WC 2014: Keshi can do much with our support

Adokiye Amiesimaka
| credits: File copy

Having conquered Africa thrice by winning the AFCON in 1980, 1994, and 2013, and qualified for the FIFA World Cup in 1994, 1998, 2002, and 2010 without ever reaching the quarter-finals, it may be fair to say that we may be more excited about reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in Brazil 2014 than another AFCON victory. And there are those who, like Mike Umeh, vice-president of the ‘NFF’, may believe that getting that far now in the most competitive global football event may not be a pipe dream. In fact, they may have started dreaming of lifting the Cup in 2014.

But there is a difference between a wish and realistic expectation. It has been my considered opinion that if we get our act together now we can expect to be champions of the world by 2022. And much as national team gaffer, Stephen Keshi, is ‘bringing innovations to Nigerian football’, there are fundamental policy matters and structural issues that we have not fully addressed even though they spell the difference between ‘very good’ and ‘the best’. In any event, there may be no harm in aiming high, very, very high. That was probably what English poet and playwright, Robert Browning (7 May, 1812 – 12 December, 1889), meant when he wrote, “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, Or what’s a heaven for?”

Last week, Mike Umeh reportedly voiced the alleged expectation of the ‘NFF’ that Nigeria would improve on the quarter-final feat of Cameroon, Senegal, and Ghana in previous editions of the World Cup, and was quoted on Supersport.com as saying, “That has been discussed. No African team has surpassed the quarter-finals [of a FIFA World Cup]. Let us be the first African team that can scale that hurdle. That’s our target.

“When a team reaches the semi-finals of a major tournament, anything can happen. However, I will not say we will win the trophy in Brazil next year. That will be unrealistic… the NFF has asked [Keshi] to take us to the World Cup. He’s a very good coach and has brought some innovations to Nigerian football. He has done very well and I pray God helps him to succeed at the World Cup.”

In a swift apparent response and in reference to the anxiety of many Nigerians over the draw for the group stage that was to take place last Friday after this piece had gone to press, in an interview with ShinaOludare of Brila FM, Stephen Keshi reportedly smartly requested that expectation should be lowered but expressed confidence in the ability of his team to be competitive against any opposition.  “We have to be realistic because there are no small teams among the 32 going to Brazil, all of the teams will be tough,” Keshi began.

“We have no preference for any of the countries to be in our group. All we need do is to prepare well for every team and take the games one after the other…

“The country should continue to have confidence in the team, support the team, rather than pulling it down,” he concluded.

What Keshi is saying here is that rather than arbitrarily set targets for him the ‘NFF’ should focus on giving him every necessary support, and that if that is done Nigerians should expect the Super Eagles to soar very high.

Instructively, in a recent interview with BBC Sport,AminuMaigari, President of the ‘NFF’, contradicted his vice-president and quickly confirmed that the official position of the ‘NFF’ was in tandem with Keshi’s on the matter.

“You can’t predict the future or make demands going into a big tournament like the World Cup”, he noted. “I think it’s more reasonable to allow the team take it one game at a time. I think it’s unfair to put the team under so much pressure to reach the semi-finals. Some people can openly say things like this, but not the NFF. We need to provide the right environment for them to thrive positively at the world stage and give Africa and Nigerians a campaign to be proud of. Talk of semi-final, final and probably winning the tournament in Brazil is not coming from the football federation”, Maigari insisted.

Indeed, we must look forward to Brazil 2014 with cautious optimism. No country outside South America has ever won the FIFA World Cup in South America. Although the records show that on a good day we may hold our own against any team from any other part of the world, we have always lost whenever we met any South American country in the World Cup.In fact, I do not recall any African team ever beating any South American team on South American soil in any competition. Not even in a friendly match!

That is why of all the 31 other countries (including defending champions Spain) from all over the world that will be in Brazil 2014 our greatest concern in that global elite competition may be how to overcome the South American countries if/when our paths cross, particularly the following: Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, and Uruguay. And we may probably go farther in the competition if we do not meet any of them in a decisive match in the early stages. In a subsequent piece, I will try to discuss how best we may prepare for the competition.

In any event, even from outside Africa there is confidence in the ability of Nigeria to go farther than ever before. In the view of Belgium-born coach Tom Saintfiet “Of the five [African] countries who qualified…, Nigeria has the most potential…And with Stephen Keshi they have currently maybe the best coach of Africa! For me it’s time that an African country reach the semi-final and I expect the Super Eagles to do this in Brazil, maybe more, you never know!”