You can only but imagine the joy that will fill the whole of Nigeria if the Super Eagles win the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia. Importantly, It will go a long way to stabilise the polity of the country as well as give the people and tribes the reason to want to stay together as one indivisible nation, even in their diversity.
It will be the first time any African country will win the Mundial and perhaps, these are the factors driving Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president, Amaju Pinnick, and he is quietly plotting Nigeria national team to win the world cup next year.
It seems a tall order and laughable though...
Nigeria national team is ranked 50th in the latest Fifa world ranking and 8th in the continent, lower than all the other five African teams that qualified for the world cup...
Moreover, Nigeria presenting a team that looks more or less like an under 23 team; with the players average age of 24years, 9days... Without any notable star playing in a top flight club, apart from Victor Moses playing someworth a major role in Chelsea and perhaps, Alex Iwobi in Arsenal. The Algeria national team coach recently called the Super Eagles a team of bench warmers!
Nigeria national team has not pass the second round of the world cup since their first participation in 1994 (23years ago), even the years regarded as the country football golden era...when they had star players such Emmanuel Amunike in Barcelona, Sunday Oliseh in Juventus, Austin Okocha in PSG, Nwankwo Kanu in Arsenal, Victor Ikpeba...
But there is something about this current squad...
Nigeria national team is gradually becoming formidable, recently defeating Argentine national team, in an international friendily match for the first time. And qualified for 2018 world cup without loosing a match, in fact, with a game to spare. Comprehensively beating the African champions Cameroon, 5 - 1 aggregate.
Most stars of the golden era like Victor Ikpeba, Nwankwo Kanu, Austin Okocha believe in this team and they say it is time for Nigeria to go pass the second round! Ghana and France legend Desailly say Nigeria could get to the Semi Finals
But most Nigerian fans and media say if the team can get to the quarter finals, well and good. It will all depend on how they take off in the competition. They will need to build momentum with every game. So all eyes are on the World cup draw Friday December 1; hoping to get a soft group.
But Pinnick is thinking differently...and secretly plotting to win the world cup for Nigeria. He let us know that stars don't win the world cup for you. What you need to win the world cup is to position well in Fifa Boardroom with a clear strategy, then build a close kitted team with a quality technical bench.
Fifa Boardroom: You can say Pinnick is relatively position well in world football totoday. And could easily find his way around the Fifa boardroom, where key decisions are taken.
Building A Close kitted Team: Nigeria may not have an outright world renowned star, but they surely have young enterprising players ready to give their all. The Nigetia national team head coach, Gernot Rohr in line with NFF direction, has been scanning beyond the boundaries of Nigerian grown talents to seek best fit into the team, calling up European born players of Nigeria descent to join the squad. And the "white boys" are really turning around the fortune of the team.
Team Spirit: Pinnick is determined to maintain the high team spirit. He has gone ahead to have an agreement with players on issues regarding match and winning bonuses. And NFF have set up machanism to source some of the funds from the corporate private participations... to proscute the world cup.
Nigerian Spirit: Pinnick has also come up with strategies to build the "Never Say Die desposition, which is largely regard in the country as the Nigerian Spirit. He said players must come to believe in themselves and develop the mentality of champions.
In this regard, NFF is planning to engage the team in another five "Grade A" international friendly matches against Brazil, Germany, France, Spain and Korea; before the world cup in June 2018.
Second, Pinnick plan to boost the psychology of the team by playing videos of Nigeria world cups, especially the 1994 team and how Nigeria won gold in 1996 men football events at the Olympics...to help build assute mentality to overcome any challenge they face.
Pinnick also want the Nigeria fans to believe and start praying in this direction. What you Say is what you get!
Nigeria Will Win the 2018 Fifa World Cup in Russia - BELIEVE!
