The evolution of the 2010 Super Eagles!
Categories: Football
Written By: Segun Odegbami
Well done, Amodu! Many weeks ago Amodu Shuaibu told me he would soon begin a gradual integration of new players into the Super Eagles. At the time we were discussing my thoughts and postulations on the Super Eagles, Samson Siasia and the Olympic Dream Team IV, particularly my positions on Siasia joining the technical crew of the Super Eagles, and the absorption of a number of the Dream Team players to form the core of a new Super Eagles for 2010. I told him that my agitation to have Samson Siasia join his technical crew was not so that he would replace Amodu, but rather to have Siasia compliment him and give him the added value of his own experiences. Our chat was very friendly and brief. We found comfort with our conversation because the issues were clearly simple and reasonable.
Since that chat, last Saturday’s match against the Leone Stars has been the first. Everyone was watching to see how Amodu would react to the issue of playing some of the Dream Team IV players that had, since our discussion, become a matter of public discourse. Aided by the elements that made several of the bigger and older players unavailable for different reasons, Amodu had to introduce a few members of the Olympic team. After 90 minutes f some great attacking football the reactions were spontaneous and generally positive. Two will suffice here. A reporter that covered the match for Complete Sports newspaper, in his report of the match the following day, described the team as ‘perfect Eagles’. If that was lavish what of this? Former national team coach of Nigeria, former technical consultant to FIFA and consultant to the Nigerian sports ministry on facilities at various times in the past several decades, German, Professor Heinz Marotske, on telephone to me described the performance of the Eagles in the first 45 minutes of the match as the best display of football by the Eagles since the 1994 team.
The Super Eagles have not played the way they did last Saturday in many years. The team played so completely differently that it is hard to comprehend the yawn between the pre- and the post-Leone Stars Super Eagles. There was such an exciting new refreshness, a new energy, a new vibrancy and a new attitude in the team. The players buzzed around the field like hunters on a prowl, running tirelessly for most of the game. They contested for every ball, chased down the opposition, launched quick counters, played from both wings, and played more like a team this time rather than as individual players as has been the case since the exit of ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha. It is almost like the team was effectively exorcised of the ghost of Okocha. For the first time in along while his absence in the Super Eagles was totally unfelt! Yet, all Amodu did differently was to introduce a token number of members of the Dream Team into the Super Eagles. The effect was massive!
The return of Chidi Odiah in defense was a big change. What a difference that made. Of course, healthy, Chidi Odiah is potentially one of the best and most exciting attacking right full backs in Africa. When Deji Adeleye is cleverly introduced into the Nigerian defense without too much co-lateral damage to the egos that must be bruised for that to happen, Nigeria’s defense will become watertight and a dread for teams around the world. In midfield, Sani Kaita made all the difference. When Mikel Obi’s case is maturely dealt with by the NFF, and he returns to play along side Kaita, it will become pretty hard to find any other team in Africa come near being a threat to Nigeria. In attack we saw the return of Nigeria’s footballing trademark – fast, aggressive, ceaseless forays down the wings. What a difference they made – Ogbuke, Nsofor, Osaze. The attack had ‘Dream Team’ written all over it! Add to that Uche Okechukwu who is fast developing into a great striker and we see Nigeria’s Dream Team of the near future!
At the end of the match last Saturday, playing in a stadium that was full of empty spaces in the terraces, the new Super Eagles, gave Nigerians a privileged and re-assuring glimpse of the future. For those of us living in 2010 already we can see the faint outlines of a team capable of stunning the world and winning the World Cup in South Africa.
In moving forward, therefore, Amodu and the NFF need to do the following:
- Cleverly deal with the almost certain negative reaction of some of the ageing Super Eagles whose egos would be bruised as they are asked to step aside;
- Maturely resolve the issue of Mikel Obi whose presence in the team is essential for an even stronger team to be built;
- Daringly continue to inject a few more of the younger, hungrier, toughened campaigners (from the experiences of two world championships) into the Super Eagles;
- Find a way to bring in Samson Siasia to join the technical crew from the next round of the World Cup qualifying campaigns.
Meanwhile, I join millions of other Nigerians in celebrating a great game, a great result and champagne performance by the new Super Eagles of Nigeria. Well done Amodu!
