Eagles must regain respect at AFCON
Eagles star Victor Moses against Liberia recently
Eagles in South Africa Jan 4
Samm Audu writes that on paper, Nigeria should
easily go through from Group C of the 2013 AFCON, but then football is a team
sport and it is played on the pitch, not on paper.
Expectations that Nigeria will do well at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations were most certainly boosted by a favourable first round draw that has pitched the Super Eagles against defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
The Nigerian ‘can-do’ spirit would be a reason for such optimism, so too the quality for players at the disposal of coach Stephen Keshi as well as the country’s pedigree.
But on deeper reflection, defending champions Zambia are today what the two-time African champions are not – they are humble and play as a team.
The Chipolopolo play for each other, counting on the core of players who have been together for more than six years – the Katango brothers, James Chamanga, Kennedy Mweene, Isaac Chansa, among others.
In some ways they are like seven-time winners of this competition Egypt, who despite not parading stars at top clubs in Europe have dominated African football for the past decade.
Such is the chemistry in the Pharaohs that I remember Nigeria midfielder Dickson Etuhu saying at the 2010 AFCON in Angola that he would not be surprised if they all sleep on the same bed.
Egypt and Zambia play for each other and that way they bring their various individual attributes together for the overall good of the entire team.
This is not the case with Nigeria and the only time they managed this was when they won the 1994 AFCON, qualified for the ’94 World Cup and then the core of this team went on to clinch an historic Olympic Gold two years later.
Keshi has been in charge for a year and he has yet to really get the Eagles to play as a team. And he now has less than three months to achieve that before their opening group game against Burkina Faso on January 21 in Nelspruit.
There will be the temptation to use the time left to give a rash of other players a chance in his team, but even that has to be done with the bigger picture in mind.
He ought to work on where his team are struggling – goalkeeping, right fullback, central defence and central midfield.
One would therefore expect that when Keshi announces his list of call-ups for the November 14 friendly against Venezuela, he would address these concerns.
Players like Dele Aiyenugba, Greg Etafia (goalkeepers), Onyekachi Apam (central defence), Fengor Ogude (right back, midfield) and Raheem Lawal (central midfielder) ought to be on this list.
Keshi must have players in midfield who are intelligent, comfortable on the ball and use the ball very well.
He must also strike the right balance in attack. Nigeria have top-class strikers, but it does not follow that their best strikers must play together at all times. Rather, the players who best complement each other should play.
The Eagles have also struggled with Keshi’s preferred 4-2-4 because the wingers do not often fall back into the midfield when the team are defending. Rather it was the 4-3-3 formation that flattened Liberia in Calabar recently.
All said, Keshi must be clear on how he wants to play in South Africa and who is best suited to do this for him within the very short time he has.
Nigeria are no longer the feared force they once were, rather even the most loyal fans become agitated when their team are up against the likes of Liberia and Malawi.
Nigeria therefore have to use the forthcoming AFCON to reposition the team as the Super Eagles and not a bunch of cocky players who believe they only have to show up to be champions again.
Samm Audu
@SammAudusoka
Expectations that Nigeria will do well at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations were most certainly boosted by a favourable first round draw that has pitched the Super Eagles against defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
The Nigerian ‘can-do’ spirit would be a reason for such optimism, so too the quality for players at the disposal of coach Stephen Keshi as well as the country’s pedigree.
But on deeper reflection, defending champions Zambia are today what the two-time African champions are not – they are humble and play as a team.
The Chipolopolo play for each other, counting on the core of players who have been together for more than six years – the Katango brothers, James Chamanga, Kennedy Mweene, Isaac Chansa, among others.
In some ways they are like seven-time winners of this competition Egypt, who despite not parading stars at top clubs in Europe have dominated African football for the past decade.
Such is the chemistry in the Pharaohs that I remember Nigeria midfielder Dickson Etuhu saying at the 2010 AFCON in Angola that he would not be surprised if they all sleep on the same bed.
Egypt and Zambia play for each other and that way they bring their various individual attributes together for the overall good of the entire team.
This is not the case with Nigeria and the only time they managed this was when they won the 1994 AFCON, qualified for the ’94 World Cup and then the core of this team went on to clinch an historic Olympic Gold two years later.
Keshi has been in charge for a year and he has yet to really get the Eagles to play as a team. And he now has less than three months to achieve that before their opening group game against Burkina Faso on January 21 in Nelspruit.
There will be the temptation to use the time left to give a rash of other players a chance in his team, but even that has to be done with the bigger picture in mind.
He ought to work on where his team are struggling – goalkeeping, right fullback, central defence and central midfield.
One would therefore expect that when Keshi announces his list of call-ups for the November 14 friendly against Venezuela, he would address these concerns.
Players like Dele Aiyenugba, Greg Etafia (goalkeepers), Onyekachi Apam (central defence), Fengor Ogude (right back, midfield) and Raheem Lawal (central midfielder) ought to be on this list.
Keshi must have players in midfield who are intelligent, comfortable on the ball and use the ball very well.
He must also strike the right balance in attack. Nigeria have top-class strikers, but it does not follow that their best strikers must play together at all times. Rather, the players who best complement each other should play.
The Eagles have also struggled with Keshi’s preferred 4-2-4 because the wingers do not often fall back into the midfield when the team are defending. Rather it was the 4-3-3 formation that flattened Liberia in Calabar recently.
All said, Keshi must be clear on how he wants to play in South Africa and who is best suited to do this for him within the very short time he has.
Nigeria are no longer the feared force they once were, rather even the most loyal fans become agitated when their team are up against the likes of Liberia and Malawi.
Nigeria therefore have to use the forthcoming AFCON to reposition the team as the Super Eagles and not a bunch of cocky players who believe they only have to show up to be champions again.
Samm Audu
@SammAudusoka
Sammy Audu, am really excited of ur analysis, Raheem lawal his among d players dat should recalled forget About d boy is player in second division in turkey, d guy is a hot cake now, so he nid too b called back
Samm, I have always enjoyed your analysis. There is nothing else to add, Keshi has
his work cut out for him. If he fails to heed this warning then he will fail to improve his poor Afcon
record with Togo and Mali. He has all it takes to bring pride to Nigeria, will he?
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