Re: Tom Saintfiet

1. The technical committee of the Nigerian Football Federation, after what it considered an exhaustive search appointed one Tom Saintfiet, an itinerant European coach of Belgian origin, with a curriculum vitae rich in small time football as Technical Director (TD)...
2. The committee's chairman, Chris Green had described this appointment as an important strategy in the development of Nigerian football, with the main function of the TD being to identify and groom local talent.
3. In all fairness, the committee, it is reported, had explored the option of appointing Sunny Oliseh, who declined, indicating a preference for a coaching position. 
4. However, the Minister of Sports has now come out to cancel this appointment, his rationale being that there are many Nigerian coaches who have knowledge of grassroots football and are thus better suited for this role. 
5. Without going into the merits of this decision, the cancellation of the appointment has in itself provided an opportunity for the NFF to rethink its overall approach to what is a critical appointment in Nigerian football, if handled correctly. 
6. For starters the technical department needs to properly articulate a clear vision for this role, and set clearly identifiable targets on the basis of which the TD can be hired and subsequently assessed.
7. More importantly, the committee needs to completely reorient its approach from a top-down to a bottom-up strategy. Why do I say this?
8. Because the reality is that most of what constitutes youth football in Nigeria today lies outside the framework of the NFF.
9. Youth/grassroots football is alive and well to the extent that it is in the Mock Nations Cup in Lagos, in traders cups played in several Nigerian cities, in the Shell Cup, and multiple other avenues, including some 'academies' of varying descriptions and standards, with Pepsi Academy being the stand out.
10. What is required here is for the NFF to FIRST build a consensus among the major stakeholders in Nigerian youth/grassroots football on the vision for enhancing the development of youth/grassroots football. The commitment of the major stakeholders should then form the initial basis and the foundation upon which a TD can then function with a reasonable chance of success. Anything short of this, in my opinion, will drastically reduce the impact of this program and make it another elephant project.
11. In turn what is required of the Technical Director is an experienced coach and an innovative thinker who can improve the technical ability and knowledge of our players and coaches both now and in the future. Most importantly, a coach with the experience and ability to put in place a practical guideline for developing young players, in a manner that reflects our football culture and the best qualities of the Nigerian footballer.
12. Such a candidate should ideally (but not necessarily) be familiar with Nigerian football. He must have the stature to command respect and thus transmit confidence across the full spectrum of the program.
13. In my opinion the closest person we have who fits this criteria would be Adegboyega Onigbinde. But even he is constrained by limited access to the modern training regimes for enhanced development of youth footballers and coaches that proliferate national programs and academies in Germany, Spain, France, Holland, Brazil, Argentina, etc.
14. But there are other options, especially amongst Nigerians in the diaspora. In the US for instance, there are several good prospects including Dr Eguaoje, who incidentally holds a similar position in the state of Mississippi.
15. There is also the option of using the FIFA Goal Bureau to source a specialist in this role. These are typically developmental coaches.
16. Contrary to local reports, the Goal program has evolved from just funding infrastructures, and the 2011-2014 funding cycle makes provisions for development programs, including the development of youth academies, under which a strong case can be made for funding a technical director.
17. A wild card might also be Clemence Westerhof, whose achievements in Nigeria in the mid-nineties should still win him respect among all stakeholders. Although his long hiatus from the game might be a problem.
18. Every available index for assessing football development shows Nigerian football has stagnated. Nowhere is this more evident than in the quality of young players available to national team selectors, as well as the products from the Professional League. The result is also evident in the poor quality of players prematurely seeking transfer to Europe, many of whom end up in backwater leagues or are lost altogether to our football. 
19.  As I have said in the past, the combination of the Bosman Rule and European integration has led to greater competition, higher entry standards and thus reduced opportunities for Nigerian and African players in the first tier European leagues. The reality is that we can no longer rely entirely on European teams to develop our players. It is not a sustainable model.
20. Let there be no misunderstanding. The TD however good he might be, will not solve all the problems facing Nigerian football. But at the very least, and if well implemented, the quality of players available at youth level should increase significantly. And that would be an important achievement by this NFF regime.

 

How Long Must Africa Put Up with Issa Hayatou?

