It is no longer news that Nigeria set the pace by becoming the first African nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, holding in Russia next year. Against all odds, the Super Eagles picked the sole ticket in Group B of the qualifiers, dusting the like of current African champions, Cameroun; Zambia, and former continental champions, Algeria.
Going down memory lane, Nigeria’s qualification for the Mundial had not always come easy; but with discipline, hard work, perseverance and the inner will by the players, the nation’s team, this time round, booked their ticket to the greatest world football event.
The Argentine friendly is not enough yardstick to determine if Nigeria has, at last, got a team to conquer the world. Rohr needs to prove to Nigerians that the Eagles are well equipped for the World Cup, as the team must put the last friendly game behind them and move ahead to confront other steaming hot teams, in friendly matches
The Mikel Obi-inspired squad achieved what many bookmakers or soccer pundits initially thought was a mission impossible, following the quality of opposition in the Group B of the African qualifiers. The Eagles scaled through by defeating Zambia at home and away, trouncing Cameroun 4-0 in Uyo before being held to a 1-1 draw in Yaounde, and finally, defeating Algeria in same Uyo, before they were held to yet, a 1-1 draw in Algiers.
In all, the Super Eagles amassed a total of 14 points out of the maximum points of 18, to qualify, thereby setting up the next stage of the competition, which has to do with the preparations.
As a kicker, it is always the dream and aspiration of any player worth his onions to play at the Mundial. It is also the ambition of a World Cup-bound team to prepare well for the opposition they will encounter when hostilities begin, because the Mundial is not a tea party. The Nigerian soccer-loving fans definitely will be happy to see Eagles excel in Russia next year, which calls for serious preparations for the team.
The second-round finish achieved by the Super Eagles in its maiden outing at USA’94 remains to be surpassed. To achieve the envisioned feat of flying higher, all hands must be on deck as Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, recently revealed that the team would need at least six Grade A international friendlies before a final selection of players could be made.
Only recently, the Super Eagles commenced their preparation by stunning ‘mighty’ Argentina 4-2, sending a signal that the players were ready to take on any opposition in Russia, which indeed is a welcome development.
On record, Nigeria is blessed with talented players who ply their trade in many top football-playing nations of the world; thus, there is an urgent need for the team to prepare well so that the best legs will be selected by the coaching crew, to prosecute the competition.
A week ago, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, took up the issue of the Super Eagles’ preparation seriously by making sure that the National Assembly approved early release of funds for their preparations for the Mundial, to avoid ‘a fire-brigade approach’ as had been the practice.
Dalung also had agreed to organise a fund-raising dinner for the Eagles’ outing in Russia 2018. This, indeed, is commendable on the part of the National Assembly, to have granted the Ministry’s request speedily.
As noted earlier, the recent 4-2 ‘demolition’ of Argentina by Nigeria in an international friendly has raised the hope of many Nigerian fans that the Eagles will not be in Russia to watch the flyovers of the beautiful cities in that eastern European country.
As a former Super Eagles star, Edema Fuludu, put it, the victory over Argentina is a needed tonic to inspire great performance in Russia, next year. He, however, said of the Nigeria-Argentina match: “I’m happy that our players are beginning to get abreast of the reality on ground. I want to give them kudos for beating Argentina in that international friendly. But I must tell you that the defeat over Argentina is also a disadvantage, as it has exposed the Super Eagles to the world, before the world gather.”
Faludu’s submission is simply that, other countries now know that we have a World Cup team, and they will be fully ready to play Nigeria with all their might. The implication is that, we should be ready to face stronger oppositions at the Mundial.
To that extent, there is the need for the Nigerian Football Federation to organise more high-profile international friendlies, to enable us know whether we have what it takes to battle bigger countries at the World Cup, or not.
The Argentine friendly is not enough yardstick to determine if Nigeria has, at last, got a team to conquer the world. Rohr needs to prove to Nigerians that the Eagles are well equipped for the World Cup, as the team must put the last friendly game behind them and move ahead to confront other steaming hot teams, in friendly
matches.
All that the Eagles need most, to have a good outing in Russia 2018 is top-class preparation; and they should not get carried away by the euphoria of a past match. Anything short of that will spell doom for the ambitious team who are desperate to shock the world in Russia, come next year.
