Well…..If anyone expects me to say ‘I told you so’ they are in for some disappointment. Even now I am still trying to understand why I should have received the tonnes of messages of congratulations I did after Nigeria’s victory in Nairobi considering that I had little or no part to play in the remarkable developments that marked the dramatic end to Nigeria’s qualification campaign for the 2010 World Cup finals. I must not tempt or test the elements and claim any credit for the work of others. Some have described the final outcome as a miracle. I entirely concur as the drama was wrapped completely in the garb of some divine intervention beyond ordinary comprehension. Some credit must, however, go to the principal actors that had to physically do things to make the conspiracy of the elements become manifest – the players, for their heroic nerve-racking display; the Nigerian people and their band of prayer warriors or their ceaseless supplication; the Nigeria Football Federation for whatever input they had in making the players comfortable and determined to play the way they did; the technical crew led by Amodu Shuaibu, for their perseverance in spite of ceaseless criticism and condemnation; the President of the Federal Republic, Umar Musa Yar Adua, and his immediate aides in the Presidency (without whose background support many things would not have happened that aided the miracle), for setting up the Presidential Task Force whose mandate was to compliment the NFF in any areas that needed critical intervention; several individuals within and outside government that made some essential things to happen; members of the Nigeria Football Supporters club, who always have positive things to say and sing about the Eagles and would never waver in their support; and many others that may have had a hand, or a say, in the affairs that supported the final drama controlled entirely by the elements. So, it is to the elements under God’s design that we should give the greatest acknowledgement for choosing at this particular time and in this particular instance to appear to be on the side of Nigeria. The truth is that the drama renders false every claim by anyone for making the events to happen the way they did! So, rather than say critics have been shamed we should be modest and humble to say that God be glorified!

What I had from day-one is unflinching faith, expressed without fear or doubt of being proved wrong should anything else but the qualification of the Eagles happen. I have often described my belief as reckless and illogical since it had not basis in the relatively unconvincing manner the Eagles were underperforming as we went from one match to the other. On that score alone I feel a sense of ‘accomplishment’. So, I feel justified to celebrate with all Nigerians.

Into the immediate future I start to think of what the next steps should be. I try to put things in proper perspective first. It is clear to me that the first chapter in the journey to the World Cup, the qualification, has come to a successful end, in spite of all the nerve-racking, hypertension-lading process it took Nigerians to get there. The next step is to open a new vista that should be looked upon and handled as a completely new project so that the challenges of the past and the lessons derived from them shall become ready tools in the journey ahead. The level of competition is totally different, so also are the expectations, the requirements, the attitude to them, and the treatment to be applied. Qualifying for the World Cup is not the same thing as playing in the World Cup. At this new level Nigeria must go with its best forces and with the best preparation possible. At the end of the championship the country must return satisfied that whatever the results may be the country must have done its very best to present its very best team and play to the optimum level. The country should never return with the regret, as in the past, that it did what it should not have done, and derived what it did not desire. 1998 and, particularly, 2002 have become good examples of what not to do in going to the World Cup finals!

In that regard I hope that those responsible for shaping the team for the exciting battles ahead will do the proper things without allowing cheap sentiments and egoistic tendencies to determine their actions. Having said that let me delve into my thoughts on the World Cup and Nigeria. Let me start by confessing that I am going to be more recklessly optimistic this time than I was in looking at my crystal ball before and during the qualification series. What I am going to say is nothing new for those that have been reading me since 2004 when I wrote in my column for the first time that the 2010 World Cup would mark the turning point for African football by producing the continent’s first world football champion! South Africa presents a perfect theatre. Africa is also now to be represented by, possibly, its best teams ever. Between Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Nigeria, Cameroon and Algeria, and, in recalling the incredible performances of South Africa and Egypt in the recent Confederations Cup, I have a growing conviction that the power, strength, and athleticism of the African players, plus the environment and uncommon nature of support they will receive that will be invaluable advantages, one of them, at least, will be propelled to the semi-finals! From that stage anything is possible including the possibility of winning it!

Finally these are my other thoughts on the Eagles.

I share Bishop Felix Ajakaye’s viewpoint that Nigeria’s national football team should revert back to its proper and original name, the Green Eagles. The ‘super’ was added to the name of the team as a description of the team’s superb performance in 1994 after the qualifying series of the World Cup and the victory at the African Cup of Nations. It should not have been a change of name. If you think that there is nothing in or to a name examine what has happened to the team since it added the rather ‘arrogant’ title of ‘super’ to its name. Let the authorities, therefore, simply revert back to the team’s humble and proper name – the Green Eagles!

The Eagles can be trained within a short time to become more efficient as a team. the present assembly of players can be turned into an efficient machine, a team that can be difficult for opposing teams, a team that can play with exceptional efficiency, a team that can avoid doing unnecessary things like diving into tackles when there is no danger and gifting an opposing team set-piece opportunities, a team that can play hard and be very physical in a disciplined, clinical and organised manner, a team that can punish any infringement with well-rehearsed set pieces, a team that can play to the strict instructions of a coach with a clear picture how he wants the team to play, a team that can play to the strength of its players (speed, strength, athleticism and power) and can ride on the crest of the wave of the unprecedented noise and support that the African teams shall receive! The players that can be and do these things are available. They must be used well and trained well to understand their roles and to play together in an organised and disciplined manner. To impact these on the players and the team will require a high technical and intellectual input. Anything less than this will be doing the same thing and expecting a different result, planting an orange seed and expecting an apple fruit. There is a need to look into the Eagles team again from outside the box – from a distance and make a reassessment of the players available from all over the world and what it will take to maximise their output. There is still abundant football left in Chidi Odiah, who has all the looks of a future captain of the national team, in Ogbuke who needs psychological reassurance, in Taiye Taiwo and the Uche brothers that must be wooed and guided back into the fold and now used correctly. I can go on and on. Little things need to be done that can lift the team and the players to new physical and psychological heights where champions are fashioned.

The Eagles will fulfil for me the dream that I have had that friends and colleagues have scorned at and told me is impossible. That dream is that an African country shall win this World Cup! That dream is that it could just be the Green Eagles of Nigeria! Please do not wake me up!

segunodegbami@hotmail.com