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Great work uncle shegs. I’ve long been expecting a personal page or blog from experienced and informed sports icon like you. I also like to use this medium to commend your good initiative on our own TIA project. Its sure going to be a success. Keep the good work rolling. More goals to ur wrist…
November 23rd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Great work uncle shegs. I’ve long been expecting a personal page or blog from experienced and informed sports icon like you. I also like to use this medium to commend your good initiative on our own TIA project. Its sure going to be a success. Keep the good work rolling. More goals to ur wrist…RAJEE OLA
November 24th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Big Seg,
This site is something else! The quality is very high. I wish the Nigeria FA will try to do something like this.
Well, as ffor the 2010 Super Eagles, you are right to the core, but will the powers that be follow your advice? That is why someone like me can never be a friend of Amos Adamu. In fact, the mere mention of his name is repulsive to millions of sports loving Nigerians because of his politics of destruction. If not, with someone like you in the FA, will the right thing not be done at the right time, in the right way and in the right dosage, leading to the right direction? When will an ex-footballer head our FA? Why? Why can’t someone like you be our Sports Minister? The benefits for Nigeria Sports will be unquantifiable when we have career sports men run our sports. Or, has a mechanic ever emerged as Health Minister? Has a Medical Doctor ever been appointed to head the Judiciary? Why send mediocres to the Sports ministry? Why not retire the likes of Adamu and Ekeji- the real spent forces in the sports circle and bring in TECHNOCRATS to run sports?
Mathematical, please keep up good works and may the Almighty God continue to empower you to do more in your chosen field-sports.
November 24th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Well done and keep the articles going, expecting more stories about 9ja sports and more sports around the world as well. Good work, Big Seg
November 25th, 2008 at 1:41 am
I watched the friendly between NIG & COLUMBIA and I realized that Coach Amodu still relies so much on YAKUBU and KANU.Infact he worships YAKUBU.It is a known fact that most players opted out of the encounter but I still believe that Amodu should stop featuring YAK as our top striker because he lacks the hunger we need for the success of our darling team.Friendly matches should be used to try young players to ascertain their ability to play big games.YAKUBU cannot deliver at the national team level.
November 25th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
Big Sheg, u are doing a wonderful job with your incisive analysis plus the sport academy you founded.Big kudos to you and posterity will not forget people like you.I only wish we have people like you appointed to steer the ship of our football administration instead of the eggheads we have there.
November 25th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
The friendly with Colombia for me, shows the mentality of Amodu. I expected he will start new, younger boys and then introduce, Kanu, Yakubu and the older ones in the second half. Seems to me that he is too politically conscious to focus on real team building. I am afraid that the new, upcoming boys will not get to play in the Super Eagles unless 2 things happen: the big boys are not available for whatever reason, or Amodu leaves. It is sad. Who knows Amodu should advise him well to use new players like Capello did for England against Germany
November 25th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
Bigseg,
Well done on this superb website. Your articles are indepth and informative. I know it may seem like hard work, but it comes with the added reassurance that you will find it an effortless labourl since you are doing what you are passionate about.
Pls keep them coming. And well done thus far.
November 26th, 2008 at 12:25 am
GO EAGLES WITH SIASIA ALONE…PERIOD
November 27th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Uncle seg,
This site is wonderful, why don’t you recommend this to those eggheads at the NFA abi na NFF ?
They are old wine in new bottles.
Can you imagine them going to the English FA to ask, how they make money from the premiership.
They are all shameless people.
Bros, keep up the good work and the almighty shall reward you accordingly
November 28th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Big Seg , you will always remain one of my greatest football idols. This an opportunity for me to thank you for always being truthful, your geniune love for Nigerian football made you gathered the NTC football club of Ibadan in the 1970s and this team formed the nucleus of teams like Water corporations football club of I badan, Housing football club of I badan and the GREAT UP SUTIN!!!!!! ( IICC SHOOTING STARS). You are such principled that you refused to play for any team after your long career with “SUTIN “even in face of huge offers from Business mogues like Chief MKO.I still remain a strong supporter of Shooting Stars. Thanks so much for the great joys you have given to the entire supporters of Shooting Stars.I am a cousin of one of your former team mate Goke Adelabu. I saw you in his birthday movie your dance steps remindes of those leg over moves. I wish you luck in your endeavours.I live in New Jersey USA. Please keep in touch.(9174123928)
November 28th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Big Seg i like the way you talk and am really impressed, but i want to comment on you great footballer should try as much as possible to develop the talent of we young footballer.