There are far too many off-the-field distractions swirling around the Super Eagles these days that it seems irresponsible to expect success from their endeavors.
Thankfully, the immediate opponents – Guinea Bissau – aren’t expected to be stubborn customers, hence Peseiro’s Super Eagles should prevail on this occasion.
But, behind the scenes, the team is a shambles. The situation is so bad that should Guinea Bissau defeat Nigeria home and away next week, it will definitely come as no surprise to me.
Looking forward to Super Eagles encounters has lost its glitter, glamour and gloss. Many fans have simply peeled off their followership of this once-fantastic but now-fading national brand.
I have never been one to criticize any list of players released for national assignments – simply on the basis that any national team coach can never satisfy all of the fans all of the time. Our tastes in players and the desire to see the team file out in certain ways are as different as the types of restaurants we choose to dine.
That said, the circumstances surrounding the last list released to face Guinea Bissau sank the Super Eagles franchise to an all time low.
From credible sources, the coach has been arm-twisted to invite 3 players from the domestic scene to alleviate NFF’s financial situation. To make matters worse, 2 of those players were non-league players. This is a shocking and disgraceful development.
Ahmed Musa’s invitation is also been rumoured as an attempt by the coach to wrangle a fresh deal with the NFF as his contract is set to expire soon (as Musa's influence can help the NFF see him in a good light) . So, if true, ulterior motives and the personal interest of the coach informed thr invitation of a player that is long past his prime – SHOCKING!
For all intents and purposes, the list has no credible midfield. Alex Iwobi plays more on the flanks these days in club football whilst the other 3 invited midfielders are experiencing intermittent electric outages in their clubs. So you are telling me that in 2023, a Super Eagles list cannot include 3 active, credible and intelligent midfielders? SHAMEFUL! SHAMEFUL!
Whilst no one expects a radical overhaul of the team, injection of raves-of-the-moment Akpom, Orban, Maja, to mention a few, would have delighted the fans and rightly rewarded these players for their recent stellar performances.
But what did we get: recycling of the same old mundane Onuachus and Iheanachos. It begs the question : what has the Super Eagles scouts been doing since Nigeria’s last match in November? If you ask them, they will tell you they have never heard of Maja or Akpom. DISGRACEFUL! DISGRACEFUL!
Fans will never reconnect with the Super Eagles if the handlers continue this way. It’s a joke. It makes a mockery of Peseiro’s ambitions of lifting the Cup of Nations next year.
Anyways, a sense of duty means I will be watching the games against Guinea Bissau. But, something is missing, that excitement is gone; I only hope that results on the pitch won’t go down the drains too.