By any plausible consideration Issa Hayatou has had a controversial tenure in his 15 years as President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). But he has equally presided over the increase in the continent's participation in the World Cup, including the first ever tournament in Africa in 2010, the expansion of the Nations Cup as well as the champions league and confederation cup.

Even while recognizing these laudable achievements the point needs to be made that the African football family needs an injection of new blood and fresh ideas. It is time for Issa Hayatou to go!

While the successes of his 15-year tenure maybe measurable in quantitative statistics, a huge quality gap still exists in the administration of the game in Africa. Even more important, the last 15 years has seen the gap between the continent and Europe widen, and Asia's dwindle considerably to the point that Asian football can be said to dominate Africa in several indices, especially the quality of the domestic game and the development of youth football.

Perhaps no single event has graphically illustrated the dysfunction that is Issa Hayatou's CAF than the qualification games of the last Nations Cup. Here below is the BBC sports page on the final day of qualifiers:

1807 We've done some more maths - and can now say that Libya are through as one of the best runners-up.


1740 Not everyone is accepting CAF's analysis of Niger's qualification. "Fast Track BBC, the explanation CAF have given you is bogus. Mini tournament between 3 teams....are you being serious? Look up the rules for yourselves," says an anonymous texter in South Africa.


1727 I understand why South Africa have missed out on qualification, but our commentators in the studio don't and have been congratulating the team! They will come down to earth hard... Devastating. This is why head-to-head is a terrible way of settling ties...- Martin, Johannesburg


1723 News from South Africa. The BBC's Solomon Izang Ashoms says "A lot of confusion and unhappiness here - wrong calculation".


1715 An explanation of why Niger are going through. We spoke to the Confederation of African Football who confirmed that because Niger, South Africa and Sierra Leone all finished on 9 points the qualification was decided as a mini-league between the three of them - and that puts Niger on top. There are people who disagree - but that is the word from the body which runs the tournament!


1712 The BBC has spoken to the Confederation of African Football which confirms that Niger are through in the group. That will be devastation for Bafana Bafana - but a tremendous achievement for Niger who are through for the first time ever.


1708 Confusion over who qualifies from Group G. South Africa, Niger and Sierra Leone all finish on 9 points. Bafana Bafana think they're through so do Niger.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/9610886.stm

Let me be clear, the country associations bear direct responsibility for failure to understand and educate fans of the rules, and in this regard they failed woefully. Secondly, CAF itself was constrained by late withdrawals from the qualifying series.

However the solution implemented has to be the most discombobulated approach to a qualifying system ever invented. What is more, it required the application of some fuzzy math which involved the cancellation of validly played games and withdrawal of points earned in them, even though players travelled thousands of kilometers and risked limbs to participate in them; fans paid hard earned money to attend and cheer their teams, etc. Yet neither the fans nor players were compensated. Nobody in CAF even had the common courtesy to explain them...

 

And now as the 2014 world cup qualifying series kicks off, yet another change in the format with a final playoff round of 10 teams in a head to head contest, leaves the real possibility of the continent not sending its strongest teams to the tournament, especially if no seeding is done in the crucial 4th round. What is more, with the well known shenanigans that bedevil the road game in Africa, it leaves the real possibility of increased insecurity as well as the potential to produce one hit wonders. The determinant of the strongest teams in the domestic game of any football association is the league not the FA cup!

Then there is the repeated failure to speak up for African footballers who repeatedly face the scourge of racist abuse in Europe. A cursory look at google on this issue suprisingly shows evidence that FIFA President Sepp Blatter has been far more vocal on this issue than Hayatou. It is ironic that in several other instances, Mr Blatter appears far more interested in the development of the game in Africa than Mr Hayatou.

This same lack of sensitivity was equally behind the terrible decision to sanction Togo for withdrawing from a Nations Cup where CAF failed in itse responsibility to adequately guarantee the security of the participating teams. 

Related to this, attendance in the Nations Cup has continued to decline, as the quality of the competition itself.

The TV broadcast rights decision has alienated many associations, with many matches in the on going qualifying series not being broadcast, with the rights holder pricing the games out of reach of local television stations.

