The 2014 World Cup has come and
gone.
For some, it was an unforgettable
tournament, for others it is a
tournament best forgotten.
The Germans’ victory highlights the merits of stock taking and proper
planning. The revolution of German football after a dismal outing at
the 2000 Euro tournament is well-documented, the result of which
culminated in their success in Brazil. For Nigeria, while a round-
of-16 finish can be seen as an improvement from the last two
editions, it is now necessary to take stock, learn lessons and move
forward.
For this writer, who considers the Eagles’ elimination in the last 16 a
failure, there is much to be learned and much to be improved.
The fact that many celebrate a round-of-16 finish shows how badly
the Super Eagles’ stock has fallen and how lowly we rate ourselves.
Nigeria’s very first appearance came two decades ago. As debutants,
the Eagles made it to the round of 16, as in 2014, but the 1994 class
were far more convincing and that maiden appearance still represents
Nigeria’s best showing to date.
If, 20 years after, we are still celebrating a round-of-16 showing, it
proves we have not made any progress whatsoever.
Nigerians celebrate, but is there any progress?
Senegal got to the quarter-final in their very first and only
appearance, Ghana also in only their second appearance and Nigeria,
with much more experience in the tournament, is still seeing a round-
of-16 finish at her fifth appearance as a good result…it is a big
shame.
When we also measure success, we should consider some
parameters.
What were the expectations? Did the team surpass expectations?
The answer to these questions is an overwhelming ‘no’!
We all expected the Super Eagles to qualify out of the group
considering the luck of the draw and fixtures. Even at that, the Super
Eagles struggled and wobbled to qualify and were very lucky. Were it
not for some dubious decision-making against Bosnia-Herzegovina
in the decisive Group F match, things could have been very different.
In the round-of-16 tie, the French were there for the taking but the
naivety of the Super Eagles came into play, hence the 2-0 defeat. In
all, Nigeria played four matches, won one, drew one and lost two, how
much does that really represent success?
In addition, Nigeria should consider the quality of our football; the
Super Eagles did not have any well-defined and obvious approach to
their matches.
Their first game against Iran even ranks as one of the worst games of
the 2014 World Cup. The Iranians lacked creativity and attacking
impetus but a confused Super Eagles did not just know how to react,
they wobbled and fumbled for the entire 90 minutes to the boos of a
visibly disappointed audience.
The Super Eagles did not look organised in defence. By this; I mean
the defensive approach of the team and not necessarily the defenders.
The Super Eagles also found it difficult to unlock their opponents and
string together four to five passes and there was simply no intelligent
play in their approach.
Keshi | Impotent against Iran
While the Class of ‘94 sold Nigerian football to the world and hitherto
sold themselves to the world, the 2014 class did nothing to enhance
Nigeria’s reputation and help their own careers. Going by their
performances at the World Cup, many of the players failed to do their
nose-diving careers any good.
It is hard to see the likes of Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel
improving their career fortunes with their respective performances.
The World Cup is always a good platform for footballers to sell
themselves, hence the repertoire of clubs swamping the impressive
players. The same can’t be said of the Super Eagles players, apart
from one or two pertinent exceptions.
Another cogent point is how the players the Super Eagles players
rubbed shoulders with at the age-grade competitions have grown so
much in stature and carried their teams.
Seeing how Lionel Messi carried Argentina, it is difficult to know
Mikel was the guy that competed for the Golden Ball at the 2005
World Youth Championship.
Similarly, Mario Goetze was at the 2009 U-17 World Cup hosted in
Nigeria, while he scored the winning goal at the World Cup. His
Nigerian counterparts were nowhere to be found, and we should
remember Ramon Azeez won the bronze ball at that tournament.
Toni Kroos was the Golden Ball winner in the 2007 U-17 World Cup
that Nigeria won; none of his Nigeria contemporaries comes close
today, while he pulled the strings in midfield for the victorious
Germans, no Eaglet at that tournament made the Super Eagles 23-
man squad. If at this stage, we are still celebrating a round-of-16
finish at the World Cup, then where is the result and gains of our age-
grade accolades? We have four titles at U-17 level and can’t get to
the quarter-final at the World Cup, how does that add up?
Until we start seeing our 2014 campaign as a failure and access our
shortcomings with the hope of addressing them and getting better, we
will continue to live in the past and the 1994 tournament will remain
as our best.
As long as we continue to celebrate mediocrity, we will continue to
languish in mediocrity.

Couldnt have said it better....

And those who celebrate mediocrity will come out to remind us how we've not made d round of 16 or even won a game since 1998...

