{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Mathematical 7","provider_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7","title":"Random thoughts on sports - Mathematical 7","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"RsbkJ7tUwR\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/random-thoughts-on-sports\/\">Random thoughts on sports<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/random-thoughts-on-sports\/embed\/#?secret=RsbkJ7tUwR\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Random thoughts on sports&#8221; &#8212; Mathematical 7\" data-secret=\"RsbkJ7tUwR\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/\/# sourceURL=https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-includes\/js\/wp-embed.min.js\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/mathematical7.com\/m7\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/frustration_2.jpg","thumbnail_width":217,"thumbnail_height":232,"description":"I have been trying to think up an \u2018innocent\u2019 subject matter, one that will not be negative, not offensive, that we have not exhaustively discussed here before, that would not make me sound like a broken record, that would help somehow to remove some gloom from Nigerian sport. I can\u2019t seem to find any. I am tired. It feels like I am repeating myself after decades of writing weekly on a subject matter that no one is taking seriously. I am contemplating the option of joining my good friends, Adokie Amiesimaka and, more recently, Osasu Obayuwana, in the Siddon look business. It is frustrating to look around and see what is happening to Nigerian sports and no one in authority seems to understand, or even care. What more is there to comment on that has not been said a thousand times before and nothing has changed? So, permit me to simply just roam around the world of sports and fill this space with my random thoughts. There are several recent global issues of some interest.UEFA have just elected a young East European from Slovenia as its president. Africa can take a cue from this and halt its own one-man-in-perpetuity presidency. The same man has been president of CAF since even before I was \u2018born\u2019. Issa Hayatou has been president of CAF for almost 30 years and still counting. There is no sign, no indication whatsoever, that any administrator from any one of the 53 other federations on the continent is brave enough to challenge him and break this monotonous hegemony. Peterside Idah, former Nigerian international goalkeeper, and current football analyst on Supersports\u2019 premium television program, Soccer Africa, asked his co-analysts on the show about a week or so ago, an interesting question that has kept me thinking. Whilst discussing the recent failure of some giants of African football to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations, and also struggling to remain in the chase for a place in the next World Cup, he wondered if it was the football standard in the countries affected that is in decline, or whether it is a case of the minnows, once cannon fodder for the bigger nations are improving so much and so fast they have caught up with the likes of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa and even Cote D\u2019Ivoire, all of whom appear to be in some kind of decline. Countries like Rwanda, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Burundi, Congo DR now populate the top echelon of African football. Is this paradigm shift real, temporary, or what? Obviously, the question calls for closer study and examination."}