The second part of my article, started last week, would have to wait another week. I have had a long and busy week. The week-long celebrations of the 20^th anniversary of the coronation of His Royal Majesty, Oba Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso, Osile of Oke Ona Egba, are ongoing. I am a member of the organising committee deeply embedded in some of the activities. I have had to take a break to attend the inauguration of the Presidential Task Force set up by the federal government in response to public outcry about the state of the Super Eagles as Nigeria marches towards the 2010  World Cup finals in South Africa. I arrived in Abuja and headed first to the Vision 20-20 technical working group sports meeting holding all day Wednesday.

It is Thursday morning and I am sitting up in bed thinking of the last 12 hours. I met with Jay Jay Okocha, Larry Izamoje, and John Mastoroudes and shared some wonderful perspectives on Nigerian football over a bottle of a vintage red wine in the Abuja home of John! It is very refreshing to be sharing such intimacy with some truly amazing minds, agreeing over several matters and disagreeing over some but always respecting the other persons’ point of view. The experiences are different of course, as are the strengths. John knows, in and out, the art of managing players. Jay Jay is amazingly expressive and knowledgeable about how to get the best out of players, providing them with guidance through the psychology-laden world of football through leadership and his own past experiences (stop wondering why he was made captain of Bolton only after his first season in the club). Larry is a store house of amazing information about almost every player! I am truly intrigued about the depth of the banter.

Now I am reassured that the Super Eagles team will be jolted with some electricity. It will all be for good if everyone involved is modest enough to accept that what government is doing is a critical and essential intervention, not a usurpation of the responsibilities and work of the football authorities. I am thinking that I have not had this level and depth of discourse on football in a long while. Not since my days as a member of the Football Committee of CAF, comprising Cote D’Ivoire’s Boli, Senegal’s Mendes, Ghana’s Abedi, Cameroon’s Abega and Miller, Congo’s Mpele, and so on, have I had such an enlightened and refreshing discussion. I am now more convinced than ever that for Nigerian football to rise rapidly to the top and meet the country’s potential and the people’s expectations, there must be a fundamental shift in the administrative leadership of football to the retired, international player-cadre. The knowledge and varied experiences of former international players like Sunday Oliseh, Tony Igwe, Thompson  Usiyen, Kanu Nwankwo (when he retires soon) and many others, will go to waste if this change does not come about soon.

By the time I return to my room for the night to prepare for the morning and the inauguration, I am recalling, particularly, Okocha’s input into the discussions – his insights, his story, achievements, and so on. My respect for him swells! His journey in football, from Germany, to Turkey, to France, the UK and UAE provide an invaluable background of experiences that Nigerian players will drink from for many years to come. He is a great mind, the product of an exceptional and outstanding career. Nigeria is lucky to have him at this time ready and willing to make his contributions to take football in the country to the next level. His presence in the Presidential Task Force is one of the keys to committee’s success. I can see it already!

I look at the clock on my wall. It is already morning. I still have not written a word of the second part of my last week’s article. In order to do justice to the topic my faithful readers have to wait another week. The inauguration of what one reader calls ‘the 12 wise men’ is in two hours time. I’ll fill the rest of this page with some interesting letters I find in my mail box.  My own reactions to them are in italics        

THANKS, MR PRESIDENT BUT 12 WISE MEN NOT ENOUGH!‏

The 12-MAN Presidential committee set up recently by Mr. President to ensure Super Eagles grab the ticket to the World Cup is no doubt commendable. I cannot recollect in a long while any interest from the presidency in the Super Eagles, but Mr. President needs to do more.

 It would be great if Mr. President can find time out of his busy schedule and be personally present in all the home games of the Super Eagles while ensuring strong ‘presidential’ representation in away games at least. Long live the Super Eagles! Long live Nigeria!

 Oloyede Ayodele,  New Oko Oba, Lagos, NIGERIA

Thanks Oloyede. What a great idea! This will be passed along I assure you!

The New Amuneke‏

EAGLES MUST BEWARE OF THE IDES OF JUNE!‏

It is a statement of fact that the outcome of the up-coming games against Kenya and Tunisia next month will, to a large extent, determine the fate of the Super Eagles.  It has become imperative to warn the Super Eagles to be wary of the ides of June as our qualification or otherwise for past World Cups had been largely determined by the outcome of qualifying games played in June.  For instance, Nigeria failed to qualify for the 1990 World Cup largely due to a 2-1 loss against Gabon in June 1989 while we failed to make it to Germany 2006 largely due to a 1-0 loss (away) and 1-1 draw (home) to Angola in June 2004 and June 2005 respectively.  This is due to the fact that our players are often carried away with thoughts of holiday instead of focusing of the task ahead.

Tunisian skipper Radhi Jaidi was quoted to have told BBC sport last week that only after the crunch tie with Nigeria has been played on June 20 will his season be over. This is the type of personal drive, mindset and attitude our players must imbibe in order to come out tops in the upcoming games in June. Business before pleasure please!

A word is enough for the wise! Let’s pray that history does not repeat itself!

Oloyede Ayodele, New Oko Oba, Lagos.

I am not superstitious, but must confess that this is an interesting perspective. If it is a jinx it is already broken with your timely warning!

    segunodegbami@hotmail.com