Super Eagles of Nigeria: So Much Quality, Great Suspense!

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Nigerian Super Eagles Qualifies for 2023 CAF African Nations Cup On the 13th October, the draws for the 2023-24 African Nations Cup was released by the Confederation for African Football, CAF. Nigeria was drawn in group A, comprising hosts, Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea. Opinions differ on our chances for qualification, but using past, current records and team quality, Nigeria ranks above all these teams. The Nigerian Super Eagles has won the African Nations Cup thrice, 1980, 1994 and 2013. Her performance thereafter has been lackluster; they failed to qualify for the next two editions, for reasons far removed from the availability of quality players. What Hope for Nigerian Super Eagles? Fast forward to 2023, and Nigeria is again set to compete with other African Nations for the highest football competition in Africa. It is a very important competition for every participating nation and it is expected that football clubs across the world with African players would have to contend with losing these players (for nations that qualified) for the January tournament. Fans and supporters of the Super Eagles would as usual remain in palpable suspense, despite the huge talent and quality of players available to the team. On current form, Nigeria, boasts of a very formidable team, good enough to overwhelm any other African team, but alas, the Super Eagles, disappoint, when more is expected from them. Some contrary opinions would want to posit about the passionate sentiments of Nigerians to complain whenever the Super Eagle stumble, but this is far from the truth! For ages, no knowledgeable Nigerian football fan can articulate our football style or philosophy because no Super Eagles coach have for over a decade, been able to impose a definite style, whether ultra attack or defence minded or even the kick-and-follow! We thrive on the individual brilliance and/or collective brilliance of a minority few!

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Even during the Super Eagles period of her highest apogee, their downfall has always been traced the off-the field issues, such as bickering over allowances and jaundiced team selections. For a team comprising Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Sunday Awoniyi, Samuel Chukwueze, Gift Orban, Kelechi Ihenacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Ola Aina et al, why should a Nigerian worry about its good performance? That question remains the crux of confusion that bedevils the Super Eagles! During the CAF ANC 2021, in Cameroun, she started well, beating defending champions, Egypt,1-0, beat Ethiopia and Guinea Bissau, 3-1 and 2-0 respectively at the group stage, then surprisingly lost 1-0 to Tunisia, in a lack luster match, wherein fans only saw the ‘shadows’ of the players, rather than their real quality. On the 23rd March 2023, playing against lowly rated Guinea Bissau, in Abuja-Nigeria, during the African Nations qualification match, she lost 1-0. Despite taking revenge by the same margin four days after in Bissau, the embarrassment had already been done to the fans. The nation suffered the same pain, when after getting a scoreless draw against Ghana in the last match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, the Super Eagles crumbled to a 1-1 draw to lose qualification to the 2022 World Cup. Her recent results in international friendly matches remain appalling!

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The Super Eagles has got enough experienced players at the moment, to help steer a positive direction for glory and register their names in Nigerian folklore history. That remains the easiest opportunity for an assured performance for them as we expect the Super Eagles to brighten Nigerians morale from our bated silence in our current societal ignominy!

Andre Onana Would Bounce Back! #MANUFC #ANDREONANA

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Despite his torrid start to life at Manchester United FC, Andre Onana, would get back his groove! Goalkeepers as the last wall of defence are always encouraged to be very cautious and careful in their ball handling. A singular mistake by them could spell doom for the entire team. Their role in modern football has evolved so much in the 21st century to the extent of coaches using them as the extra man to gaining an edge over the opposition. They are trained to have a very good use of their feet to enable them easily launch attacks and at other times, act as a sweeper to intercept the opposition's foray into their territory. Andre Onana joined Manchester United FC, England from Inter Milan FC, of Italy in a £47million transfer, replacing the legendary David de Gea. His transfer was widely celebrated but the on-field results, thereafter has been abysmal. After signing, he said; “Manchester United has a long history of incredible goalkeepers, and I will now give everything to create my own legacy in the coming years. I am excited by the opportunity to work again with Erik ten Hag, and I can’t wait to play my part in the success I know he is determined to deliver at this great football club.” Andre Onana, the sweeper Goalkeeper

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There was Rene Higuita of Colombia, Fabian Barthez of France, Luis Chilavert of Paraguay and so many other goalkeepers with the sweeper- keeper mentality. Their brilliant careers were also characterized by stupendous blunders. How could anyone forget the drama of Rene Higuita losing the ball to Roger Milla, Onana's countryman, during the FIFA 1990 World Cup second round match at Naples? Higuita collected the harmless ball in front of the eighteen yard box and tried dribbling Milla, but a gentle stud on the ball threw Higuita off balance, and the ageless Roger Milla, took the ball and calmly slotted it into the net! It caused so much pain for the Colombians who expected to defeat Cameroun, but, on that day, they paid for having an eccentric goalkeeper with the flair for straying up-field.