Let us stop all these bashing, our football have no structure to progress like the way we desire now, all these comparison we do to other nations who have solid foundation and structure to develop their football is unecessary
Our expectations are too high for the level at which football is managed in nigeria we have no structure for players to move into the national team from under age categories so let us stop deceiving ourselves and accept our mediocrity for now

Goke7: Let us stop all these bashing, our football have no structure to progress like the way we desire now, all these comparison we do to other nations who have solid foundation and structure to develop their football is unecessary
Our expectations are too high for the level at which football is managed in nigeria we have no structure for players to move into the national team from under age categories so let us stop deceiving ourselves and accept our mediocrity for now

Well said bro

Koolmexxi: And those who celebrate mediocrity will come out to remind us how we've not made d round of 16 or even won a game since 1998...

and are they wrong? When last did you reach last 16? Am asking you, when last? I wonder how some of you analyze issues. You dont consider your past history,'but decide your incomplete analysis based on current situation. Yet you all claim you understand football. Disgustingly, some of you start comparing these team to 1994 team. Do you know when 1994 set started their grooming as a team? That was 1988; 6 years b4 1994. Do you still remember when the current team started together? 2 years ago. It is dumb, very dumb to compare the two.
Even fifa recognized how wonderful the team was by pushing us 10 places; i mean 10 good places up fidfa ranking, but nigerians themselves seem to be hell bent on drawing us down.

tonytony208:

and are they wrong? When last did you reach last 16? Am asking you, when last? I wonder how some of you analyze issues. You dont consider your past history,'but decide your incomplete analysis based on current situation. Yet you all claim you understand football. Disgustingly, some of you start comparing these team to 1994 team. Do you know when 1994 set started their grooming as a team? That was 1988; 6 years b4 1994. Do you still remember when the current team started together? 2 years ago. It is dumb, very dumb to compare the two.
Even fifa recognized how wonderful the team was by pushing us 10 places; i mean 10 good places up fidfa ranking, but nigerians themselves seem to be hell bent on drawing us down.

Well u obviously didn't read thru d OP's post to understand what point he's trying to make and the deep lying issues with Nigerian football he pointed out. How many players from junior age competitions have made it to the Super Eagles in d last 5 years? U clearly pointed out how d '94 team building started from 88. Well it is dumber to think Nigerian football is improving despite our world cup performances.

Koolmexxi:
Well u obviously didn't read thru d OP's post to understand what point he's trying to make and the deep lying issues with Nigerian football he pointed out. How many players from junior age competitions have made it to the Super Eagles in d last 5 years? U clearly pointed out how d '94 team building started from 88. Well it is dumber to think Nigerian football is improving despite our world cup performances.

yeah we have improved. If the 2010 or 2011 brand of SE were the ones that faced that Argentina team with their in form messi in the WC, we would have been impregnated with lots of unreplied goals. I guess only the dumbest of souls will not see improvement in that team.

Koolmexxi:
Well u obviously didn't read thru d OP's post to understand what point he's trying to make and the deep lying issues with Nigerian football he pointed out. How many players from junior age competitions have made it to the Super Eagles in d last 5 years? U clearly pointed out how d '94 team building started from 88. Well it is dumber to think Nigerian football is improving despite our world cup performances.

you never would have said it better kudos

tonytony208:

yeah we have improved. If the 2010 or 2011 brand of SE were the ones that faced that Argentina team with their in form messi in the WC, we would have been impregnated with lots of unreplied goals. I guess only the dumbest of souls will not see improvement in that team.

yes there is improvement but we can't run away from the truth.this team played 11 international matches and they won only one in which the opposing team scored but it was cancelled

OP, you have made some valid points. However, what you have failed to consider is that football is a dynamic game. It is not mathematics. Yes we had a very good team 20 years ago, but it doesn't necessarily mean we will rule the world 20 years on. You can count the number of teams that have shown such consistency in the last 20 years on one hand. I'd probably say Germany, Italy and maybe Brazil.

Many factors come into play, and it's not just a Nigerian thing. Even success at age-grade level is not a guarantee. Argentina have won 5 of the last 10 U-20 tournaments than any country since 1990, producing many promising players, but for their standards as 2-time champions, they've largely been blowing hot and cold. Spain won it's first World Cup in 2010. Before that they have had several generations of players who looked promising in the past, but just didn't make it. They also had youth teams that won at youth level but didn't really excel at senior level. Portugal had a wonderful youth team in the late 80's to early 90's, but they've never achieved anything of significance at senior level. That is football sometimes. Mind you, most senior teams are made up of several generations of youth team players, and not usually one particular set. Nigeria's starting 11 had at least 5 former junior internationals.

