Football Nigeria -- Eagles Etcetera

One underlying issue of an expanded World Cup is whether confederations like Africa (CAF) and Asia  (AFC) should get more teams into the World Cup finals and whether they deserve additional slots. Of course, a supportive position  argues that the basis for additional slots comes from the fact that the two confederations have large memberships and World Cup allocations should reflect the number of members in a confederation. That argument is rooted in representation and it is compelling. However, there also exists a different argument that is rooted on performance . It is one that states that only the best teams should be at the World Cup finals. In the past, World Cup qualification has been based on both ideas of representation and performance . Representation assures that each confederation (except Oceania) is represented by a certain number of teams at the World Cup finals. FIFA makes the decision on number of slots to allocate to each confederation. In doing so, it...

Of course, it is a bit disingenuous to think that the problems with Nigeria's Super Eagles would be solved in one international friendly against Senegal in London last Thursday. However, it isn't unrealistic to expect signs that those problems are on the way to being solved. Here, we talk about defensive problems, solidifying the midfield in absence of Mikel Obi, and then attacking issues. Some of those problems have been particularly irking as they have lingered for a significant period. Coach Gernot Rohr stated at the end of the Senegal game "I am satisfied with our whole attitude and the fact that after going down by a goal, we were mentally strong enough to come back and eventually ended the match on a high note."  He went on to list the players that were absent and to talk about playing the game with players who are not getting enough playing time at their clubs. Rohr's assessment, noted above, spoke volumes. No where did he speak about the team improvi...

With the coming of age for young players in the Nigerian national team, it is time to ask if the bell has begun to toll for Mikel Obi . Nigeria's recent international in London against Senegal may be remembered, much later, as the moment Nigeria transitioned from the Mikel Obi era to the era of the young boys -- Ndidi, Etebo, Iwobi, and others. Mikel has, so far, shepherded those boys as Nigeria gradually rebuilt its team in the last few years but London may have signaled the turning point. However, the truth is that even before London the signs of a transition had already appeared. Though Coach Gernot Rohr's handed over the team captainship to a deserving Mikel Obi, what was left unspoken was that Rohr substituted Mikel in two of three games that Mikel played under Rohr. It was not so much as Mikel playing poorly in those games but the Coach introducing new faces for the future. What is left now is to ask whether Mikel Obi will be starting games in the near future. If...

When Pinnick Amaju was elected President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) in September 2014, he made it clear that he will not only seek to appointed a foreign coach but encourage Super Eagles' invitations to players developed outside Nigeria. Amaju is a man who appears bent on achieving his goals. He believes in those two for sure and he has worked to achieve them. Already he has a foreign coach and the results, so far, have been successful with maximum points in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers. It is hard to argue against that. If Rohr goes on to take the team to the World Cup and then win the Cup of African Nations, then it has to be acknowledged that Pinnick made a prescient decision. Invitation Reservation But how about his other avowed goal? The one about scouring Europe to invite foreign-developed players to form the bulk of the Super Eagles? By foreign-developed, I refer to players born outside the country to Nigerian parents (e.g. Sone Aluko) or players b...

Finally, Gernot Rohr announced his list of invited players for two international friendlies later this month. The list is a very important one as Rohr previously restricted himself, largely, to lists of previously capped players. It made sense because he did not want to take chances while playing competitive games. Now, without competitive games, Rohr has the restrictions lifted. This situation provides opportunity to read into what his invitations mean. This is not about his tactics nor is it about specific preparation for South Africa or Cameroon. It is simply about Rohr’s true evaluation of his team personnel. There are certainly signs that one may read. Here we go: 1      Goalkeeping Issues Remain Unsolved With Ikeme’s injury problems and Rohr’s public airing of his dissatisfaction with other goalkeepers, it is surprising that there are no new faces that Rohr has called up for the international friendlies. This, obviously, means that Rohr is unimpre...