And Nigeria crashed out

The Super Eagle of Nigeria went to Ghana for the 26th edition of Africa Cup of Nations 2008 as a team to beat due to the fact that FIFA, the world soccer governing body ranked them as No 1 in Africa. The team has talented and experienced footballers who ply their trade in some of the world's most competitive leagues but the team spirit was lacking. The players played individual games and it cost us the Cup.
Nigeria had no reason losing the first match to Cote D'Ivoire by a lone goal when they had several scoring chances but the lacklustre attitude made them not to convert those chances to real goals.Even against Mali, the footballers and their technical crew could not raise their game. At a point i think they lost focus and concentration. In fact, the Super Eagles were no championship material as the defence was loose, the attack unstrategise and the midfield vacant most times.
What actually were Nigerians expecting from a coach who lives in Europe and only comes to Nigeria when there is a game. Instead of residing in Nigeria to study our environment and our pattern of play, he stays in Europe claiming to monitor the players during leagues. He believes he has professionals who can just enter the field and perform wonders. It does not work that way and unfortunately Nigerians are the ones feeling the pains and embarrassment. Technically, he is bereft of ideas. Most of the changes he made in the competition were faulty and had no impact on the team.The last one he made substituting Mikel Obi in the Ghana versus Nigeria match was disastrous. Why will a coach who understands a game and his players substitute a player who was playing so well by holding the midfield together? Even if Mikel was injured he was still playing well. Immediately he substituted Mikel Obi, a world class player with a young inexperienced player, Nigeria lost the momentum and finally the match. We could not even capitalise on the number advantage or the sending off of Ghana's strong man in defence to score more goals.
The players too are to blame for our ouster from the ongoing Nations Cup competition. Apart from Osaze Odemwigwe and Mikel Obi, the others were just making up the numbers. Their lackadaisical attitude did not help matters. Imagine Taye Taiwo looking elsewhere instead of marking thereby allowing his opponent to score the second goal of the match.We lost painfully 2-1 to Ghana. Sunday, 3rd February 2008, was a sad sunday to a football loving country like Nigeria.
Though I had been hopeful of Nigeria lifting the cup before the start of the competition but after watching the first two matches, my hope began to wane and the third match did not bring any comfort until Cote D'Ivoire saved us from shame by defeating Mali. We were in the quarter final by chance and by the professional ability of another country and not through our hardwork or play.
I hope our football administrators have learnt something out of this so that we do not repeat the same blunder in the world cup.