves from the alley dogs. Case and point Cameroon. Within minutes after their mauling at the hands of Egypt, not only were assurances of a semi final birth issued but at least one Lion backed that up with 100K. Zambia instantly stood no chance. From the pained expressions on the Eagles faces especially during the end of game huddle led by Yobo, it is clear that they fought and gave it their all - arguably some more than others - so this is clearly not a matter of heart. No Sir. It’s a matter of belief and you Sir have squandered our trust and their confidence and need to take a cue from the happenings in Dakar and catch the next Lufthansa Flight out of Accra to Germany. Ezeala can bring your things in Nigeria for you later. While I certainly wish you the best in life I hope that there is No Auf Wiedersehen at least with you wearing the NFA patch on your chest. Nigeria needs an "African" regadless of colour.
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