Football Nigeria -- Eagles Etcetera

As it is, Stephen Keshi, may be one of Nigeria's most controversial coaches of all time. After his team's inability to beat South Africa on Wednesday, it appears that the curtain may have closed on his coaching career with Nigeria's national team. Here is a guy who swam against the tide by insisting on inviting home based players for the Super Eagles,  inviting players from little-known leagues, throwing out star players that were previously considered untouchables, battled with his federation bosses, was disengaged and recalled, among others. Yet, he has not only improved the team but won the Cup of African Nations amidst the din. But that is a "century" ago! His final statistics in 31 competitive games appear in graph 8. This piece is not to look at Keshi’s record as a winner or as a loser nor is it to catalog his eventful tenure on the edge of controversies. Instead, it is about looking at the team, under his tenure, in terms of statistics that are often glos...

Nigeria's captain, Vincent Enyeama, is just two games from equaling Joseph Yobo's record 100 appearances. He will get one of those games Wednesday against South Africa in a critical Cup of Nations Cup qualifier in Uyo.  In this piece, we look at Enyeama and nine other players who are likely to reach the century mark in appearances for Nigeria. That Joseph Yobo, at the 2014 World Cup, became Nigeria's first 100-game player was surprising considering that multiple players have achieved that feat in several countries. First, note that it took Yobo a career spanning 14 years and beginning on March 14 of 2001 to get to 100 games.  In our analysis, all the ten players we have selected will likely get to 100 games, barring injuries. We do not include Osaze Odemwingie who already has 65 games because it will take him a projected 16 years in the national team to reach 100 games. It is possible but unlikely and, thus, we do not list him among our ten players. Part of our calculat...

Nigeria's 2-0 win in Brazzaville today was critical and keeps hope alive as the team awaits the next game in Uyo against a South African team that has already qualified for the 2015 Cup for African Nations. Nigeria must now be considered in the driver's seat and on the way to qualification. Nigeria opened the game in dominant fashion but it must be said that very few clear chances was created by the team. The only chances came with headers off corner kicks especially one in which Mikel Obi barely missed the far end in the 20th minute. But as Nigeria became frustrated by its lack of clear chances, Mikel increasingly launched long balls which Uche rarely won up front. Nigeria's lack of ideas clearly gave the home team confidence to take complete control of the game in the last 15 minutes. Importantly, Congo was able to create clear chances where Nigeria failed earlier. Three times, Congo miscued in front of Nigeria's gaping goal. The reality was that Nigeria was saved b...