Saw this letter on sahara news and I guess is a good advice so I decide to share it here



Dec, 29 2013, 11:12AM — siteadmin
By Ayo Akinfe
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi
Head Coach
Super Eagles
Nigerian Football Federation
Olusegun Obasanjo Way
Abuja
Dear sir,
An Open letter to Stephen Keshi
As we are in an open letter season, it is pertinent
that we make the maximum use of this popular
medium of communication, while it is in vogue. So
long as it is used positively to better our nation,
enhance our collective lives, eschew errors of the
past and suggest ways to make Nigeria a better
place for all of us, it is a good thing.
Unlike other letters that are flying around at the
moment, this one is from a friend and not a foe
and be rest assured, it contains no personal
attack, malice of negative criticism. This letter is
designed to better our lot come June next year
when the Super Eagles will be featuring in the
2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Given your history as a former Super Eagles
player, captain and assistant coach, you are fully
aware of our footballing history and how we have
featured ion four tournaments so far. To be
honest, the last two World Cups in which Nigeria
featured are best forgotten about as our senseless
decision to change coaches and overhaul our
teams with just a few months to go was suicidal
to put it politely.
Come 2014, however, we are on the cusp of
creating history and correcting the wrongs of the
past as we are not changing the guard at the last
minute, are African champions, are seeing a
return of confidence and as our recent friendly
with Italy showed, have the nucleus of a team that
can compete at the highest level. However, at
this level, a few minor details, which may only
account for say 5% of overall planning, can
sometimes make the difference between failure
and success.

In the main, we have a very kind draw, having
been grouped with Argentina, debutants Bosnia-
Herzegovina and minnows Iran in Group F. We
have a good chance of reaching the semi finals at
the least if we get our act together but we have
one major problem - Time is not on our side.
Unfortunately, there is only one Fifa window left
before the end of the current season and after
that, there will only be 18 days between when our
camp opens on May 25 and the start of the World
Cup. Subsequently, we simply do not have the
time to arrange as many friendly games as we
need to get our team in shape, which is a big
worry.
How could we prepare:
[1] We are in the same group as Argentina, so
should play Colombia. Given that Colombia are in
the same group as Ivory Coast, I would imagine
they want to play African opposition too
[2] South Korea are playing Algeria, so I would
imagine they also want to play African opposition.
Bear in mind we are playing Iran, who were in the
same World Cup qualification group as South
Korea (The Persians actually topped the group), I
think this is a game that will also do us well
[3] Bosnia-Herzegovina qualified from the same
European group as Greece, who are also in Ivory
Coast's group. They play similar southern
European football, just as we and Les Elephants
play similar West African football, so a game will
do both of us well
[4] In March, there is a Fifa window and we
basically need to squeeze two friendlies into this
window
[5] We could play Colombia on Tuesday March 4
and then Greece on Friday March 7, both in
England
[6] We should play them in Europe, so we can fit
in two games within the week. Ideally, it would be
good to play both games in England, to avoid long
travel
[7] At the end of the season in May, we can then
play South Korea, maybe in Brazil itself
[8] In the run-up to the World Cup, we could play
two or three more friendlies.
[9] While camped in the US for instance, we can
play friendlies against South American countries
Venezuela, Peru and Bolivia.
[10] Unlike everyone else, we need such a hectic
schedule because we have to try out about 10
players who should be part of our current set-up
but are not and they need to be tested

