I am not superstitious but 7 is a number I identify with positively. I was born on the 27th. When I played some of my greatest football matches I was wearing the number 7 shirt. After Nigeria won the 1980 African Cup of Nations, and we were handed the keys to brand new Peugeot cars, the plate number on my car was 77. My first two children were born on the 7th day of May and 7th day of December.
I was very excited, therefore, this morning to learn that two of the superstars at the camp of the Eagles were celebrated at breakfast. Today, the 27th of June is the birthday of Gernot Rohr and Leon Balogun. So, breakfast was bubbly as the players and technical crew sang the birthday chorus to honour them. It was a happy break from the monotony of waiting for Sunday night to get back on the football field and sort out Madagascar, a team that has shocked everyone with the way they defeated Burundi, playing brilliantly and scoring a truly delightful goal from a set piece. Their good performance last night has raised the prospect of a hard game in prospect for the Eagles. Madagascar needs a win in this game to progress in the championship. That means coming at the Eagles with everything they have in their arsenal. They will provide good training for a steadily improving Super Eagles.
The Super Eagles say they want to win the match for Coach Rohr and Leon, the two birthday ‘boys’. The fly on the wall wishes them the best of luck.
Meanwhile, the team is still in a relaxed mood, their allowances and bonuses paid up to date. Nothing creating anxiety. I am using my time in Nigeria, away from the real AFCON action in Egypt, to some great use. I have been reviewing archival materials in sports and discovering incredible stories and interviews. I shall continue to upload the best of them as I come across them on the www.mathematical7.com website for readers’ information and entertainment. One of the ones I found still clean and clear is an interview I had with two of Nigeria’s winners of the 1993 Under-17 championship in Japan, Captain of the team Wilson Oruma, and Charles Anosike. Shortly after their victory in Japan, he moved to Lyon in France to sign a contract. Unknown to him, young players can only sign a contract when they get to the age of 18. The waiting period and game were traumatic. I flew to Lyon to catch up with them in the small flat they shared with a family that had to adopt them (being minors) whilst waiting for 18 to come. My conversation with them was very refreshing and would help many youngsters planning to head to Europe to play professional football when they are still under 18!
There are also interviews with Clemens Westerhof and Stephen Keshi in the archives. They are a must-watch for those interested in the most memorable moments of 1994 and the squad, probably, Nigeria’s best team ever!
Segun Odegbami
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