Lessons From Benin Republic

BENIN Republic’s cadet team, the Squirrels, put up a superlative showing recently to send the Golden Eaglets out of the African title chase. The Championship finals comes up next year in Algeria.

THE Beninoise needed three unreplied goals to send the over confident boys of coach Alphonsus Dike out of the contest, making Nigeria’s teeming fans in the neighbouring country to mourn.

ALREADY, avid Nigerian soccer followers are heaping the blames at the door-step of Coach Dike who hadn’t the liver to reject players imposed on him by the powers that be. Outside this, coach Dike was not a football political activist. He accepted all manner of players sent to him and lacked the financial wherewithal to expose his wards to the tricks of the game. To show their frustration, the Nigerians put up a lack-lustre performance which enabled the Squirrels to cancel their 2-0 deficit in the first leg in Nigeria before nicking the clincher.

The NIGERIAN OBSERVER believes that the great fall in Cotonou was not the fault of coach Dike alone. Those who sponsored rookies into the club and the inability of the Nigerian football Federation to provide fund to expose the players for the purpose of blending were equally responsible. While Dike dished out instructions from his tent, the players did what they liked because they had God-fathers who could fire Dike at the drop of the hat.

BESIDE, Dike had no experience in coaching youth sides. He has been with the senior boys and worked under others. At Enyimba, Dike worked under Kadiri Ikhana and when the chips were down, the coach disappointed.

THAT coach Dike could not defend the title won by the Eaglets under coach Yemi Tella only two years ago, spoke volumes of the NFF style of selecting or appointing their coaches.

COACH Sabastine Brodericks-Imasuen who won the trophy for Nigeria at the inception of the championship is still around and relevant. Coach Fanny Amun is left to do some administrative works after his wonderful performance at the national level. Coach willy Bazuaye whose contributions led to Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medal in football event in 1996 at Atlanta is also still relevant. One does not need to mention the likes of Ben Iroha, Dan Amokachie and others who have distinguished themselves at both national and international levels.
what informed the choice of Alphonsus Dike as the Golden Eaglets helms man? Who were his sponsors and what explanation do they have after this show of shame?

WE may continue to suffer humiliating defeats in the hands of minnows until we look inwards to get men who have the clout to fight to regain our lost glory.

EXCEPT we learn to give the national jobs out on merit, teams from Togo, Chad and other lands will continue to show how unserious our leaders are.

FOR now, the Golden Eaglets should return to the drawing board with a man who has the techniques to mould a team that can be referred to in all ramifications as national.

THE team Nigeria paraded in Cotonou was nothing but a side that owed their loyalty to their sponsors without regard to what was at stake.

AND until FIFA confirms Nigeria as host, the Golden Eaglets may not be around to defend their world title which they won under coach Yemi Tella a year ago.
Too bad.

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