What should our friendly schedule look like:
[1] March 4 - Colombia (London)
[2] March 7 - Greece (London)
[3] May 24 - Venezuela (London)
[5] May 31 - Bolivia (Houston)
[6] June 2 - Peru (Houston)
[7] June 7 - South Korea (Cuiaba)
[8] June 11 - Local Brazilian clubside Atletico
Paranaense (Curitiba)
Given that players we desperately need have not
played for the Eagles for a while, if at all, we
simply do not have the luxury of a leisurely World
Cup run-in. If we are casual about it, we will fail as
we did in the last two tournaments we
participated in.
Players who desperately need at least two
matches to see how they fit in with the current
set-up include:
[1] Dele Alampasu
[2] Bright Esieme
[3] Leon Balogun
[4] Musa Mohammed
[5] Juwon Oshaniwa
[6] Kingsley Madu
[7] Kenny Otiga
[8] Joel Obi
[9] Ramon Azeez
[10] Michael Olaitan
[11] Lukman Haruna
[12] Rabiu Ibrahim
[13] Kelechi Iheanacho
[14] Sone Aluko
[15] Chinedu Obasi
One of the beauties of football is that it takes very
little time to determine how good a person is. If
any of these players show they are not up to the
task, then they will of course be decamped but it
cannot be right to not give them the opportunity
to show their worth before discarding them.
It would have been wonderful if we were at this
stage in the summer before the Confederations
Cup, where we could have used that tournament
to look at these players but as we cannot turn
back the hand of the clock, we just have to deal
with the situation as it is. Given that you have
opted for a 4-3-3 formation, it is easy to tell what
our team requires and where the reinforcements
are needed.

Our 23-man squad to the World Cup is almost
certainly going to look something like this:
[1] Three goalkeepers
[2] Four fullbacks
[3] Four centerebacks
[4] Four central midfielders
[5] Two playmakers
[6] Two targetmen
[7] Four widemen
To even the casual observer, our weakest areas
are currently in the two fullback positions, where
we desperately lack two crossers and in the
playmaker role, where we have nobody to feed the
strikers. Past attempts to play our best player
Mikel Obi as a playmaker have proved disastrous
as for starters, he runs out of gas after 60 minutes
and secondly, it denies the team of his long-range
passing from deep.
More worrying is the fact that we simply do not
have the option of scoring from crosses as we saw
happen for our second goal against Italy. In the
modern game, about 80% of crosses come from
fullbacks, so if we do not sort this problem out, we
will be on the way back from Brazil sooner, rather
than later.
As things stand, our best squad looks something
like this:

*************************Emenike****************
**************Aluko**********************Moses***
****************************Haruna***************
**************Onazi***********************Mikel***
***Oshaniwa********Oboabona**********Omeruo***
*****************************Enyeama************
Rest of the squad
[12] Austin Ejide
[13] Dele Alampasu
[14] Solomon Kwambe/Leon Balogun
[15] Uwa Echiejile/Benjamin Francis
[16] Azubike Egwuekwe
[17] Efe Ambrose/Kenny Otiga
[18] Joel Obi/Michael Olaitan
[19] Ramon Azeez
[20] Kelechi Iheanacho/Nosa Igiebor/Rabiu
Ibrahim
[21] Shola Ameobi
[22] Chinedu Obasi
[23] Ahmed Musa
However, before we can agree on this squad,
these players need to be tried and tested in
friendly games. I suggest we use the March Fifa
window judiciously as it is the last chance we will
have.
We need all these 29 players in camp on March
and have to try them all out, in what will be our
most important pruning exercise of the World Cup
programme. Fifa's March window may well
determine if we fail or succeed in Brazil 2014.
Kind regards
Ayo Akinfe
Nigerian Watch
London
UK

Bros it seems u r so mch into sports, anyways nice one.

Bro , u are right , more friendly matches will help the team grow stronger.

