Emeka Ezeugo, Former Super Eagles Defender, who also participated in Nigeria first World cup in 1994, made some insightful commentary about the present Super Eagles team, in his write up:
FORTUNE LOCATED NIGERIA YESTERDAY IN 2018 WORLD CUP DRAW. Read this eye opening article
Nigeria is expected to top Group D ahead of familiar foe Argentina, a nation they trounced in style recently in Russia. The other two teams, Iceland and Coatia who are no pushover are expected to hand in the needed six points.
Nigerians all over the world are so elated that they've seen Super Eagles a heartbeat away from becoming World Champion. Nothing is impossible, the goal is quite attainable. But if we have just realized this, we can kiss the dream Good bye!
Teams aspiring to win the 2018 World Cup started preparation in 2015. Remember, I meant, started preparation to win the World Cup, I didn't say, started preparation to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. They're two different things.
Beginning to prepare for the World Cup 8 or 9 months before is like chasing a rainbow or waiting for a star to fall. There's no team among the participants of 2018 World Cup as ready as Germany.
They've been ready since the beginning of the year, 2016. No distraction, scandal, no treachery from the technical or management sides of the team. They're focused and will find a way to deliver.
Nigeria's Super Eagles is an exciting team with management, coaching crew and players who have no idea of the immense potential at their disposition. They have enormous potential but preparation was shoddy, personal interest and cartel agenda were of paramount importance. Using Super Eagles as a platform to further the interest of Agents, Coaches and Administrators was the order of the qualifiers.
Did you recognize a playing style? Did you recognize the players collectively fighting to win the ball in less than 30 seconds from the opponents like Jupp Hyneckes Treble winning Bayern Munich side that trounced Barcelona 7 - 0 aggregate?
Did you recognize a menacing attacking team that can demolish any defense in an instant? Seems like we are not far from it. We have Wing-back crisis, Goalkeeper crisis, our Central Defense are miles away from world class level. Defensive Midfielders are sluggers but nowhere adept technically and on the Creative side of the midfield we are on the average side and it's okay.
I must emphasize that Mikel Obi is an asset the coaches have yet to recognize and elevate to a Carlos Veldarama status, a Go-to Dude. On a given day that the Midfielders deliver they can match the world's finest.
Everyone quickly forgot that just the other day, South Africa came to our living room and beat the crap outta Super Eagles. We've all been carried away by the euphoria of being drawn in what seemed like an easy group and straight passage to the 2nd Round and we've pictured our hands on trophy already.
Who doesn't fancy such optimism? But like I stated earlier, the teams that win the World Cup come with years of preparedness unrivalled.
Super Eagles Weaknesses are elementary. First and foremost, we always show up on the World Stage with coaches that are nobodies, nonentities. You are at the World Stage not in Kinshasa or Calabar. You are not up against a Ladan Bosso team or Abia Warriors' Everton team.
At the global stage, it's not only Albiceleste against Super Eagles, there's also the war of tacticians. What do you think was the reason Super Eagles failed to win the World Cup of 1994? Westerhoff got dazed with leading a group comprising of Argentina, Bulgaria and Greece and lost his damn lesser football mind. Hello, like stage fright
overwhelmingly takes over most players coaches lose it too like those they tutor. What happened to Keshi in 2014 World Cup against France and what happened to Onigbinde in 2002 World Cup? It wasn't a Nollywood Movie. It was football at the World Stage, the highest of heights.
They don't win them like Africa Cup of Nations. Picture Cameroon in 1990 World Cup against England, Senegal in 2002 World Cup and Ghana in 2010 World Cup against Uruguay just a heartbeat away from reaching semi finals and what was missing was a World class coach to steer them through that label's tide and they missed out on those golden opportunities that could have landed them the much coveted trophy.
Did we learn from our mistakes of the past? Did we recognize our technical mistakes, managerial blunders?
In 2014 World Cup, President Jonathan gave Aminu Maigarri over 2 billion naira and the rogue was more interested in being reelected as the Nigeria Football Federation President right after the World Cup; hence he embarked on financing all expense-paid trip with extacodes for the sycophant reporters and media houses' editors, chairmen and secretaries of the 36 States of Nigeria.
He had to charter a flight for them. He ended up without cash to pay the players their daily allowances and match bonuses. They players embarked on a Strike, they were not going to play against France in the round of 16 elimination match. This would be so Scandalous.
Sepp Blatter intervened, and President Jonathan flew in an emergency flight with two million dollars into Brazil a couple of hours before the game. It was such a circus as Brazil's Air force intercepted and escorted the flight to land safely and the money was ferried to Super Eagles location, the players were paid before they arrived late to play the most important match of their life or existence. Did they come prepared? That's Africa and the SCOURGE OF PLACING THE WRONG PEOPLE IN POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY, SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE REAPING FROM WHERE THEY PLANTED NOTHING.
Preparedness to excel at the World Stage begins with the administrators, Coaches and the players respectively. When a river gets contaminated at the source, it trickles down to its tributaries.
Fortune did locate Nigeria yesterday during the draws but when you're not prepared for excellence and success, when the opportunity to grab it shows up, you'll not recognize it let alone grabbing it.
