Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. ~Henry Ford
At the time of going to write this piece, the Nigeria Football Federation Board had gone to a meeting to review the year 2011. Most of us have already done so and come to a conclusion: it was a season of failures.
A lack of talent in the local league caused by persistent exodus of players who go to Europe where they are not well received these days owing to the age cheat factor go on to unknown places like China, Sudan and Pakistan. A lack of succession plan for players in the national teams, loss of form by our players, mismanagement of players by the coaches, tactical inconsistency amongst others have been some of the reason for this season of failures.
Chief amongst reasons however, is the persistent disorganization within the NFF. For the greater part of last year and early this year, there were tussles of varying sorts and degrees about the legitimacy of the current board. It dragged on in various courts for too long. The player unions also joined in the foray all attempting to play leader in a theater of clowns.
Politically, it got worse with the Amos Adamu saga and his eventual disgrace from the exalted positions of FIFA and CAF executive committee member. The episode was one which Nigerians were very willing to forget as Nigeria was persistently being portrayed in the international media as being a people up to no good. Up to no good we were when all the teams failed to qualify for any football tournament next year. But sometimes, there is a bad harvest and there is not a worse period of poor harvests than the year 2011 with Nigerian football.
We cannot continue to lick our wounds or lie down and fail to get up. Our football has taken a beating, the getting up is up to our Nigerian Football Congress that elected this board by hook or crook. They must meet again to discuss our failure but more importantly how this represents an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
The work is already carved out for them, they must pass a vote of no confidence on this board before its tenure expires. It is unusual and unheard of for all the coaches to be bad in one year. The coaches though having a share of the blame, have been punished. But the board cannot be absolved from the blame which they are quick to pass.
The Maigari led board continues to argue at every opportunity that it provided everything for the players and crew only for the players to fail to deliver. Just what does everything mean? Anyway, we do not have time and space to review exactly or in detail the short comings of this board. The technical committee must also go with it. We cannot hire a mediocre band and expect sustained melody. There might have been moments of intense gyration but it fooled no keen mind.
Are we to talk of the hiring of hooded monks or of small planes in Antanarivo or of misinformation to a desperate and highly pressured team? What about a league that dragged forever owing to persistent squabbles? Are these failures of Siasia, Eucheria and Eguavoen also? What about financial prudence and squandered sums that have now amounted to waste? Just what did this board do right that amounts to providing everything for the players?
It is full time on this match called 2011 for the Maigari led NFF board and its inconsistent technical committee. If yours truly is misinformed about the right of the congress to end the tenure of this board for some legislative failure or other, then we are in for not only a season but an era of failure 2010 – 2014. Only the grace of God who many argue has abandoned Nigeria and pitched tents elsewhere can help us get any meaningful success.
At the time of going to write this piece, the Nigeria Football Federation Board had gone to a meeting to review the year 2011. Most of us have already done so and come to a conclusion: it was a season of failures.
A lack of talent in the local league caused by persistent exodus of players who go to Europe where they are not well received these days owing to the age cheat factor go on to unknown places like China, Sudan and Pakistan. A lack of succession plan for players in the national teams, loss of form by our players, mismanagement of players by the coaches, tactical inconsistency amongst others have been some of the reason for this season of failures.
Chief amongst reasons however, is the persistent disorganization within the NFF. For the greater part of last year and early this year, there were tussles of varying sorts and degrees about the legitimacy of the current board. It dragged on in various courts for too long. The player unions also joined in the foray all attempting to play leader in a theater of clowns.
Politically, it got worse with the Amos Adamu saga and his eventual disgrace from the exalted positions of FIFA and CAF executive committee member. The episode was one which Nigerians were very willing to forget as Nigeria was persistently being portrayed in the international media as being a people up to no good. Up to no good we were when all the teams failed to qualify for any football tournament next year. But sometimes, there is a bad harvest and there is not a worse period of poor harvests than the year 2011 with Nigerian football.
We cannot continue to lick our wounds or lie down and fail to get up. Our football has taken a beating, the getting up is up to our Nigerian Football Congress that elected this board by hook or crook. They must meet again to discuss our failure but more importantly how this represents an opportunity to begin again more intelligently.
The work is already carved out for them, they must pass a vote of no confidence on this board before its tenure expires. It is unusual and unheard of for all the coaches to be bad in one year. The coaches though having a share of the blame, have been punished. But the board cannot be absolved from the blame which they are quick to pass.
The Maigari led board continues to argue at every opportunity that it provided everything for the players and crew only for the players to fail to deliver. Just what does everything mean? Anyway, we do not have time and space to review exactly or in detail the short comings of this board. The technical committee must also go with it. We cannot hire a mediocre band and expect sustained melody. There might have been moments of intense gyration but it fooled no keen mind.
Are we to talk of the hiring of hooded monks or of small planes in Antanarivo or of misinformation to a desperate and highly pressured team? What about a league that dragged forever owing to persistent squabbles? Are these failures of Siasia, Eucheria and Eguavoen also? What about financial prudence and squandered sums that have now amounted to waste? Just what did this board do right that amounts to providing everything for the players?
It is full time on this match called 2011 for the Maigari led NFF board and its inconsistent technical committee. If yours truly is misinformed about the right of the congress to end the tenure of this board for some legislative failure or other, then we are in for not only a season but an era of failure 2010 – 2014. Only the grace of God who many argue has abandoned Nigeria and pitched tents elsewhere can help us get any meaningful success.
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