Season of letter writing

this first XI is one man down

bayulll01: *************************Emenike****************
**************Aluko**********************Moses***
****************************Haruna***************
**************Onazi***********************Mikel***
***Oshaniwa********Oboabona**********Omeruo***
*****************************Enyeama************
Rest of the squad
[12] Austin Ejide
[13] Dele Alampasu
[14] Solomon Kwambe/Leon Balogun
[15] Uwa Echiejile/Benjamin Francis
[16] Azubike Egwuekwe
[17] Efe Ambrose/Kenny Otiga
[18] Joel Obi/Michael Olaitan
[19] Ramon Azeez
[20] Kelechi Iheanacho/Nosa Igiebor/Rabiu
Ibrahim
[21] Shola Ameobi
[22] Chinedu Obasi
[23] Ahmed Musa
However, before we can agree on this squad,
these players need to be tried and tested in
friendly games. I suggest we use the March Fifa
window judiciously as it is the last chance we will
have.
We need all these 29 players in camp on March
and have to try them all out, in what will be our
most important pruning exercise of the World Cup
programme. Fifa's March window may well
determine if we fail or succeed in Brazil 2014.
Kind regards
Ayo Akinfe
Nigerian Watch
London
UK

generally, the entire write-up is on point. Though knowing how lazy NFF is, we aren't likely to вє able to get in more than 3 matches, we may вє able to fix 2 friendlies in March since NFF are good at organizing jam jam games for our players, but that's as far as they will go, except someone requests a match with us.

I do agree on the testing of certain players, but again, they'll end up testing just two or three of the listed guys- normal NFF ish, they may cap two uncapped guys, and that's as far as the lazy slobs will go.

Expect change, but nothing as massive as what you're suggesting....good letter still

The reason why we shld try those guys listed above!! Is what happen if most of our player are injured,imagine onazi injured or omeruo got knock off,we keep finger across let's see the outcomes of CHan cos some player will be tested and some will surely failed.

not saying they shouldn't be tested, but you know as NFF dey behave, lazy murrafohkaz those guys, expect new faces from CHAN mostly, then maybe two or three uncapped guys

bayulll01: The reason why we shld try those guys listed above!! Is what happen if most of our player are injured,imagine onazi injured or omeruo got knock off,we keep finger across let's see the outcomes of CHan cos some player will be tested and some will surely failed.

world cup is not ideal to test new player.check out this:
Enyeama
Yobo omeruo oboabona taiwo

Mikel

Onazi

Emenike shola moses

Bright dike


Note:We need experienced and exposed players.

Ayo,what a great analysis with very good points.But i disagree with you on area of Mikel being disastrous as play maker for super eagle.Nigeria won Nation cup with Mikel as a playmaker and most of the goals scored at the nation cup and World Cup qualifying matches originated from Mikel.Ask Emenike and he will tell you how valuable Mikel is to the team.One thing I want Nigerians to know is that we cannot have player like jayjay Okocha again and agitating for inclusion of Haruna Lukman is a welcome development because it will bring great rivalry to the team.But I don't see players like Lukman Haruna,Joel obi,Ramon Azeez and Rabiu Ibrahim displace Mikel as a playmaker in the team for now.

safarigirl: not saying they shouldn't be tested, but you know as NFF dey behave, lazy murrafohkaz those guys, expect new faces from CHAN mostly, then maybe two or three uncapped guys

And whoever is calling for the likes of osaze is either a foool or enemy of progress,Ideye still deserve to be given a chance I believe that guy still got something to offer,wish keshi himself will listen and set aside his ego,cos if he fail the same nigerians that are praising him today will surely finished him,my one cent sha

Kog45: Ayo,what a great analysis with very good points.But i disagree with you on area of Mikel being disastrous as play maker for super eagle.Nigeria won Nation cup with Mikel as a playmaker and most of the goals scored at the nation cup and World Cup qualifying matches originated from Mikel.Ask Emenike and he will tell you how valuable Mikel is to the team.One thing I want Nigerians to know is that we cannot have player like jayjay Okocha again and agitating for inclusion of Haruna Lukman is a welcome development because it will bring great rivalry to the team.But I don't see players like Lukman Haruna,Joel obi,Ramon Azeez and Rabiu Ibrahim displace Mikel as a playmaker in the team for now.

Mikel is a good player no doubt about that,but he's slow,he's judgement and analytical of game very poor,we only need him when trying to slow the pace of a game or better when playing to defend just as chelsea is playing him,haruna will do better than mikel if given the chance,some pple will agree with this.

zuchyblink: world cup is not ideal to test new player.check out this:
Enyeama
Yobo omeruo oboabona taiwo

Mikel

Onazi

Emenike shola moses

Bright dike


Note:We need experienced and exposed players.