In many respects, the CAF under Mr Hayatou has become an insular organization with little transparency and scant regard for the stakeholders in the African game. The manner in which CAF handled the serious allegations of impropreity against Mr Hayatou, revealed an organization more focussed on perpetuating an individual in power than protecting the integrity of the institution.

Fifteen years is a long time in the life of any organization. An African continent with a rich history of despots and Presidents for life, does not need perpetuate a cult of personality in the management of its football, especially not by a man who has been severely compromised by allegations of corruption and impropreity.

It is time for Issa Hayatou go!

African Match of the Week: Zambia vs Ghana

The top match of the week was at the Ndola Stadium with Zambia meeting Ghana for the first time since their semi-final game at the ANC. Having lost their opening match to Sudan, Zambia was under pressure to produce a win, and they did...

A match played in an even spirit would end heatedly, with the Ghanaians upset by certain decisions by the Tunisian referee Med Kordi, with some merit I might add. Mr Kordi' performance was at times questionable, with his average mobility appearing to lead him to guess on certain decisions.

But overall and in all fairness, his decisions were not decisive in the outcome of the match, not by a long mile and Ghana must heed Micheal Jackson's words to look in the mirror....

A tepid Black Stars team playing at a pedestrian tempo, appeared convinced of the validity of its slow passing game. The true test of possession is in the evidence of cutting edge in the final third! Without generating any serious tempo until the dying moments of the game, Ghana had nothing in the final third: not movement, not pass completion ratio, not chances....

Without Asamoah Gyan, Ghana lacked a striker who had the movement to create space in the final third, and the ability to play with back to goal, hold up the ball and bring others into play, in spite of the manful efforts of Adiyah.

On the opposite end, Mayuka had everything Adiyah lacked; he especially had the mobility to make clever runs to create space to receive the ball and drag the center backs out of position for Katongo to take advantage of.

The Zambian template for victory was the same as at the Nations Cup. A flexible 4-4-2 (4-4-1-1) formation executed in typical blue collar fashion, with Chris Katongo in a free role behind Mayuka, enabled Zambia again overcome Ghana through its superior work rate in midfield, organization in defence by dropping off quickly, and pace and mobility upfront which the Ghanaian defence never fully came to terms with.

In Isaac Vorsah, Ghana may have an experienced defender, but his lack of pace meant Mayuka and especially Ranford Kalaba would take turns to race past him. It should have been 2-0 at half time...

As it was in the Nations Cup, Ghana continues to struggle to get the balance right in central midfield especially with the absence of Kevin Boateng. Even with a double pivot in Derek Boateng and Agyeman Badu, a static central defence was further exposed by failure to pick up runs into the box from midfield, or effectively cover wide players attacking the inside of the fullbacks.

In my opinion a choice needs to be made between Kwadwo Asamoah and Muntari to play on the left of Badu (if match fit or Annan) to provide balance in central midfield, with Christian Atsu furthermost of the three behind the striker. Or in the alternative, create a free role for Kwadwo in the same position.

In lateral defence, the reality is that Inkoom is a poor defender and lacks end product as a wing back. Ghana must develop better options. On the left, Afful had a decent game, but was disappointed not to see Massawudu who I thought showed good potential at the Nations Cup.

In consecutive losses to Zambia, one thing that has stood out for me was Ghana's lack of organization and commitment in pressing Chansa and Sinkala in the Zambian central midfield, whom I have always felt to be vulnerable in possession, especially the latter.

In spite of the loss I still favor Ghana over Zambia,with road games against Sudan being decisive. But the corresponding fixture in Accra should be a treat....

