THISDAYonline

Golden Future
Dateline January 2001: There have been several important moments crucial to the development of football in Nigeria. This month happens to be of them. The Super Eagles have two crucial matches that could determine if Nigeria would secure the lone ticket in Group Two of the African qualifier for World Cup 2002. But before that match on January 23 the Eagles are expected to play Zambia on the 27th in an African Nations Cup qualifier.

But somewhere in the ancient city of Ibadan there is a revolution that at the moment may seem unimportant but could in the nearest future turn out to be the revolution many Nigerians have been hoping for a turn around of the game in Nigeria.

Anyone familiar with the serene surrounding of the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan would have thought that there was an international match scheduled for the arena and thus the reason why there were so many people milling around.

But the thousands of people who had converged at the Stadium were not there to watch any match but only came to see the youthful players who are preparing for the third edition of the UEFA/CAF Meridian Cup slated for Bari, Italy.

In the last one week fans had been treated to various exhibition of raw skills by the chubby-faced youths who have come from all over the country to fight for the 18 places in the Bari-bound squad. They cheered ceaselessly each time the youthful players tried to show that they could do better than the older players. Some in a bid to outdo the others dribbled three- four-five players only to be reminded by the coaches that football was not all about dribbling.

Indeed, Nigeria had been a giant at this level in the past. Football fans world wide would never forget in a hurry the exploits of Nigeria's team to FIFA's maiden Under-17 championship in China '85. The country would have won the cup back to back if the centre referee had not prevented Nigeria's winger Dimeji Lawal from scoring the winning goal against USSR two years later in Canada. However there was another victory in Japan '93 when the superlative performance of the Wilson Oruma-led squad drew thunderous applause from Japanese fans after their team became of the Eaglets' casualties on the road to victory.

Nigeria also won the maiden edition of the Meridian Cup in 1997. The feat came on the heel of an administrative bungling that truncated the dreams of millions of Nigerians that year. The NFA forgot to take the passports of the players to Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, venue of a FIFA Under-17 qualifying match between Nigeria and Republic of Benin. Till this day, the promising lads who were made up of some of the country's best players in that category at that period still find difficult to piece their career together.

Shortly before arrival of the players at the Liberty Stadium for the camping, the NFA had reminded Nigerians of its perennial lack of funds to prosecute the Meridian Cup. Its Secretary General Dr Tijani Yusuf said Nigeria would only attend the championship if the players agreed to play without asking for allowances or bonuses.

Unlike old men some of whom are married with several kids who always held the country to ransom whenever they were called to national duty, all the players listed for invitation by coaches Musa Abdulahi and Hassan Abubakar accepted the offer without rancour. It is also heart-warming to see hundreds of other teenagers besiege the camp eager to display their skills.

However what has proven to be most heart-warming is the resolve of the NFA to turn a new leaf and discourage the win at all cost syndrome that has militated against the development of the game in Nigeria in recent times.

According to Yusuf the NFA was determined to discourage the use of over-aged players that could win matches at this level but would on the long run fail to lift their game few years after. Nigerians would never forget in a hurry the fate of Phillip Osondu who emerged the Most Valuable Player of in Canada '97 but never joined the league of great players due to old age while a country like Argentina still benefits from the participation of Juan Sebastien Veron who is one of the best midfielders in the game today.

Nigeria stands to benefit a lot if the NFA maintains its stand to ensure the development of the game at the youth level rather than concentrate all efforts in the pampering of "young old" men. Every country that wishes to maintain a place amongst the best in the game must find a way of turning out young players who will always replace the older ones whenever the need arises. This is the reason Cameroon was able to beat Nigeria to the second place in the recent CAF National Team of the Century Award.

HAZY PRESENT
While a seemly revolution was taking place at Ibadan, some few kilometres away from the ancient city of Otta, Nigerians hoping for a departure from the past were rudely reminded that it is still business as usual with the manner invited players are taking preparations for the crucial match.

In total contrast to the commitment of the youthful players in Ibadan, key members of the Super Eagles invited for a crucial Nations Cup match against the Chipolopolo of Zambia are yet to report to camp with less than ten days to the encounter.

Those who arrived Nigeria before Christmas and New Year festivals characteristically decided to stay back in their villages where they headed after the various European Leagues went on break. Apart from Celestine Babayaro and the uninvited Nwankwo Kanu who both play in the English Premiership which did not call for any break all the other players were on holiday.

It is disheartening that despite the awareness that Nigeria stands the risk of losing stands the risk of losing the World Cup ticket, its players continue to exhibit so much arrogance that has only landed the country in the precarious position it is placed in the qualifying group with only three points after two matches.

This arrogance led to the embarrassing loss of the team against a less endowed Lone Star of Liberia last year in the same competition. With heads bowed after the loss, most of the players promised to change their unprofessional attitude of reporting late to camp which often results in lack of understanding amongst the during matches.

Of more concern is also the fact that most Nigerian players do not even command first team places in their clubs and in order to shake off some of their rustiness there is the need to commence early preparations for important matches.

Johaness Bonfrere on whose shoulder lies the responsibility of guiding the Eagles to the World Cup, in obvious solidarity with the players, only just returned from a three month absence from the country. Bonfrere has been carrying on as if Nigeria cannot do without these players who have told Nigerians by their actions over the years that they were no longer keen to be good ambassadors.

He called from his base in Holland that he would not be glad to have any home-based player in the squads for the two matches. He preferred the likes of Efetobore Sodje, Furo Iyenemi and other players who always end up as liabilities to outstanding players like Seyi Ogunsanya, Eric Ejiofor and Lucky Idahor, simply because they are not "international" as it were.

Indeed, Nigeria stands to lose everything she had achieved in football during the era of Clemens Westerhof which catapulted her over the likes of Ghana, Algeria and Egypt in the recent African National Team of the Century if Bonfrere is allowed to disregard good reasoning.

KEY TO SUCCESS
There is no doubt about the depth of talents available in Nigeria. With a little resolve on the part of the administrators the country has the capacity to rule the football world.

NFA must make Bonfrere realise the importance of overhauling the Super Eagles for Nigerians to realise their dreams of not only making up the numbers at the World Cup but go ahead and win the coveted trophy.

Twice at the World Cup Nigeria has been a victim of poor preparation. After beating other countries to the top of her group, the naivety of the team became glaring and teams which could not boast of the same depth of skills that abounds in the Nigerian team always manage to beat her to the next stage. Honestly with just a little organisation which has taken South Africa to the top of the FIFA ranking as the best African team, the sky would be the limit for all Nigerian teams.