Russia 2018 and tasks before Super Eagles

It is no longer news that the Super Eagles of Nigeria has set the pace by being the first national team in Africa to qualify for the prestigious FIFA World Cup holding in Russia next year, with a game to spare against Algeria in Algiers.
Having qualified for Russia 2018, a herculean task lies ahead for the team, especially in the area of producing a rock-solid squad that will take the soccer-loving world by storm because Nigeria has consitently proved to be a super power in the round-leather game in the world.
The array of stars of Nigerian descent playing in various leagues around the world is a proof that Nigeria can be said to be ‘a home of football’. No wonder soccer followers around the world expect the Super Eagles to use Russia 2018 to make a strong statement by surpassing their second round finish at USA’94 and equally prove that the country can also lift the World Cup.
According to reports, the quality of players in the Eagles setup can be said to be average, but to have a World Cup winning team, every department of the squad must be fortified before taking on the world at the Mundial.
It could be recalled recently that former Nigerian striker, Julius Aghahowa, had asked the Gernot Rohr–led technical crew of the Super Eagles to invite more creative midfielders into the team, to ease the burden of goal scoring on strikers, if the team is serious about making meaningful impact at the Mundial next year.
Aghahowa said the only way Nigeria could prevent poor performance at the tournament in Russia was to prepare adequately and this is where government, public and private sectors must key in, to prepare the team because a lot of funds are needed to actualise this.
Also last week, borne out of the determination to make a statement at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, appealed to the National Assembly to appropriate funds for sport in the 2018 budget.
The minister reasoned that for meaningful success to be recorded by the Eagles at the world stage in 2018, there must be adequate funding. The idea of running to the President at every slightest opportunity for financial intervention for sport may be difficult to sustain in the long run, considering the numerous international sporting events lined up for 2018 alone.
Also, it is worthy to use this piece to state emphatically that Corporate Nigeria has a big role to play during Super Eagles’ build-up to Russia 2018. Funds from the private sector will go a long way to sustain sport development and equally give Eagles the needed boost to do the impossible come Russia 2018.
Frankly, the key to a successful World Cup outing lies in adequate preparations.
Aside the aforementioned, all the players in the senior national team must show great commitment to the tasks ahead.
Adokiye Amiesimaka, a former Green Eagles attacking midfielder, re-echoed this point recently in Lagos because it was the commitment of the players that gave Nigeria the ticket to the Mundial, after a poor show against South Africa in Uyo.
“I think we are privileged to have youthful, relatively youthful, skilful and committed players. I think we have a crop of players now that should be able to do us proud.
“And most of them, apart from the goalkeeper who is also brilliant and the only home-based player, are playing in professional teams outside the country.
“And from what I have seen so far, they can hold their own and it’s important, and I’m very impressed that they are all very youthful.
“Apart from the Captain who is still very good and has a lot of experience to back him up, it will be a delight to watch the team play an exciting World Cup in 2018,” he said.
Still basking in the euphoria of Nigeria’s qualification for the Mundial, it is worthy to advise the players and the coaching crew that it is not yet ‘uhuru’ because to whom much is given, much is expected.
Recently, the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, issued a statement through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, that the Senate would work to ensure that Nigerian players were well equipped and prepared for the 2018 tournament while urging the Nigerian Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports to not relent in their efforts ahead of 2018.
He said, “Right now, we must begin to plan and work towards victory for our Super Eagles. They have made us proud on the field; now, the NFF, the Ministry of Sports, the sponsors and all concerned stakeholders must work together to ensure that our players and the team thrive at the World Cup.
“As our players continue to make us all proud and demonstrate the greatness in our diversity, I want to also congratulate all Nigerians. We can truly achieve great things when we come together.”
From the foregoing, the task of making Nigerians proud at the Mundial next year is a task that must be accomplished beginning with the players who will execute this project. All the efforts of the Federal Government or the private sector will come to nothing if the Eagles fail to fly over their opponents when hostilities begin in Russia 2018.