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Having failed in my last two estimations of the Super Eagles, I found it very hard to even give a title to this piece. With the hope of qualifying for the second round hanging on a thread, we are back on a familiar turf of looking up to others to do us a favour. How nice to always put our fate in the hands of others!

The performance of the team against Greece according to many is just a fair reflection of the Nation at large. We are faced with serious developmental challenges and all our legislators could do is to ask, seek, demand and scheme to have their allowances increased by 100% even when there’s no justification whatsoever for the kind of salaries they currently earn. The same is true of the Super Eagles who are among the most motivated teams at this World Cup and yet we do not even have a point to show for it!

I have expressed my views in the past of what makes a good national team. These includes form, determination, discipline, focus, dedication, commitment, sacrifice, humility etc. Our present team as composed is lacking in most if not all of the above. The attitude of an average Nigerian player is that of a demi god. They feel we owe them the world for representing their fatherland. Even when they fail woefully, they lack the decorum to offer simple apology and improve in subsequent games.

Many times in the past, we have had to hold our breath hoping for the best. We are back on track waiting for Argentina to defeat Greece while hoping (wishing more like) that our disjointed and average team beat the Koreans by at least two goals. I dare say that if this indeed happens, we can only be called the ‘luckiest’ team in the world. Having failed to beat Tunisia in Abuja in the qualifiers, we had to practically beg Mozambique to do them in as we faced Kenya. What an irony of a Nation that prides herself as the giant of Africa.

While many people have condemned the irrational behavior of Sanni Keita that led to a straight red card; most have not considered both the utterances and performance of our captain Joseph Yobo. This is a player that at best is average and does not deserve a first team shirt save in a team like the Super Eagles. Before the second and winning goal was scored by the Greeks, our captain laid on the ground in our 18 for over 15 seconds while his area was under attack. He had no words at the end of the match except blame the coach for selecting ‘inexperienced’ players for the tournament. I believe he would have wished to have Celestine Babayaro as his left back at the world cup!

Facing the Koreans today, the team and its handlers must realize that the Nigeria’s pride is at stake. Out of all the African representatives in this tournament, we are the only country yet to obtain any point. And if not for the heroics of Vincent Enyeama, we would have been buried under a glut of goals by now. Our performance’s been so poor to the extent that some commentators have dubbed us the ‘jokers’ of 2010 World Cup.

I would spare myself the stress of talking tactics and simply ask coach Largerback to do three things. Firstly, he should drop the pair of Yobo and Shittu, replace them with Rabiu Afola and Dele Adeleye, give the captainship to Enyeama and start Obafemi Martins. I strongly believe doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome is a simple example of madness. Having given Yakubu Aiyegbeni two matches to shine and failing to do so, it’s time for a change!

It would be a joyful thing if we qualify for the next round but as a first demand, I would want the team to play with a sense of pride. This lack of pace and lethargy should be done away with if we intend to get anything from the match. One thing ‘am certain of is that the Koreans would give us a game of our lives as they are in a better position to qualify.

The ball is in the court of the players. This is the time to play it well and win.

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