Malawi vs Nigeria Preview

1. Malawi meets Nigeria for its first home game in the world cup qualifying series, following a draw on the road to Kenya and a home win for Nigeria against Namibia. Interestingly,  the loquacious coach Kinnah Phiri was team manager when an energetic Malawi team held Nigeria in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Clement Temile and the late Clifton Msiya starring...and current Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi as captain... 
2. Three players Harry Nyirenda, Robert Ng'ambi and Chiukepo Msowoya, return after missing last week's match in Kenya, while wide midfielder Peter Pindani earns a first call up.
3. Defender and team captain Peter Mponda also returns after missing the trip to the Kisarani due to club commitment. The vast majority of the squad is drawn from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in South Africa, except for the young Robin Ngalande from the youth team of Atletico Madrid and Russell Mwafulirwa who is currently unatached.
4. For Nigeria, all the starters from last week are available, but injuries have led to the dropping of Ekigho Ehiosun and Odumadi. Also dropped is Izu Azuka from Sunshine Stars and suprisingly Fengor Ogude who had earlier been declared fit. Obiorah Nwankwo is retained and is expected to shake off a minor knock, while Raheem Lawal is added to the first team squad.
5. In my opinion the major tactical challenge for Nigeria going into this game lies especially in the ability of the team to use the midfield, and controlled possession to suck the energy and enthusiasm from what should be a bouyant Malawi team, and create a platform for the counterattacking game. This is especially important as a sometimes over exhuberant Malawi team, tend to leave undefended zones for a counterattacking team to exploit.
6. Simultaneously, a static defence line often leaves the team vulnerable to the quick 1-2 pass and deep runs from midfield, with defenders ball watching and inattentive to the movement around them.
7. Against Namibia, a nominal 4-2-3-1 team structure often looked like a 4-2-4, an imbalance that was never challenged by a cautious opponent sitting too deep and lacking quality. This will have to be addressed in order not to put too much pressure on the defence as well as leave the forwards isolated.
8. The next major challenge I suspect will be the structure of the pressing game:

9. 
   

   How high do we press the Flames and as a consequence how high will the defensive line be?

   How is this executed- individually or more structured, perhaps within zones?

10. The team's pressing game against Egypt and especially Peru was often exposed for its lack of structure, with gaps emerging behind the central midfield as the pressing players are drawn out of position.
11. This is especially important as the Flames are a fairly decent (even if erratic) passing team in open play, with the occassional swift combination passing game. The left side of the team appeared most potent at the Kisarani, with good chemistry between Kamwendo and Ngalande; the latter making some telling deliveries, often to the far post.
12. The match should provide a good test for the Nigerian lateral defenders, especially if Pindani starts and brings his club form to the game. It should especially test Juwon Oshaniwa's lack of positional discipline and poor recovery rate.
13. Against Namibia, Nigeria looked most dangerous when Ike Uche or Victor Moses ran at the defence centrally. I expect the two players to remain the most influential in attack.
14. On the flanks, Utaka and Uzoenyi were ineffective, with the latter unable to bring his undoubted qualities to aid the team game.
15. In my opinion Keshi's homebased approach will live or die by this game....
16. The decision to drop Fengor Ogude who was already fully integrated into the Super Eagles, and declared fit earlier (Source) is suprising to say the least. While I respect the right of every coach to make decisions concerning the team, you have to wonder whether this decision is entirely based on technical considerations.
17. 
    

    PS: The Nigerian team's chattered flight that was to depart tonight has now been cancelled Link. With the game scheduled for Saturday afternoon, the team now runs the real risk of repeating the mistakes from the Ethiopia match which was discussed here.

Eagles squad to Malawi:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim

Defenders: Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Gege Soriola, Papa Idris, Efe Ambrose, Elderson Echejile and Juwon Oshaniwa.

Midfielders: Gabriel Reuben, Raheem Lawal, Obiorah Nwankwo, Henry Uche

Strikers: Victor Moses, Sunday Mba, Ikechukwu Uche, Omatsone Aluko, Uche Kalu Ejike Uzoenyi, Obinna Nwachukwu, Ahmed Musa, John Utaka

Malawi Line-Up vs Kenya

Goalkeeper: Simplex Nthala (16)

Defenders: Moses Chavula (3); Foster Namwera (4); James Sangala (13); Limbikani Mzava (12)

Midfielders: James Kamwendo (10); Dave Banda (6); Chimango Kayira (15); Robin Ngalande (11)

Strikers: Russell Mwafulirwa (9); Atusaye Nyondo (18)

Subs Used: 37′ John Banda (2) in for Robin Ngalande; 54′ Frank Banda (8) in for Atusaye Nyondo

90′ Zicco Mkanda (13) in for Russell Mwafulirwa

Subs not used: Amadu Ali (1); Pilirani Makupe (7); Steve Chagoma (14); Jimmy Zakazaka (17)

Ndaziona Chatsalira (19)

Has Anybody Seen the Super Eagles?

...cus I haven't! Not recently at least.