Nigeria is still a baby when it comes to World Cups. Bigger teams with a better football pedigree have been going to the World Cup long before us yet never made it past second round or quarters in decades. Also consider the fact that most world cup semi-finals are dominated by European and South American teams. The rest of the globe, not just Nigeria need to break that dominance constantly.

You mentioned Senegal reaching the quarter-finals, but have they qualified for the World Cup since then? Algeria has been to the world Cup long before us, yet they just made second round for the first time in 2014 and we are applauding them? Is that not failure too? Cameroun since 1990? Zilch! Cote d'Ivorie's golden generation? Nada!

In truth, African countries need to put structures in place to develop a generation of footballers constantly. We also need to tackle age-falsification. But most of all, we need to pray, hope, trust or whatever it is, that we finally find that generation that everything cliques for and they have a good run at the global event. That was what happened in 1994 after years of failed attempts.

Lastly, the World Cup is for men, that is why only 8 countries have ever won it. Contrary to our beliefs, Nigeria is not a super-power in football. We can be eventually, but we are still far from being worthy to dine at the table of men. Let us stop having unrealistic expectations so we don't end up bitter and grossly disappointed.

My thoughts on failure to move from age-grade soccer to senior level: https://www.nairaland.com/1506923/failure-move-u17-senior-teamis

dabossman: OP, you have made some valid points. However, what you have failed to consider is that football is a dynamic game. It is not mathematics. Yes we had a very good team 20 years ago, but it doesn't necessarily mean we will rule the world 20 years on. You can count the number of teams that have shown such consistency in the last 20 years on one hand. I'd probably say Germany, Italy and maybe Brazil.

Many factors come into play, and it's not just a Nigerian thing. Even success at age-grade level is not a guarantee. Argentina have won 5 of the last 10 U-20 tournaments than any country since 1990, producing many promising players, but for their standards as 2-time champions, they've largely been blowing hot and cold. Spain won it's first World Cup in 2010. Before that they have had several generations of players who looked promising in the past, but just didn't make it. They also had youth teams that won at youth level but didn't really excel at senior level. Portugal had a wonderful youth team in the late 80's to early 90's, but they've never achieved anything of significance at senior level. That is football sometimes. Mind you, most senior teams are made up of several generations of youth team players, and not usually one particular set. Nigeria's starting 11 had at least 5 former junior internationals.

Nigeria is still a baby when it comes to World Cups. Bigger teams with a better football pedigree have been going to the World Cup long before us yet never made it past second round or quarters in decades. Also consider the fact that most world cup semi-finals are dominated by European and South American teams. The rest of the globe, not just Nigeria need to break that dominance constantly.

You mentioned Senegal reaching the quarter-finals, but have they qualified for the World Cup since then? Algeria has been to the world Cup long before us, yet they just made second round for the first time in 2014 and we are applauding them? Is that not failure too? Cameroun since 1990? Zilch! Cote d'Ivorie's golden generation? Nada!

In truth, African countries need to put structures in place to develop a generation of footballers constantly. We also need to tackle age-falsification. But most of all, we need to pray, hope, trust or whatever it is, that we finally find that generation that everything cliques for and they have a good run at the global event. That was what happened in 1994 after years of failed attempts.

Lastly, the World Cup is for men, that is why only 8 countries have ever won it. Contrary to our beliefs, Nigeria is not a super-power in football. We can be eventually, but we are still far from being worthy to dine at the table of men. Let us stop having unrealistic expectations so we don't end up bitter and grossly disappointed.

My thoughts on failure to move from age-grade soccer to senior level: https://www.nairaland.com/1506923/failure-move-u17-senior-teamis

I really respect people like you

Davidolives: yes there is improvement but we can't run away from the truth.this team played 11 international matches and they won only one in which the opposing team scored but it was cancelled

what i noticed anyway is that they improved with every match during the WC. I also noticed that all the teams we played with were rated higher than us by fifa. Getting draw against superior teams is a plus. Don't forget that one of such draws was against italy (2-2 draw). A developing team like SE scoring 2 goals against Italy isn't child play. Bro, let's face facts; SE has improved more than what obtained in 2011. Don't forget that growth, development and improvement is a gradual process. It will still take time for them to reach where we want them to be, but we must celebrate what we have already achieved while looking forward to a better tomorrow.