AFCON

Opinion: Youth Pays Bafana Price

Published

7 years ago

June 11, 2017

ÛCLEMENT NWANKPA JR,
Courtesy: Nigeria Football Support Platform

I knew this moment will come but didn’t know it will come this soon. Frankly, I didn’t know it will be against South Africa. But the way this team was structured under Gernot Rohr, I always noted one shortcoming (I didn’t see many) “…the Experience Quotient” which is glaringly low.
It’s a very young team and you always sense a need to inject some experience. For this reason, I have always defended the inclusion of Mikel Obi even when he wasn’t making Chelsea’s bench.
I clamoured for Vincent Enyeama’s return; defended Ahmed Musa’s relevance despite limited outings at Leicester and explained away Victor Moses’ perceived ‘truancy’. The ingredient they bring to that team is priceless.
The fact remains that the Super Eagles is in dire need of some sprinkle of experience, anyhow. There are a lot of young talented players in there but the requisite experience that provides guidance is in short supply.
In international football, there must be commensurate blend of youth and experience to make success assured. Inexperienced teams don’t win major titles. Youth takes you to a point and experience takes you further.
You need the mobility of youth as much as guidance and direction of experience. We have been carried away by the abundance of young players available to Rohr but we failed to take note of the erosion of experience in the team.
Nobody is angling for an elders’ council in the form of a national team but you need players who had seen it all and done it all to take you through difficult times.

I had expected this rude awakening in the forthcoming World Cup fixtures against Cameroon and Algeria, if the needful wasn’t done, but I did not expect it to come so soon especially against South Africa.
We all expected it to be business as usual against South Africa. But today, youth ran dry and the experience that should oil the engine was not enough.
The kids got to their limit but the grey hairs that should take them further were lacking.
Result: No direction, no guidance at the middle of a battle where the opposition had taken full control. They needed some battle-tested ‘Generals’ to proffer alternative routes from the blockade mounted by the opposition.
But the ‘Generals’ had either been retired or are not fit for battle. Of course, there was a limit to what a fasting Ahmed Musa could have done when he was introduced.
Now pause and ponder: Couldn’t Algeria have done the same if Mikel Obi and Victor Moses were not on the pitch that day?
Was that doomsday postponed? Hmm…This Daniel Akpeyi ‘sef…’ Given the fact that the defence is this team’s weakest link; wouldn’t an Enyeama provide more security?
Can you imagine the scenario when we visit Algeria and Cameroon with the obvious shortcoming between the sticks? Even if we make it to the World Cup, where the competition is tougher, are we not safer with Vincent Enyeama?
Without the proper blend of experience, this team will have many of such moments, particularly at the biggest stage. Good that it happened now.
The AFCON ticket hasn’t slipped away and we are still in World Cup driver’s seat. Let us plug the loopholes. Let’s make necessary injections to equip this team for tougher times.
Let’s accord our heroes more respect… Let’s reduce the rate at which we force our internationals into premature retirement.
Sometimes, they are still doing it out there while the national team is in dire need of their services.
What the old man sees sitting, the youth won’t see even from a tree top

AFCON

Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 fixtures almost in same pattern with World Cup qualifiers

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Confederation of African Football (CAF) has now released the full fixtures of the qualifying series for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The fixtures for the Nigerian team is almost in the same pattern with that of the 2026 World Cup qualification which has seen the Super Eagles wobbling.

Like that of the World Cup, the Super Eagles will begin their quest for qualifcation for AFCON with a home game in Uyo as they will host Benin Republic.

As it was in the World Cup, they will then head to Rwanda. Last November, their second match was played in Rwanda which hosted Zimbabwe home match. This time the Super Eagles will be facing Rwanda, the same team they will meet when the World Cup qualification series resume in March next year.

On Match Day 3, the Super Eagles will host Libya and will have the reverse fixture immediately after that of Match Day 3.

Later they travel to Benin for Match Day 5 before hosting Rwanda on the last match day.

