Nigeria is such a lucky county that whatever it touches Blossom at sports level
Seguel to the on going 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote D’Ivoire, the strong strides the Nigeria Football Team, the Super Eagles made after qualifying for the final of the tournament and if they win the trophy has been described more as an act of God than human effort.
And not necessarily owing to the competence of the Portuguese Coach Jose Paseiro.
Making this observation currently in a well crafted media statement Former Gombe United Chairman, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe pointed to the poor build -up of the Super Eagles leading to a month the football tournament kicked off in Cote D’Ivoire.
According to the football guru whose line of thought was completely aghast to the widely held views of most football pondicts who in their opinion felt Eagles progress at the tournament was sequel to good preparations.
Hon. Gombe clearly stated his position in his statement that even the blind and ignorant among sports or football circle will buy into his argument.
He noted that “The Super Eagles and our Football Development processes can not change even if Nigeria wins the World Cup.
He said, “The reason why I never joined in the Euphoria whenever we win a Match and also in the Hysteria whenever we don’t do well or lose is that we always tend to forget those things that are missing in our Football Developmental processes until we lose a friendly.
Nigeria’s football Developmental challenges are very much around and whenever we win we forget them”.
The Chairman/Publisher/CEO NorthEast Times Newspaper said, “At AFCON, most Nigerians believe in the Coach, the Team and the Management, Because Eagles are fumbling and wobbling improving by every game and Nigerians are happy, these happiness to say the least, is temporary. The NFF must work for a permanent solution driven Happiness.
“Suddenly we have forgotten that Pasiero is a bad coach, we also forgot about Sadiq umar mess, Suddenly we forgot AHLAN is the chairman of Technical Committee, Suddenly we forgot our main saviour who kept us in this AFCON is a product of our local league.Short Memory is one of our greatest headache.
A Team that has some of the best FORWARDS in the world namely, Osimhen , Chukwueze, Awoniyi, Mofi Sadiq, Lukman, Musa, Iheanacho Onuachu, Simon cannot score at regulation time after five rounds of match is completely unacceptable.
The last match against South Africa Eagles do not deserve to win, they played better, the heroics prowess of Nwabali, the home boy not a Diasporan kept us to the last tii the last game. South African I insist, played better and they no longer respect Super Eagles anymore.”
He reasoned that Super Eagles had been progressing and improving through benevolent Divine intervention, individual courage and determination of the players making the Defence one of the Best in AFCON”.
However, there are people Hon. Gara Gombe described as paid agents in the Media who have already started calling for the retention of Pasiero and exclaimed God forbid!
He continued, “Sunday the final battle of AFCON is just around the corner where prayers sessions resume. For me no Euphoria nor Hysteria, Win or lose.
Hon. Gara Gombe didn’t only shout blue murder, He also proferred some solutions that could assist in building a veritable National team the Super Eagles. He itemised them as follows, Called for the immediate sack of coach Pasiero and have him placed by an indegnations Coach.
“Let the NFF come back and Institute a Developmental programme.The South African Team has Eight of their players from SUNDOWNS in the local League PSL.We disrespect our own players from the league.we must change this mentality that only from the Dispora qualifies to play for the Eagles.
- Reconstitute the Technical Committee and give the Job to knowledgeable people,it is not a family and friends affair it is our game.
- Replace Paseiro and appoint a local Coach and give him a five years Target.
- Establish an NFA ACADEMY.
- Strengthen the youth league of the NPFL.
- Allocate a Quota for local league players in the Super EAGLES.
- Introduce a monthly or bi monthly CHAN A and B Tournament.
- Get a permanent Sponsor for the Super EAGLES And CHAN with a permanent BASE or CAMP. Many countries in Africa if not all have used FIFA MONEY and GRANTS to build a permanent National camps but in NIGERIA the money gets compromised in some other unknown projects.”.
