SUPER EAGLES: Keshi, NFF and Some Unrequited Questions (1)

If competition breeds efficiency, then, looking at the Super Eagles under the control of Stephen Keshi, “The Big Boss”, I’d say that he has been able to prove, to an extent, these words of wisdom by implanting the spirit of competition, friendship and fair play into the national team set-up of Nigeria. A state that has seen every player being in the know that he has equal right as any other player to stake a claim, either in the starting lineup or in the team as a whole and it’s no longer based on who you know and how much power your agent can will (by getting you into the national team set up).

Looking at the latest outings and displays of the Super Eagles, chiefly, if we retrospectively look at the confederations cup, it was/is clear the boss has a road map as designed and expounded by him but he is yet to fix its parts together. It is clear he has a vision and when he speaks, you’d know but (just) cannot do it alone. He wants to leave a positive stencil so that it would outlast him if well managed. Now, the question is, will his employers consent and avail him the space, time and resources needed to carry it out? Will greed, ego and the self-centeredness of a few allow such to come to pass given the fact that the (seeming) end product will be a communal gain of Nigerians? These are some of the relatable questions begging for answers.

One of the most wonderful things about the Super Eagles, so far, under Keshi, is, I can now sit down to discuss the tactical formations that could be of effective help given players available, which I’d love to point out that these players may not be the best in their positions in the world, but collectively, as a team, a unit, if well managed and catered for, can indeed hold their own against any team in the world as revealed at the confederations cup competition, in the games between Uruguay and Spain, respectively. Hitherto, it was the sole confine of my darling club, ManUtd, that is, discussing tactical formations. But now, my darling Eagles have joined the party.

The Super Eagles, as the very property of 170m Nigerians, its business is and remains OUR business. It is a brand adept of uniting and restructuring the country, Nigeria, and its citizens, internally and externally, hence the need to take and handle its affairs with seriousness. The need to leverage on this very brand and its positive by-products, if well managed, shouldn't be over-emphasized. It is clear for all to see that someone with a clear-headed mindset has decided to leverage on his experience managing other African national sides to chart a new course by telling himself that whatever the end products of these elements of change, accountability, self-discipline and competition, as the gaffer of the Super Eagles, he’ll uphold such virtues/elements and at all positive costs. At the moment, one of the products of these elements we have tasted, already, after waiting for a perfidious and painful 19 years wand one question is, is the NFF ready to manage the Super Eagles as a veritable tool worthy of re-branding, restructuring and uniting Nigeria and Nigerians?

There are more questions for the NFF as this is just a part one of it. The part two should happen any time soon. But if I am to follow the Nigerian meaning of “any time soon”, then, see y’all after Brazil 2014.

Izu

@Das_Spiel_