The Fixtures

September 2 – Nigeria vs Benin Republic; Libya vs Rwanda

September 6 – Rwanda vs Nigeria; Benin Republic vs Libya

October 11 – Nigeria vs Libya; Benin Republic vs Rwanda

October 16 – Libya vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Benin Republic

November 11 – Benin Republic vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Libya

November 15 – Nigeria vs Rwanda; Libya vs Benin Republic

The top two teams qualify for AFCON 2025

AFCON

Rohr roars warning to Benin; Nigeria, Rwanda will not be easy

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Former Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr now handling Benin Republic has warned The Cheetahs of Benin not to expect an easy match when the team meet Rwanda and Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

Last month, he led his team to defeat both Rwanda and Nigeria in World Cup qualifying duels in Abidjan, where Benin Republic are compelled to play their home matches following inadequate facilities at home.

Benin’s 1-0 defeat of Rwanda was Rohr’s first victory with the team. Days later, he followed up with a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria, the first Benin Republic victory in over 65 years.

Those wins have put Benin in the frame of possible qualification for the World Cup. They are now to meet Nigeria and Rwanda again in World Cup qualifiers.

It won’t be easy, remarked Rohr. Hear the Franco-German as he spoke in French but translated into English for the Sports Village Square: “From September we will play against Nigeria before facing Libya and Rwanda.

“These are three difficult opponents. We had already played Rwanda and Nigeria but be careful, it’s not because we won Rwanda and Nigeria that it will be easy matches.

“ We know that it is possible to achieve good performances again. We know that Nigeria with its great players will want to take revenge against us.

“ I think it will probably be an interesting match in Uyo before continuing against Libya. I suppose in Abidjan because in September the Mathieu Kerekou friendship stadium will not be ready.

“Everything will be decided in three months in September, October and November. It’s a difficult group but it’s playable.

“You have to finish in the top two. We had a team that is becoming solid, where the players are like brothers, accomplices. I hope we will recover the players who were absent. We are confident.”

AFCON

Coaches react after intriguing Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Draw

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The journey towards qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 shifted a gear higher on Thursday, after CAF officially conducted the draw of the qualifiers in Johannesburg South Africa.

A total of 48 nations will vie for the 24 places that will contests the 35th edition of Africa’s most prestigious competition.

This is what some of the coaches has to say in reaction to the draw outcomes.

Emerse Fae, Cote d’Ivoire coach

“I am satisfied because we are going to play against Zambia, a team that we know very well. In our last qualifying campaign, we lost against them. We know what mistakes to avoid.

“I am also satisfied because I did not want to have countries geographically far from Cote d’Ivoire which will lessen the travel load. That said, in Africa, there are no longer small teams. All the teams will want to challenge us because we are the reigning champions”

Leslie Notši

“The draw is very interesting because when you have the host in your group, it means they qualify automatically for the tournament, and you have to double your efforts to secure the remaining qualification spot which will be contested by the three other teams in the group.

“We will work very hard to see to it that we are competitive side and try as much as we can to get maximum points in matches against countries that are with us in our group. It will be very important to do well in our home games and I know all eyes will be on “Morocco as the hosts and a powerhouse in our group. We will draw inspiration from recent games where we played the likes of Nigeria as well as Cote d’voire and were able to frustrate them”

Amir Abdou, Mauritania Coach

“Quite a complicated draw. Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes.

“Seven times African champions – that’s no small thing. We also have Cape Verde who eliminated us during the last AFCON.

“This team is made up of many quality players. We have Botswana, they are having a good qualifying campaign for the World Cup. We have a pretty strong group. It’s up to us to believe in ourselves. We will do everything we can to achieve our fourth participation in the AFCON”.

Kévin Nicaise, Chad coach

“We are already having the reigning African champions facing the last qualified team in the FIFA rankings. These will definitely be very difficult matches played at high intensity. We will fight to defend our nation’s pride. The group remains relatively open, and we will approach these qualifications with humility and ambition”.

Badou Zaki, Niger coach

“We have every chance of qualifying. For me, Ghana is a football country with a team that is blessed with great professionals. But this is not the team of 5 or 6 years ago. Even at home, they can lose.

“Angola had a good showing at the last AFCON with their beautiful, modern and fast football. It’s a team that shook up the big teams in Cote d’Ivoire.

“I know Sudan very well. They are first in their World Cup qualifying group. They are going to be dangerous, but we know our strengths and we know we can go far”

-CAF