The FIFA World Cup 2022 opened in Qatar last Sunday, making the country the first in the Middle East to host the global mundialandin the most geographically compact space since the inaugural edition of the tournament in 1930.
The World Cup is unique in many respects, especially with the type of opportunities and challenges it present. One obvious observation in the 2022 edition is the absence of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, the giant of Africa, the once football powerhouse of Africa.
I was relieved that we are not going to be in Qatar in view of constant rising blood pleasure when Chelsea, the football club I support get pounded in the English Premier League, but it was tearful to watch the opening ceremony and remember that my beloved Nigeria was not part of the epoch-making event.
But I was consoled when I put myself in the shoes of our mega football stars, the JJ Okocha, Kanu Nwankwo, and Sunday Olisa who were enlisted to be involved in one activity or the other related to World Cup. If they are carrying on with or without Nigeria, who am I to get high blood pleasureon why we are not there.
As a build up to the World Cup opening, I watched a documentary on Brazil and the history of participation in the World Cup and I was shocked by an interview granted by Brazilian Ronaldo on their inability to win the 1998 edition which they lost to France. He said the whole country was in a sorrowful mood to the extent that a panel of inquiry was set up to review all activities related to their participation including how the players played to see if there was a sellout.
It was then that I agreed that we have not started as a nation. When we failed to make it to the World Cup having suffered a defeat to a less fanciful Ghanaian side. No body cared, handlers and players were just going about their business as if nothing happened.No national broadcast.
The African Cup of Nations which we should dominate is even beyond us as a nation. Year in year out we are being disgraced out and yet nothing is done.
The activities of supporters who were at the national stadium to witness the final qualifying match between Nigeria and Ghana did not even move government to constitute a panel of inquiry on why we failed to qualify for the fiesta after four years of preparations costing millions of taxpayer’s monies.
Does Nigeria absence at the World Cup mean anything? Yes, it does, Nigeria is among the top ten countries that export players abroad as 292 Nigerians are aboard playing professional football for various league across the world. This number is minus those who have either adopted or chosen other nationalities or yet to make it
Nigeria is the only country on the African continent listed among the top ten that has so much professional footballers abroad but sadly, we have not been able to take advantage of this comparative advantage to ensure we feature at every global or continental football fiesta.
Foreign direct investment repatriated by these players over the years has majorly shaped our economy but not our football.
My ego as a Nigerian was bruised when I watch our Super Eagles being used as training boys by Portugal in their preparation for the World Cup as if that is not enough, Finidi George who is among the coaching crew that collected wotowoto in that match was busy struggling for Pepe’s jersey with Moses. Haba a whole Finidi?
Finidi’s open display shows we still have not realize the problem with our football. That you once played good football does not make you a good coach. The idea of just bringing former players in as coaches is not what Nigeria need now.
It is high time government took interest in our football administration. Not getting into the day-to-day management but make it mandatory that coach recruitment and players invitation follow standard best practices, we can even send a delegation to Brazil to under study their system for the good of the game and the country at large.
Football is a big business globally. Infact, Nigeria should have a Ministry of football to enable us as a nation tap all associated resources that comes with the round leather game. From preparing players for professional play aboard to even betting, there is much we can harness. I hope we know that the monetary stake and prize monies at the World and African cups keep increasing every other year.
