SIASIA: THE SCAPEGOAT OF A FAILED SYSTEM! - SEGUN ODEGBAMI (MATHEMATICAL)

Last week my instincts and fears, expressed on this page, were justified by the result of the match that saw visiting Syli Nationale of Guinea, force the Super Eagles to a draw, even if, in the end, unlike what I expressed in my column, the result had little to do with the weather on that day.
Contrary to my fears, the weather was very friendly, the 2 O’clock sun hiding behind fairly dark clouds that did not shed any part of their weight. There was neither moisture nor heat, just an inclement weather perfect for football.
Thus, it was in this clime and in a half-filled stadium in Abuja that Nigeria’s dream of playing at the African Cup of Nations in January was brought to a shuddering halt. Having said that, I was partly right though that the result of the match would be determined by the elements. Beyond the weather they still had plenty of ‘hand’ in the tragedy that befell Nigeria that fateful day.
I did not watch the match. For ‘circumstances beyond my control’ I could not be at the Abuja National Stadium, and, also, was not anywhere near a television set. Since then, I have been told a thousand different versions of the same match by different people.

One thing that is common to all of the versions is that the Eagles gave away the match to the Guineans on a platter. The match could very easily have been completely different, possibly ending in a whitewash of the Syli stars if all the chances that came the Eagles’ way in the first half had not been carelessly fluffed.  Even when the match wearily drew to a close the last thought on people’s mind in the stadium was the likelihood of the Eagles conceding a late goal. There was nothing indicating so. The match had turned into a drag.
The Nigerian team was under zero pressure. Indeed, although the Eagles were not playing brilliantly, people’s worry was clarification over what would happen should the match end with the scoreline remaining the way it was at the time (2-1 in favour of Nigeria). Was that enough to qualify the Eagles? From the comments I later read made by some members of the team, they also were not quite sure.
 In that state of uncertainty the coach committed what became a technical blunder. He went in search of a third goal. He substituted and sacrificed his young but most enterprising mid-field player, Joel Obi, for a striker. Apparently, by that move, Samson Siasia was looking to secure the ticket. His defence line became adventurous and surged forward, naturally leaving more gaps at the back.
That turned out to be a poor decision that sealed the fate of the match, the team and the coach himself. If he had substituted Mikel Obi instead, who was tired (I am told) and not doing much anymore, it would have been more acceptable to the people. If he had played ‘safety first’ and Captain Yobo had maintained the discipline and organisation in his defence line, nothing would have happened to the respectable scoreline up till that point. His intentions may have been correct, but the elements decided to desert him in that critical moment.

As we have now seen, that singular decision has resurrected many of his virulent critics and envious coaches waiting for the slightest opportunity to pounce on him, discredit him and angle for his job. The situation was also not helped by Siasia’s hard stance over the people’s first-choice goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama. I agree completely that under certain circumstances it makes better sense to punish an erring great player by any other means than leaving him out of the team. Discipline may have been instilled but the team would be technically weaker.
It is so easy to criticise Samson Siasia now, after all as Chief Coach he must take responsibility for the fortune of his team. The critics of his appointment as national team coach have come out of their hibernation and have been unrelenting in their castigation and call for his sack or resignation. Even some ‘expired’ coaches have found their voices and have joined the chorus. I feel very sorry for the man.
As he admitted himself, a coach is only as good as his last match! But his appointment cannot be faulted. He earned it, deserved it and majority of Nigerians lauded the process and his choice. Among Nigerian coaches I don’t see one that could have done better considering the rebuilding process the team has been going through since the 2010 World Cup disaster and the seeming unavailability of exceptionally gifted players coming through the domestic system. Nigeria’s production room of truly great players has dried up and there is no structure or plan in place to breed them.

Samson has been working under conditions that are not designed to produce a champion team immediately and he should have acknowledged that and not be making too much noise about a team that lacks class, true character and the killer-attitude. All the previous Nigerian coaches that have now found their voices, also left us with nothing to cheer about their era.
Look back, we were all left with a legacy of nothing but headaches and hypertension - all of them! So, Samson is in good company. Unfortunately, this last match is particularly painful for Nigerians because the Eagles appear to be the only source of some joy and celebration in a country that is going through very challenging and difficult times. Failing to qualify for the African Cup of Nations takes Nigerian football several years back, and has made a deep and painful cut in the heart of the country.




FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION NOT SAMSON IS THE PROBLEM!

All Nigerians agree that Nigerian football has been going through a dark period. The domestic game, suffering from political haemorroids, has lost direction and focus, and its image is at the lowest ebb. Samson Siasia is not the problem with Nigerian football.
At best he has become a victim of it. Nigerian football cannot exist in isolation of the rest of the polity. Football development in the country is clearly reflected by the quality of administrators driving it! How can anyone expect to reap a bountiful harvest from the cultivation of poor and scanty seeds? There is no deliberate football development programme and strategy in the present structure of Nigerian football.
A football association that does not have a knowledgeable well-grounded and experienced technical director and technical department is one that has no plans for the source of talent or for succession of players.
That’s why there is a dearth of exceptional talent coming through the system and joining the Eagles. The present national team has several good players, not exceptional players, whereas it is the exceptionally gifted in most top teams that provide the thin, essential edge that separates the boys from the men. The winning national teams in our history have always had a few of such players in order to succeed.
The winning All Africa Games team of 1972 had late Haruna Ilerika at the heart of that team. When all seemed to be failing, the diminutive midfield player would come up with something (a great pass, a dribble or run, a well-placed shot, something exceptional) that would lift the team from the precipice to safety. Haruna almost singlehandedly won several crucial matches for Nigeria through taking responsibility to win matches.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s there was more than one player in the teams with such attribute - Muda Lawal, Thompson Usiyen, Christian Chukwu, Henry Nwosu. In the 1990s’ winning national teams there were even more of them - Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amuneke, Kanu Nwankwo. In the 2000s there has been a dearth! Perhaps that partly explains why the national team looks so ordinary and has not won anything yet!
Finally, it is clear that the officials and players disrespected the opposition, a principle in sport which if neglected could be a catalyst for failure. Never take an opponent for granted, or underestimate them.
 Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the media, the coaches, the NFF officials, and the players did! Whilst they were all pronouncing the basket that would be required to convey Nigeria’s goals to Guinea, they forgot to check the history books.  They did not appreciate the enormity of the assignment and the strength of the Guineans until the match was over and the harm had been done. That’s why the coach and the players apologised to the country.

They let themselves be caught in the web of disrespect. They were all arrogant in their attitude to the Guineans. Where did they get the impression from that they were going to be a walk over? Look at the history of the matches between both countries.
 Nigeria does not have the edge both at home and away. A measured look would have revealed that Nigerians had a psychological and technical battle in their hands and should have shown more respect, after all they were beaten in Conakry and it was not a fluke. For the Super Eagles, a team in a rebuilding process, one of the weakest in almost 40 years of the history of the national team, to have been arrogant in their expectation was naivety of the highest order. Nigeria paid the price.
All of us should take responsibility for the state we are in. We must do the right things in our football administration by being authentic, integral, truthful, just and lawful. Only then shall we be able to confront the demon in our football, and indeed in all other sports, and destroy it!