[size=18pt]Okocha: Nigerian Squad A Disgrace[/size]
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Author: Date: Jun 18th, 2010. | Category: News, Today's Headlines. | Follow comments: RSS 2.0. | You can leave a response below. |
As Nigeria continues her miserable run at South Africa 2010 World Cup, immediate past skipper of the Super Eagles, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, has given the Coach Lars Lagerback squad a hard knock, saying the bunch are a disgrace to the country.

Okocha, one of the African legends invited to South Africa 2010 by the LOC, said he watched in utmost disbelief yesterday when the Eagles gave away a winnable second Group B match to Greece at the Bloemfontein stadium.


Ex-Eagles', J. J. Okocha.
Greece did not just defeat Nigeria 2-1 in the pulsating encounter, the Europeans brightened their chances of making it to the next round, making history by scoring their first ever goal and victory in the FIFA World Cup.

The outcome of the match, in Okocha’s opinion, speaks volumes about the rot in Nigerian football and he castigated the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF for bringing the Swede Coach, Lagerback and the current squad to embarrass Nigeria in the first World Cup to be held in Africa.

“All of us back home in Nigeria knew that this group of players would not get anywhere from the start. Their preparations were nothing to write home about while the Swede manager was brought into the fold too late. The performance of the Eagles in South Africa is disgraceful and not acceptable. I feel very sad that the majority of Nigerians are here watching the Eagles in this terrible condition,” Okocha said.

The former PSG and Bolton Wanderers midfielder, said the red card, which sent Sani Kaita out of the match, further confirmed the poor level of football administration in Nigeria.

“I don’t believe in permutations. Those who think the Eagles are still in contention must be dreaming because Kaita and his team-mates blew their opportunity. We were leading by a good goal, which Kalu Uche luckily scored.

“But, Kaita’s attack on the Greek player was unnecessary. He was not threatened, so why kick the player? It’s really bad that Nigeria did not live up to her reputation in international football.”


•MAN OF SHAME:Colombian referee Oscar Ruiz (l) hands a red card to Nigeria’s midfielder Sani Kaita after the latter kicked Greece’s defender Vasilis Torosidis (unseen) during the Group B first round 2010 World Cup football match Greece vs. Nigeria yesterday at Free State Stadium in Mangaung/Bloemfontein. PHOTO: AFP.
The Eagles’ tactical approach to the game also came under Dwight Yorke’s hammer, blaming Lagerback’s team for being too defensive throughout the match.

Yorke, a former Manchester United striker said: “I’m surprised that the Nigerian players were taking the ball back to themselves instead of putting pressure on Greece. I saw some great moves that the Eagles started from the midfield several times, but they sent back the ball each time they got close to the third line near Greece’s box. Their style was too defensive, and no team can win a top level match with that strategy.”

Greece scored their goals through Dimitrios Salpingidis and Vasileios Torosidis to grab the three points in the game while Group B leaders, Argentina, Nigeria’s conquerors in their first match, beat South Korea 4-1 in Johannesburg in the earlier match to take their tally to six points.

South Korea, Eagles’ last group opponents are still in the race with the three points they had from the 2-0 defeat of Greece in the opening match.

Nigeria’s Eagles are yet to secure any point in the event.

—Tunde Oyedele/ Johannesburg

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/06/18/okocha-nigerian-squad-a-disgrace/

God bless Okocha

It is time to turn the heat on NFF and Lagerback

Because as we speak this same NFF is plotting their re-election while also plotting to extend Lagerback's expensive good for nothing contract

Oliseh, Garba Lawal, Taribo West, Yekini, Okechukwu, Mutui Adepoju

They should all speak out now and wrest football administration in this country from these corrupt fools.

I think the next NFF chairman should be voted for at a special of covention of Ex-players and current players who are either playing for or have played for a club in a recognised league either in Nigeria, Africa or the rest of the world.

It is time to prevent Sani Lulu from electing himself for another term.

We can not continue to repeat the same mistakes and expect a different result.

There is a football economy in Nigeria not being tapped. All potential stakeholders in Nigeria must rise up now and exploit this opportunity. The NFF has failed!!!!!!!!!!!

Subtle campaign

mikeansy:

Oliseh, Garba Lawal, Taribo West, Yekini, Okechukwu, Mutui Adepoju

They should all speak out now and wrest football administration in this country from these corrupt fools.

Most of them have been speaking since they came back to Nigeria.

honeric01:

Most of them have been speaking since they came back to Nigeria.

There was no widespread anger at the time they spoke

There was no open and glaring corruption culminating to a monummental failure as we have now.

This time is different because this failure at SA 2010 presents a special opportunity. The prescence of Presidential Task Force which Okocha is a member of also will help this cause.

So they have more reasons to speak out now.

If anybody talks about a FIFA legislation which prevents Government from interferring in football we will ask them where they dropped that legislation when the NFF accepted money from Government to fund their trip to South Africa 2010

mikeansy:

God bless Okocha

It is time to turn the heat on NFF and Lagerback

Because as we speak this same NFF is plotting their re-election while also plotting to extend Lagerback's expensive good for nothing contract

can you imagine,

mikeansy:

Oliseh, Garba Lawal, Taribo West, Yekini, Okechukwu, Mutui Adepoju

They should all speak out now and wrest football administration in this country from these corrupt fools.

I think the next NFF chairman should be voted for at a special of covention of Ex-players and current players who are either playing for or have played for a club in a recognised league either in Nigeria, Africa or the rest of the world.