Since I've been following football I have never seen the idiocy that is currently being perpetrated on hapless Nigerian football fans in the name of rebuilding the Super Eagles. Nowhere in the world has anybody summarily dismantled the core of a national team with the explanation that he wants to 'give others a chance'.

At the time Siasia was fired for failure to qualify for the Nations cup, a definitive team was starting to emerge in the Super Eagles. Joel and Mikel Obi were starting to form a credible partnership as a double pivot in central midfield in a 4-2-3-1 formation. But there were flaws; weaknesses that needed to be addressed, both in tactical organization of the team and personnel, especially in defence as I discussed here..

But in come Mr Keshi and Daniel Amokachi. Two men who cannot put together a proper tactical plan decide in their own wisdom to embark on a wholesale change in the Super Eagles. They say they are searching for hungry players; players who can 'hussle'. So in one fell swoop we do away with Taiwo, Ogude, Nsofor, Obasi, Emenike, Brown. We invite Raheem Lawal who could not make the U-23 team until its star players like Nosa Igiebor became unavailable, but leave Nosa at home!

We consider Taiye Taiwo not good enough but persist with Oshaniwa who has no clue what the role of a fullback is, and would give an arm to play at the level Taiwo currently does! And all the while the drumbeat of dichotomy between the foreign and homebased players is sounding ever louder. Something smells about this weird experimentation and it ain't sweet...

We consider Obaobona good enough at right back or a substitute center back and then play Ambrose Efe at right back. Yet we have Terna Suswan, one of the best fullbacks at the last WYC in Colombia, and who has broken into the team at Vitoria Setubal.

On the Chelsea forum. fans are clamouring for the return of Omeruo from his loan spell at ADO Den Haag in the Eredivisie, where he has been outstanding as a right back, including scoring two goals. Yet we consider Godfrey Oboabona good enough to start for the Super Eagles, while Omeruo sits at home.

We consider Azubuike Egwueke good enough to start in central defence, yet Onyekachi Apam who has made a solid return to first team football at Rennes is left to sit at home. Something smells about this endless rebuilding exercise and it ain't sweet...

Let there be no misunderstanding! As I have said before, I am in support of the strategy of building the Super Eagles from the domestic game. But it has to be based on using players who are competitive in the positions they play and who bring added value to the team. It cannot be based and should not be based as Mr Keshi has said on giving local players a chance (Source). The task of team building is not an affirmative action exercise nor is it an exercise in participatory democracy! It seems Mr Keshi is confusing his job as Super Eagles coach with that of the INEC chairman!

They say the foreign based players lack commitment. Yet Siasia's inability to qualify for the ANC had nothing to do with a lack of commitment on the part of his players. We seem to be diagnosing solutions to a non existent problem....

They say the homebased players are hungry and can hussle.

First, 'hussle' is not a tactic known to the game of football. The popular but misleading tendency is to confuse 'hussle' for 'pressing'. The 'hussle' is about individual players running after the football like headless chicken. Pressing on the other hand is the systematic movement of a group of players, often within defined zones, to reduce the time and space an opponent has on the ball.

The miserable performance of Keshi's Super Eagles against a pedestrian Namibian team is evidence of a clear and present danger. While it is quite possible that the team may grow from this victory, there is little evidence to suggest this beyond a hope and a prayer.

The evidence does not lie in the fact we dominated Namibia. That was always the expectation leading up to the match.

The evidence does not lie in the 4-2-4 formation that Keshi and Amokachi effectively employed against Namibia, or their laughable attempt to play a 'false 9' without understanding the lines of movement such a tactic recommends....

The evidence does not lie in the numerous 'chances' we missed. That's what happens when you get 50/50 or scrambled chances; the kind that results not from constructive team play but individualism or mistakes from the opponent. They are called half chances because they can go either way...

Something smells about this homebased rebuilding exercise; and it smells a lot like dead fish!

In the last decade, millions of hapless Super Eagles fans have endured the spectre of a national team consistently underachieving in the continent, supervised by ex-footballers who lack the personal commitment to rigorously apply themselves to  the work required to be a top coach, instead relying on their citizenship to get jobs for which they are highly underqualified for or unprepared.

Sadly the misery endures.....