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Lessons Never Learnt!
By Toyin | January 26, 2009
Nigeria is a country where logic is stood on its head! A nation where a former governor was so inept that his father said he should go for a second term laying claim to the fact that when a child fails an exam, he’s expected to repeat.
Having qualified for the semi finals of the AYC in Rwanda, a lot of attention would have been taken away from the performance of the team, especially the bench so far. Next is Cameroon, a team that’s always given as good as it gets!
Suffice to say here that the bulk of the players at this championship are the same boys that brought glory to the country both in Africa (Togo) and South Korea when they picked the gold in the two tournaments. They have tasted success before and ordinarily; they should go for it again.
The boys that went to South Korea (‘am honoured to call them Tella broods) should ordinarily have improved from the point they were in 2007. Some of them have become ‘professionals’ playing for European teams. The ones that are still in Nigeria play week-in week-out in the Globalcom Premier League. And they are the boys representing Nigeria in Rwanda.
Their displays, against South Africa in particular leave much to be desired. While it is through that changes occur all the time, it is even truer that continuous improvement is the hallmark of great achievers. These boys must know that great footballers are former youth players that progressed to the full national team. They must not rest on their oars because of perceived achievement to thwart their progression. A word is enough for the wise!
In the match against South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire, we showed serious technical and tactical deficiency that nearly cost us qualification for the next round. When leadership is lacking on the field of play, it must be recreated from the bench. Our chief coach shows clear lack of understanding of the game. His substitutions and match reading are suspect.
We led South Africa by a lone goal only to throw away the match at the end. All our coach needed to do when the South Africans equalized was to tell the boys to calm down and play their game. Rather, he was so agitated that the boys had to pour forward looking for the winning goal only to fall for the sucker punch through counter attacks.
Football is not rocket science but our people at times treats it so. Once a coach selects good and fit players; which I agree he did with the set of boys in Rwanda, the next thing is to go into tactical aspects of each match. Technical issues on football are classroom stuff; everyone can grasp this!
What never seize to bother me is that this is the same person that took us to that ridiculous quarterfinals loss to Chile in Canada; four goals were conceded in extra time! The team had battled Chile to a stalemate in regulation time only to capitulate in extra time.
Why? Ladan Boso decided not to make changes when necessary! He was not decisive. Or better still, he was afraid of rocking the boat. But unfortunately, the boat, at that time was already sinking!
At the end of the match, he could only blame the English referee, Howard Webb for the failure. Eventually, he was fined for the statements credited to him and whether NFF paid the fine or not is left to our imagination.
How come he’s given another task when he failed terribly in the first one? So that we might be ‘balanced’ as a nation. Did I hear you say tribalism again? Yes! That word; the big word that’s been drawing us back as a nation.
Each time we put sentiments aside and do the right thing we always excel. Look at the performance of Samson Siasia, appointed on merit and qualification: He had the power to choose his players and drive the team according to his vision and they excelled.
Late coach Yemi Tella (may his soul rest in peace), a great lecturer at the NIS was in a control of his team and he picked players across the length and breadth of the country and the rest, as they say is history.
What is Ladan Boso’s qualification? I don’t know. Having failed woefully the first time, does he have any right or privilege to be appointed again? Only our administrators can answer this! Is coach Boso bad? Absolutely not but he can be better, far better than what he is now.
The earlier we know that our football should not be tribalized the better. In fact, it must not be politicized. There is no room for second term when a coach performs very poorly; there are hundreds of others qualified and ready to serve; they should be given a chance to do so!
NB:
My thoughts are with the families of the players that lost their lives in the unfortunate accident that occured in Adamawa. May God strenghten and help them to bear this irreparable loss. God indeed is our Strength and refuge, a very present hel in the time of trouble.
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Topics: Biz Football, Nigerian Football, Success Pills, The Gaffer |
January 28th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
I think its high time our leaders looked beyond tribe and ethnicity in all that they do.
They should learn to put the right pegs in the right holes, If Ladan Boso is not ready to improve, then some one else should be given the opportunity to take this sqaud to greater heights.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:06 pm
Sure Patience. This is the message I’ve always preached and unfortunately, we were beaten by Cameroun this evening. The coach is clueless about management keeping Lukman Haruna on the field despite his lack of respect for his team mates. Shame!
March 30th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I just got to read this post and ‘am amazed at your indepth take on the issue at hand; pls keep it up