I disagree with u on taiwo,taiwo has nothing to offer again,but I quite agree he can be called on,if echiejile is injured,atleast better than that olodo called juwon.

Keshi can never use Haruna as the playmaker,not even me.

If a player(Mikel) that won Champions league,nations cup,Europa cup,4FA cup winners and EPL is very poor in judgement and analytical of the game then coaches like Mourinho,Grant,Scolari,Hinddiks,Ancelloti,AVB,De Matteo,Benitez and Stephen Keshi should be question.A player that have every tendency to be crowned Africa footballer of the year.Please go and watch Nigeria matches at the last 2010 World Cup and 2013 confederation cup and tell me how Haruna is better than Mikel.

True talk... all the coaches of Chelsea used Mikel judiciously. if he wasnt good they all would have dropped him long time ago. That boy (mikel) is good. Watch out for him as african footballer of the year in January. He will give yaya tough time this time.

Yaya is gonno with the afrcan footballer,we all know yaya is a long way ahead of mikel,let's put sentiment aside which one would u like,mikel in mancity or yaya in chelsea,if we can av someone like yaya in super eagles we will reach semi final in august 2014

striker9: Keshi can never use Haruna as the playmaker,not even me.

And who are u bro?

bayulll01:
I disagree with u on taiwo,taiwo has nothing to offer again,but I quite agree he can be called on,if echiejile is injured,atleast better than that olodo called juwon.

i prefer taiwo to juwon and benjamin francis because this is a world cup finals and not Nations cup.we need experienced and exposed players in dat squad especially the defence.

I love this writeup until it listed certain players to be tested. Imagine calling for Oshaniwa to be in the first team ahead of Echiejile. Not even including Taiwo who has been a better performer than Juwon in club football. Telling us to call up Rabiu. Putting Efe on the bench and even giving us the option of taking Otigba to the Worldcup ahead of Ambrose. Asking for Rabiu Ibrahim. Not including Dike in the list despite his 120% commitment to the Eagles.

Aside these flaws, good article!

bayulll01:
And who are u bro?

I'm a Nigerian expressing my opinion,Haruna has got a big ego,no doubt about his ability but Mikel still remains naija best playmaker.When was the last time Haruna featured in a major competition,this is world cup not just a common tournament where anybody can be picked to play a certain role.

Please I do not understand your view about Mikel.If i said Mikel has a potential to be crowned Africa footballer of the year,does not mean is better than Yaya Toure.And which soothsayer told you with Yaya in Super Eagle,the eagle will reach semi final.Yaya that cannot took cote d voire out of group stage at last World Cup.Yaya that lost to Mikel in the last nations cup.pls I do not understand your view! mikel in man city and Yaya in Chelsea.If you don't know,in English football history,Chelsea is far ahead of man city.

Kog45: Please I do not understand your view about Mikel.If i said Mikel has a potential to be crowned Africa footballer of the year,does not mean is better than Yaya Toure.And which soothsayer told you with Yaya in Super Eagle,the eagle will reach semi final.Yaya that cannot took cote d voire out of group stage at last World Cup.Yaya that lost to Mikel in the last nations cup.pls I do not understand your view! mikel in man city and Yaya in Chelsea.If you don't know,in English football history,Chelsea is far ahead of man city.

