The last time I felt this way about the African Cup of Nations was in 1976 when Nigeria hurriedly assembled a team of new players to represent the country at the championship held in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia. There was no hope and no expectation. Until the crisis in the national team erupted very few even realised the country was going for the most important championship in Africa. Before then Nigeria had not made any impact at the championship or, indeed, at any championship except the All-Africa Games football final that the country had hosted and won three years earlier. There was a growing buzz in the country though. The domestic clubs were dong well. Rangers International had reached the latter stages of club championships. Shooting Stars were making significant inroad in the Africa cup-winners cup. The Nigerian team were on the verge of qualifying for the Montreal Olympics football tournament with one match left to complete the historic feat. Yet, not even all of those successes translated into any major expectation by the people as the African Cup of Nations approached.

The difference between then and now, however, is that most Nigerians did not know much about the championship then. The championship now has become the most important continental championship followed with keen interest by football followers all over the world. In 1976 Nigerians became interested in the championship for the first time because of an incident that surrounded the national team. They wanted the national team to do well, call the bluff of the players from Rangers International Football Club of Enugu that constituted the majority of the team and had refused to report early to camp in preparation for the championship because their team was to be involved in the Champions league match and they chose club before country. They took their time reporting to camp. It was an insolence Yugoslav coach Father Jelisavic Tiko would not take. He became so angry he sought permission of the National Sports Commission boss, Mr. Isaac Akioye, and the leadership of the NFA under Mr. Sunday Dankaro, to invite a whole new set of players to persecute the championship and constitute a new team. That drew the attention of the media and the public to the championship. It became a major story. All this happened almost on the eve of the Dire Dawa 1976. Father Tiko had a rich pool of emerging talents to pick from in the domestic league. He descended on the big teams in the country and assembled their best players to replace most of the Rangers players to take on the assignment. He challenged the new players to confound sceptics and to prove themselves worthy of a place in the team. That’s how a whole new generation of players began what was to become the foundation of the Green Eagles that won the Nations Cup 4 years later in Nigeria. In 1976 no one knew what to expect of the new team.

Remarkably, the players surprised all, went on to the semi-finals, played some unbelievably delightful football, and came away from the championship with a bronze medal and several individual awards. Kunle Awesu and Baba Out Mohammed were named the championship’s best left and right wingers respectively. Other new heroes of that championship included Zion Ogunfeyimi, Idowu Otubusen, Thomson Usiyen, Ben Popoola, Samuel Ojebode, Haruna Ilerika, Mudashiru Lawal and so on!

That was then. The motivation to play well was created by the opportunity for the new players to play well and fill the gap created by the absence of some indolent older players. This is now. What would be the motivation of the Super Eagles starting their campaign in Angola on Tuesday? The circumstances are totally different! The present Eagles are a relatively ageing bunch. There are not any new players in the team now even though it is hard for anyone to name correctly the team that would start the campaign. Amodu has invited and used so many players in the past one year that no one is sure who would play in any match and who would not! Players have come and gone and returned again to the national team that no one is sure who would constitute the first eleven. Since Dire Dawa I have not felt this blank about the Super Eagles. The team s brimming with talent - Obi, Chidi, Taiwo, Yobo, Ogbuke, Martins, and so on, yet my spirit is not lifted.

So, I go to the championship without knowing what to expect. Maybe it is a good thing though. One would be able to truly examine and appreciate the Eagles from a distance, watching them play without too much expectation!

Clemens Westerhof used to love the boiler-point pressure around the Super Eagles. That’s when they played well, he believed. When things were too calm in the team, he heated them up a bit. Some form of ‘trouble’ fired up the team as Westerhof would then sit back and watch the players defy all the odds and norms, and prove everything and everyone wrong. Things appear to be calm and well with the Eagles as they start their campaign n Angola. Not a whimper of protest about money, bonuses, travel tickets, food, what have you! I hope that Westerhof’s theorem that when things are calm the typical Nigerian national team flounders will prove to be wrong.

I must repeat that I have never felt so completely blank about a championship involving Nigeria before. I truly do not know what to expect from the championship. There is this ‘something’ about it. I have declined the invitation by several journalists to comment on preparations of the Nigerian team, the team itself, my expectations, my fears, and so on, simply because my mind continues to draw a blank on all the issues!

I shall be at the championship but not in my usual boisterous spirit and unshaken conviction. I hope Nigeria wins or at least gets to the finals. How that will happen I do not know!

The African Cup of Nations starts in Luanda, Angola, tomorrow. Most of the teams are going to the championship with low level preparation as evidenced by the results of the last series of matches played by most of the teams. Most ended in very low scores. Several stars are nursing injuries. Many of the Eagles players have not been regular in their teams and lack match fitness. Bringing players up to top fitness level within a short time, without overdoing or under-doing is a huge challenge and requires some expertise that Nigeria does not have!

So, I have nothing more to say on the Nations cup, It should quickly get under way and allow us enjoy the unpredictability and uncertainty that makes this championship the most open in my opinion and experience in the 33 years of my relationship with it as a player, a reporter and an administrator!

segunodegbami@hotmail.com