This is a solemn plea to my fellow Nigerians to recognize football as the glue that binds the nation. Football does for us what, I am sure, we would never see from Nigeria politics.
That said, it’s about time we flattened the tires of the Keshi must go bandwagon and accord the man the respect he richly deserves. Why is it that Nigerians are quick to forget the accomplishments of Keshi and other Nigerian greats.
Keshi has contributed a lot to our football, from his days in the Nigerian National League, through the junior national team, on to the national team. He was captain of the national team for years. Won the African Cup as a player and as a coach – I’m not sure of how many Africans who have achieved this extraordinary feat.
Played multiple World Cups and coached as well and equalled the best any domestic or foreign coach has managed for Nigeria in any World Cup, with a much weaker team. By the way, Keshi’s success as a coach goes beyond Nigeria having done exceptionally well with other National Teams.
Did I forget to mention that he practically opened the flood gate for Nigerian footballers going abroad. If you’re opposed to erecting Keshi’s statue in front of the National Stadium (I strongly recommend it), we can debate it, but to allow these indiscriminate attack and disrespect of Keshi is absolutely unfounded and downright ridiculous.
And the suggestion of some unknown and irrelevant Nigerian that Keshi should hide his head in shame as if he is a criminal, is all you need to know about these dishonest and self serving advisers.
All ex-internationals who’re on the Keshi must go bandwagon are wrong or self serving at best – especially when all they could proffer was that Sampson Siasia was sacked for not qualifying Nigeria for the AFCON and for that reason, Keshi must be sacked as well. That’s rubbish because Siasia’s sacking was a huge mistake and a major set- back to Nigerian football development.
You can’t right the error of Siasia’s sacking with another blunder. He had a formula that worked multiple times but was not given the time to transplant that formula to the Super Eagles.
In my opinion, the Super Eagles’ problem is “a four-wall” problem: 1) football development in Nigeria 2) football administration in Nigeria 3) the players and 4) football coaching in Nigeria.
Briefly, we no longer have a sustaining process of discovering and developing our youngsters like we used to way before football got this scientific. Nigeria was able to do this through grass root endeavors – greater tomorrow and secondary school competitions.
World class players like Henry Nwosu, Jay Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kalu, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Adokiye to mention just a few influential midfielders were all products of these efforts. The entire midfield of our Super Eagles as it’s presently constituted, do not possess half the quality of any of the players mentioned above. Our best player is not even a first option at his club team.
Many well meaning Nigerians who sincerely have the interest of Nigerian football at heart have impressed upon this issue of going back to our grassroots football. Nigeria would never be in short supply of talent, we just forgot our ways. To get back there, let’s get behind the current football federation. To get back there, the mentality and attitude of Nigerian football fans towards Nigerian football badly need a makeover.