Good reply bro,I am ok with Mikel in naija than Yaya in naija,cause they have both proven themselves during the AFCON for the national side,though Yaya is miles better than Mikel.

bayulll01: Yaya is gonno with the afrcan footballer,we all know yaya is a long way ahead of mikel,let's put sentiment aside which one would u like,mikel in mancity or yaya in chelsea,if we can av someone like yaya in super eagles we will reach semi final in august 2014

first off, it's Enyeama that's winning CAF, so you can stop dreaming of Yeye Toure. Secondly saying if we had Yeye in SE over Mikel, things would've been better, is not only bullshait of the highest echeleon, it also shows that you've got something against Mikel beyond his playing skills, lemme guess, you're not a Chelsea fan? Yeye Toure had Africa's best players in a team to work with; Drogba, Kalou, Boubacar Barry, Gervinho, and these people lost to Zambia and then Nigeria at AFCON. Mikel was working with a bunch of nobodys; Onazi, Omeruo, Emenike, Oboabona, and still won AFCON, outplaying Yeye and company, so don't come here and bullshiitt anybody, we no watch AFCON through our neighbour window.

zuchyblink: world cup is not ideal to test new player.check out this:
Enyeama
Yobo omeruo oboabona taiwo

Mikel

Onazi

Emenike shola moses

Bright dike


Note:We need experienced and exposed players.

Wat!!! Yobo or wat. Do u really watch afcon matches? I guess nt, because anyone who want Nigeria proceding beyond 1st round in brazil 2014wc wont list yobo in 1st xi

I hate it wen people start clamouring 4 yobo starting line-up under d pretest of experience. Experience my a$$!

I remember my heart was practically in my mouth seeing dat yobo playing in d dip heart of d defence. His tackle ability has depreciated nd nt up 2 par, his confidence on holding ball is nothing 2 write home about.Cant u figure out Y stephen keshi droped him 2 d bench


I remember hw agitated I was wen victor moses was substituted 4 yobo in 80s min against ivory coast.

D defence dept is d most sensitive dept nd should b treated wit care, any flop can cost a match unlike d offence department. Victor moses nd oduamadi flops, wasnt critical against ethiopia but would av been somtin else wit defence.


Imagine if yobo was in position 4 oboabona in addis-abbaba........................(fil in d gap) I'm sure yobo is 2 old/lazy 2 clear dat goal oboabona cleared...

Yobo av served 9ja well, he should retire,his mate (okocha,kanu) av retired, he has depreciated.

Thank God for saying you are happy with Mikel in the super eagle than Yaya.But do you know the meaning of miles ahead.pls don't say that again because Yaya that was sent packing from Barcelona by ordinary basques cannot be miles ahead of Mikel.He may be better but not miles ahead.

bayulll01: *************************Emenike****************
**************Aluko**********************Moses***
****************************Haruna***************
**************Onazi***********************Mikel***
***Oshaniwa********Oboabona**********Omeruo***
*****************************Enyeama************
Rest of the squad
[12] Austin Ejide
[13] Dele Alampasu
[14] Solomon Kwambe/Leon Balogun
[15] Uwa Echiejile/Benjamin Francis
[16] Azubike Egwuekwe
[17] Efe Ambrose/Kenny Otiga
[18] Joel Obi/Michael Olaitan
[19] Ramon Azeez
[20] Kelechi Iheanacho/Nosa Igiebor/Rabiu
Ibrahim
[21] Shola Ameobi
[22] Chinedu Obasi
[23] Ahmed Musa
However, before we can agree on this squad,
these players need to be tried and tested in
friendly games. I suggest we use the March Fifa
window judiciously as it is the last chance we will
have.
We need all these 29 players in camp on March
and have to try them all out, in what will be our
most important pruning exercise of the World Cup
programme. Fifa's March window may well
determine if we fail or succeed in Brazil 2014.
Kind regards
Ayo Akinfe
Nigerian Watch
London
UK

Errors on this post/My disagreements:-
1) Incomplete XI

2)Oshinaiwa in d starting XI ahead of echiejile/Francis ??.On what basis ??.Even Francis is far better than oshinaiwa.

3)Chinedu Obasi-Dude has struggled with injuries and isnt getting game-time at schalke.
If things remains the same,he shouldnt even be invited.
You can say victor moses also isnt starting games but at least moses comes in as a substitute in almost every game unlike obasi who doesnt play AT ALL(same goes with joel obi).