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Today, we watch and read about the exploits of Andre Onana, the Cameroon born Manchester United FC goalkeeper. The EPL player statistics shows that Onana makes more touches than most outfield players in Manchester United FC! His transfer to Manchester United FC came with much excitement but has witnessed lots of on-field blunders enough to make him lose his place, but fortunately, his coach, Erik Ten Hag, trusts him. Onana’s lackluster performance so far, has drawn great criticism, but he'd surely bounce back! Manchester United FC, luckily won their last Premier league game against Burnley FC, before the international break and this breather remains to Onana's benefit. Rejuvenation The two weeks international break is enough to serve as a breath of fresh air to Andre Onana and his team mates. He didn't disappoint at Ajax where he played about 150 matches and Inter Milan FC, if he did, he'd never have been a target of several EPL teams. His national team coach, Rigobert Song, swallowed his pride to invite him back to the indomitable Lions and his wonderful exploits helped them qualify for the ANC 2024. My guess remains that Andre Onana and his team would have regained their confidence after the international break and return flying seamlessly. His greatest inspiration to recover remains the simple understanding that any further mistake(s), would land him on the bench. For a man with so much swag, that would be the last thing Andre Onana would ever want to happen! #ITRUSTANDREONANA! #MANUFC

The Jurgen Klopp Effect at Liverpool FC

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Jurgen Klopp has kept Liverpool FC on steady waters since he became their coach in 2015. He's taken the club to three UEFA Champions League final matches and won the title once. Klopp has won six titles for Liverpool since he left Borussia Dortmund. With Dortmund in Germany, Klopp had already distinguished himself. He competed almost at par with Bayern Munich FC, who has turned the German Bundesliga to a one team league, where they won virtually all the titles, leaving the crumbs for the others. He won the Bundesliga with them in the 2010/11 season. Eight years of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool FC

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When he first arrived, the team was crumbling and at the twilight of the Stephen Gerrard's era. He then set out on a gradual rebuild to give the team a better spine. He brought Loris Karius, Saido Mane, Joel Matip Georginio Wijnaldum. They lost the Europa cup finals three goals to one to Sevilla in 2017. This brought them hope, and then painfully lost the 2018 UEFA Champions League to the great Real Madrid FC led by Gareth Bale’s dynamism. He continued his rebuild; for Loris Karius and Mignolet, he bought Allison Becker for the goalkeeper's position. He brought Roberto Fermino, Mohammed Salah into the attack and Nabil Kaita in the midfield. Not to forget Virgil Van Dijk and in the defence. With these men, Liverpool FC began to compete at the highest levels with Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United et al. This period marked the first era of the Klopp rebuild and it worked perfectly with the good results that followed. Liverpool FC won the UEFA Champions League final in 2019 beating Tottenham Hotspur FC. The second rebuild In 2022, they narrowly lost the UEFA Champions League, again to Real Madrid, losing one goal to nil and have gradually begun another rebuild. With their long-serving captain, Jordan Henderson, Saido Mane, Roberto Fermino, Nabil Keita (never did much though) gone, he's brought players such as Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz, Diego Jota, Ibrahim Konate, Cody Gakpo, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alex McAllister, Ryan Gravernbach, and these players look perfectly settled to improve the team. The results so far gives the impression of similar success with the first rebuild. Jurgen Klopp has always been very pragmatic, attack-minded and ruthless in picking the maximum points against his opponents. Apart from possibly Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, no other club competes better in not crumbling when least expected.

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In spite of their heroics, last season was tough for Klopp’s Liverpool FC. They fell to the firepower of Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle FC. These teams took the English UEFA Champions League tickets, leaving Liverpool to fall to the Europa League. Jurgen Klopp, the Astute Financial Manager Klopp has been a good financial manager in his rebuild and Liverpool FC has spent far less than the Manchester teams, Arsenal and Chelsea throughout his reign. He has been very successful in his purchases; most players who have arrived under him have performed well. Liverpool FC has started the 2023/24 season on a good note, both in the English Premier League and Europa. They endured a torrid time at the Tottenham Hotspur FC stadium two weeks ago, due to bad VAR calls, but the future looks very bright for them this season.