Football

World Cup Qualifier: How a defeat to South Africa changes the game

Published

7 years ago

June 11, 2017

Olu Emmanuel

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Nigeria lost to South Africa yesterday, 2 goals to nil. Ediale kingsley interprets the script.

We didn’t see this coming. Of punters, bookies, analyst, and fans, no one thought South Africa could beat us. But we lost the game to a more team-playing side.

We missed Victor Moses, which I have said for the umpteenth time, is the best player at the moment for us. I heard a sports reporter saying we don’t need him. Because of his excesses, as he is always unavailable when we need him.

If you consider how Victor Moses lost his parents, you may not even think of wearing a green and white boxers. Much less, donning the full National Jersey to rep Nigeria. Yeah, you guys must adjust to his excesses, pamper him and get the best from him. The truth is we need him.

We also need Mikel Obi. I never thought I will say this after his move to China. But it’s glaring, we haven’t discovered a creative midfield passer yet. No replacement for Obi yet. No ball went through midfield to a player in box 18, not a single one. The ball came through from the sides. And some attempt of a through ball from Onazi who played deep was often intercepted or uncomfortable for strikers to control.

Perhaps because of the distance and the fact that Onazi is not a Fabregas.

Time to buckle up. The German, our coach, already saw these things. That’s why he had that selection and formation for the first 45mins. His selection favored movement from the flanks and brick wall from the middle. Knowing that the players available, e.g Onazi and Ndidi are brick wall defending midfielders than they are at ‘Fabregasing’ or ‘Mikeling’.

But the wingers didn’t have the zest of Moses.

So no hope lost, but more work to be done. If there’s anything so sure now. Is that we can still miss the world cup.

So the bonding program and team play projects that the NFF have joked with all along should now be frown at. The politicians we have running our football matters are usually careless and more concerned about their personal gains. If you don’t bother them, they will be there just concerned about their welfares. They are not thinkers but selfish people so if you don’t put the heat on them, they won’t work.

ALSO SEE: 4 Talking points on Nigeria Vs. Togo match, As we take on South Africa

So if you were part of those that could not eat well yesterday because we lost disgracefully to South Africa. You may end up having the ulcer when we lose the World Cup ticket to Cameroon.

Except you are prepared to do the following:

1. Call and trouble the NFF to make the bonding program more effective. By hosting competitive friendlies. Not Corsica.

2. Call and trouble the NFF to make public, the payment of Rohr and the management staffers of the Super Eagles.

These two matters can drown the boat. Soon you will learn that Rohr hasn’t been paid for months. He looked less presentable yesterday, of the two gaffers. Just saying.

I still saw flashes of brilliance from Simone, Ekong, and Musa yesterday. And no, no it wasn’t the goalkeeper that killed us. No goalkeeper can catch the first goal(except by luck), and the second goal would have been averted only by a red card.

Well. That’s it. Better luck next time.