4)Haruna As 1st Choice Play-maker/attacking midfielder
:-Haruna is a very good player.
His abilities include Great vision,superb passing skills,Precise Long-range shooting.
But what y'all fail to understand is that haruna is a very lazy player,just like mikel.
His off-the-ball play is poor.He doesnt mark,doesnt charge.When he isnt with d ball he just strolls/jog around like mikel.And he isnt so fast also.
Having two lazy players in midfield would be a disaster as only onazi would be doing d running around.
Teams with fast/hardworking,Beasty midfielders would over-run us.
What we need in attacking midfield is a player that posses haruna's abilities(long-range shooting,superb passing skills,great vision) but in addition,hard-working,has okay pace,and skill.
In the starting XI,aluko was placed on the wings.Very good.But he could be more useful in attacking midfield.He posseses everything haruna has,and in addition he's pacy,hard working and very skillful.Playing him behind emenike would be great.That is d position he has been playing at hull city for two seasons now.
That his left foot wicked diie.

Another player that would fit that attacking/creative midfield position better is Micheal olaitan
Some people argue that he is still young and inexperienced 2 be in the starting XI,but so were onazi and omeruo before afcon.He's even d same age as both players(20yrs).
Olaitan is a good passer,hardworking,fast and skillful.

I'll pick Sone Aluko/Micheal Olaitan ahead of Haruna for attacking/creative midfield.

5) In a list of 29 players,only two hit-men were included.
Emenike and the 2nd ??.
Ameobi, a striker that is in no way prolific and NOT an out-and-out striker.
So if emenike gets injured(God forbid),we'll then depend on Ameobi for goals ??
Hahahahaha.
And Strikers like ameobi aren't played as lone strikers up-front in a 4-5-1 /4-3-3 formation.They are played together with real,prolific strikers in a 4-4-2 formation.
So going by that list,if something happens to emenike,world cup is going to be CONFEDERATIONS CUP PART 2.
In my Opinion 23 list should contain at least 3 hit-men.
TWO PROLIFIC STRIKERS:-E.g:-Emenike and Ike Uche/Imoh ezekiel

ONE BIG "HOLD UP PLAY"/SUPPORTING STRIKER
:-Shola Ameobi/Bright dike/Anichebe.

safarigirl: first off, it's Enyeama that's winning CAF, so you can stop dreaming of Yeye Toure. Secondly saying if we had Yeye in SE over Mikel, things would've been better, is not only bullshait of the highest echeleon, it also shows that you've got something against Mikel beyond his playing skills, lemme guess, you're not a Chelsea fan? Yeye Toure had Africa's best players in a team to work with; Drogba, Kalou, Boubacar Barry, Gervinho, and these people lost to Zambia and then Nigeria at AFCON. Mikel was working with a bunch of nobodys; Onazi, Omeruo, Emenike, Oboabona, and still won AFCON, outplaying Yeye and company, so don't come here and bullshiitt anybody, we no watch AFCON through our neighbour window.

Lol@safari I really luv and appreciate ur sense of reasoning,so funny we can see a lady who knows much about football and not gossiping,let me start to disappoint u that am a fully chelsea fan,I mean real fan,what happen to ivory coast at the Afon is simply arrays of stars without team work and I bet you will agree with me,that's why african team don't move past the second stages in international competitions,thank God for keshi that instil team work into our present super eagles,all the same I like ur post and a very good one,about eyeanma wining the afon player of the year he deserved it no doubt,we will talk on that issues again when they give it to yaya,wish u happy new

23-man LIST for me should include:-

THREE GOAL-KEEPERS

THREE FULL-BACKS

FOUR CENTER BACKS(Which would include a versatile defender that can also play as full-back,e.g omeruo)

TWO DEFENSIVE MIDFIELDERS

TWO CENTRAL/BOX-TO-BOX MIDFIELDERS

THREE CREATIVE/ATTACKING MIDFIELDERS

THREE WINGERS

THREE HIT-MEN