It is time to prevent Sani Lulu from electing himself for another term.

We can not continue to repeat the same mistakes and expect a different res

There is a football economy in Nigeria not being tapped. All potential stakeholders in Nigeria must rise up now and exploit this opportunity. The NFF has failed!!!!!!!!!!!

Although, i tend to agree with most of what you said. these former players have to prove themselves first at the local team level. Mutui Adepoju can't even managed 3sc, and Eguavon has failed too with Enyimba, just to say that situation is not that easy to get fix. Even if we give everything to Okocha, i bet there is a 90% chance he will fail because there is a lot of thing that will go against him that he will not be able to control.

Gayigaskia:


Although, i tend to agree with most of what you said. these former players have to prove themselves first at the local team level. Mutui Adepoju can't even managed 3sc, and Eguavon has failed too with Enyimba, just to say that situation is not that easy to get fix. Even if we give everything to Okocha, i bet there is a 90% chance he will fail because there is a lot of thing that will go against him that he will not be able to control.

Okocha is not going to coach Super eagles. I don't see that happening. His future will be in the politics of the game. The current administrators can still take part to some extent but all we should ask for is transparency and involving ex-players because surely they have something to bring to the game.

Why cant we have a league that works? do you know how many Nigerians that will employ? Why are Nigerian football fans following Man Utd and Arsenal instead of Enyimba and 3SC? do you know how much business opportunity this can create for TV? We can repeat the success in the Music industry in Football. People are no longer talking about American Music in Naija. People now love Naija music and that has emplyed a lot of youths and improved a lot of businesses connected to it. We can do the same with football and the likes of sani Lulu and Taiwo Ogunjobi are preventing it because of short sightedness.

If we have a vibrant local league watchable in all of Africa, ther is no way we will come to any world cup in future with bench warmers who are scared to kick the ball because they have an opponent called Messi.

mikeansy:

Okocha is not going to coach Super eagles. I don't see that happening. His future will be in the politics of the game. The current administrators can still take part to some extent but all we should ask for is transparency and involving ex-players because surely they have something to bring to the game.

Why cant we have a league that works? do you know how many Nigerians that will employ? Why are Nigerian football fans following Man Utd and Arsenal instead of Enyimba and 3SC? do you know how much business opportunity this can create for TV? We can repeat the success in the Music industry in Football. People are no longer talking about American Music in Naija. People now love Naija music and that has emplyed a lot of youths and improved a lot of businesses connected to it. We can do the same with football and the likes of sani Lulu and Taiwo Ogunjobi are preventing it because of short sightedness.

If we have a vibrant local league watchable in all of Africa, ther is no way we will come to any world cup in future with bench warmers who are scared to kick the ball because they have an opponent called Messi.

Of course I completely agree with the business part, but i don't think former international players are necessarily the ones to change the system for the better. I agree with your first idea of having credible new experienced people to step up at the NFA, but also corporations and individual business people in the country have mobilize for the change. If Dangote as he said was a lifelong Arsenal supporter why he doesn't invest in a club in Lagos where, people love Foot ball and where you r likely to fill the stadium every Saturday or Sundays?

We all remember how Odegbami messed up at GATEWAY

Complete disgrace

Dr Kitaun:

We all remember how Odegbami messed up at GATEWAY

what does that mean?

hence we must continue using those who have killed Nigerian football?

Everything in Nigeria is done upside down.

Infact, i no fit type again.

Of course I completely agree with the business part, but i don't think former international players are necessarily the ones to change the system for the better. I agree with your first idea of having credible new experienced people to step up at the NFA, but also corporations and individual business people in the country have mobilize for the change. If  Dangote as he said was a lifelong Arsenal supporter why he doesn't invest in a club in Lagos where, people love Foot ball and where you r likely to fill the stadium every Saturday or Sundays?

check platini for france and bakenbaur for germany. nigerian ex-footballers may be mostly un/half educated but atleast their experiences in how things are done in europe and love for/knowledge of the game is a better qualification than mostly corrupt politicians running our football. you know the state of our politics right?

Why Okocha? why not Etim Esin ?

Mudley313:

check platini for france and bakenbaur for germany. nigerian ex-footballers may be mostly un/half educated but atleast their experiences in how things are done in europe and love for/knowledge of the game is a better qualification than mostly corrupt politicians running our football. you know the state of our politics right?

For people like us who play the game. I am particulary impressed with this statement"nigerian ex-footballers may be mostly un/half educated but atleast their experiences in how things are done in europe and love for/knowledge of the game is a better qualification than mostly corrupt politicians running our football

Gayigaskia:

Of course I completely agree with the business part, but i don't think former international players are necessarily the ones to change the system for the better. I agree with your first idea of having credible new experienced people to step up at the NFA, but also corporations and individual business people in the country have mobilize for the change. If Dangote as he said was a lifelong Arsenal supporter why he doesn't invest in a club in Lagos where, people love Foot ball and where you r likely to fill the stadium every Saturday or Sundays?

Ask yourself, If you had so much wealth, would you invest in a Nigerain Clubside?, Or don't you know how many stinkingly wealthy Nigerians Love this game but can't bear the corruption that has eaten deep for them to invest their hard earned sweat? A league where you can hardly ever win an away match even when it is televised, Let's get it right and you will be amazed at how many volunteers showing up to help a GOOD cause. After all a wealthy businessman( just one man oh) promised to give the well, not so super eagles. one million dollars had they won the Argies.Trust me, there is loads of money in this country and until things are done right, there wont be any benefits from these riches.