Every Friday night I join a group of friends, professionals in various fields to play a 2hour long game of football at the Campos mini stadium in Lagos Island, Lagos State, Nigeria. It's a place where we come after a long week to have fun, catch-up, burn calories and get rid of stress built up after a hectic week. At these gatherings, it has become a tradition that those waiting for their turn engage in various football discussion ranging from grass-root football, to the Nigerian Premier League and International football. A lot of times these discussions turn into very heated argument that people bring out their phones, Tablets and Laptops just to go online for the purpose of digging up facts to buttress their points. Last night at football, I was saddled with the task of convincing many of my friends not to write off the chances of the Super Eagles at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. I had to take the pains to explain why I think Nigeria will surprise many pleasantly at the Nations Cup. On the drive home from my Friday night football, I decided to write a few reasons Nigeria will not be disappointed at the AFCON 2013.
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| Emenike, Igiebor, Ideye, Ambrose and Nwanko after a training session |
1. DISCIPLINE
For some years now I've been privileged to get close to the Super Eagles of Nigeria while preparing for some tournaments and Ive monitored them from close quarters during a couple of tournaments and I can boldly say I have not seen any group of Eagles with so much discipline entrenched in the squad like this one. One of the things the coaches have made clear in camp is no one player is bigger than the other, they are all there to fight for the same goal and maybe with the exception of Joseph Yobo, no player is sure of a permanent or automatic shirt in the team. They have made it clear in their pronouncements and actions that they (not a player or group of players) are in charge.
2. STEADY BUT SURE PROCESS
For several years now Nigeria Football has been in coma and has given fans nothing but heartbreaks upon heartbreaks. Several coaches have come and tried various formula but never put together a long term plan thus their plans fail or die before they ever took off. Some coaches came with the sole aim of making a quick name for themselves. What the present set of coaching crew have done is to put together a plan to gradually bring Nigeria football out of her coma. They started by building from home and then integrating foreign based players into the squad.
3. HUNGRY PLAYERS
Several of the players in this squad of Super Eagles are hungry for success and to make names for themselves. Gone are the days of Having Super Eagles players scattered in top clubs in the best leagues in Europe, What we have now are players playing in some second rated leagues and these players want to play with the big boys. The home-based players will be desperate to put up a good showing so they can get good deals abroad.
4. TROPHY OPPORTUNITY
Aside John Mikel Obi who recently won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea plus the Premier League and F.A. Cup trophy he had won with the team before, this is the only opportunity for most of the players to win a trophy and they will want to grab it with both hands. Someone like Joseph Yobo will want a trophy badly now because he might not have that opportunity again.
These said, like I pointed out to my friends, it will be fool hardy to expect that the Super Eagles will win the AFCON 2013 especially when you consider how terrible football in Nigeria have been over the past years. I feel a quarter or semi final berth should be a realistic expectation level for the Super Eagles but as a Nigerian, I would so love to have the trophy. So these are the reasons i think the Super Eagles will surprise many pleasantly at the Africa Cup of Nations 2013
For some years now I've been privileged to get close to the Super Eagles of Nigeria while preparing for some tournaments and Ive monitored them from close quarters during a couple of tournaments and I can boldly say I have not seen any group of Eagles with so much discipline entrenched in the squad like this one. One of the things the coaches have made clear in camp is no one player is bigger than the other, they are all there to fight for the same goal and maybe with the exception of Joseph Yobo, no player is sure of a permanent or automatic shirt in the team. They have made it clear in their pronouncements and actions that they (not a player or group of players) are in charge.
2. STEADY BUT SURE PROCESS
For several years now Nigeria Football has been in coma and has given fans nothing but heartbreaks upon heartbreaks. Several coaches have come and tried various formula but never put together a long term plan thus their plans fail or die before they ever took off. Some coaches came with the sole aim of making a quick name for themselves. What the present set of coaching crew have done is to put together a plan to gradually bring Nigeria football out of her coma. They started by building from home and then integrating foreign based players into the squad.
3. HUNGRY PLAYERS
Several of the players in this squad of Super Eagles are hungry for success and to make names for themselves. Gone are the days of Having Super Eagles players scattered in top clubs in the best leagues in Europe, What we have now are players playing in some second rated leagues and these players want to play with the big boys. The home-based players will be desperate to put up a good showing so they can get good deals abroad.
4. TROPHY OPPORTUNITY
Aside John Mikel Obi who recently won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea plus the Premier League and F.A. Cup trophy he had won with the team before, this is the only opportunity for most of the players to win a trophy and they will want to grab it with both hands. Someone like Joseph Yobo will want a trophy badly now because he might not have that opportunity again.
These said, like I pointed out to my friends, it will be fool hardy to expect that the Super Eagles will win the AFCON 2013 especially when you consider how terrible football in Nigeria have been over the past years. I feel a quarter or semi final berth should be a realistic expectation level for the Super Eagles but as a Nigerian, I would so love to have the trophy. So these are the reasons i think the Super Eagles will surprise many pleasantly at the Africa Cup of Nations 2013
hmmmm... very interesting thoughts. I pray they bring back the trophy... no matter how bleak it looks now, Nigerians will not stop hoping.
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