Finally, a list of 24 players for the World Cup qualifier against Swaziland in Lobambo on November 13 has been made public. Whether the game is against Swaziland or Cote d’Ivoire is not the issue here. The fact is that this is a World Cup qualifier and should be treated with all seriousness. If the team fails to get beyond Swaziland in this preliminary stage, the World Cup 2018 campaign is over. Many may want to argue that Swaziland shouldn’t pose a lot of problems but recent experiences mean that we do not overrate the Super Eagles. ‘Caution’ should be the watchword, but there are salient issues raised by Sunday Oliseh’s latest list. Here they are…
MARTINS AND THE DEPLETING EXPERIENCE QUOTIENT
I have been an advocate of having the right balance in the national team. I have never been one easily swayed by the exploits of youth while discarding experience. Across the globe, there is a template for success at the highest level; that is a right blend of experience and youth. If you are lacking in the former, you pay dearly when you come up against more experienced teams while shortage of the latter demobilizes the team. When you have kids everywhere, the team is all runs and less organization and discipline. The experienced internationals come with the requisite organization and discipline.
The recent retirements of Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike have reduced the experience quotient of the team. Truth be told, the key shortcoming of the national team in recent times is a drop in the EQ. There is a preponderance of players who are largely unproven at the international level; it gets even worse with the exit of Enyeama and Emenike. The issue of Enyeama will be treated some other day but I think we are not done with him yet. Somehow, I think we let him go early and sooner or later we will need him.
We have to find a way to stem this tide. Whatever is forcing our internationals into premature retirement should be discountenanced. I’m afraid, if this is not checked, Mikel Obi could join the retirement train soon. A solid national team is actually built on experience and the more of these players that quit this prematurely, the lighter-weight we get.
That is why the inclusion of Obafemi Martins should be hailed. In the search for Emenike’s replacement, it was good that Oliseh looked the way of Martins. He has been in good form in the MLS and had long deserved a recall. With 40 goals in 71 MLS games, he has regularly made a strong case for his invitation. At 31 and an international debut that dates back to 2004, amassing 18 goals in 29 caps, he comes with loads of experience. So his inclusion brings some of that basic ingredient that is lacking in the current set-up.
WHY A MERE AFTER-THOUGHT ON IHEANACHO?
Just as Martins raises the EQ of the team, Iheanacho’s inclusion should aid its mobility. The young man is the future of Nigerian football and the sooner he is integrated into the national team the better. But it is rather befuddling that his invitation seems an after-thought. He was not in the initial list of 23 and after a barrage of criticisms erupted in the social media minutes after the list was released, the list was updated and he was the 24th player.
With the list coming a day after he had a man of the match performance for Manchester City against Crystal Palace in the Capital One Cup, not a few expected his name to be among the first on the list but Oliseh had other ideas. There was surely no reason for Alex Iwobi to have made the list earlier than Iheanacho. By all standards, the latter has been the busier of the two (Iwobi just had his competitive debut for Arsenal against Sheffield Wednesday) and he is the more experienced. Whatever yardstick Oliseh deployed, he shouldn’t have been compelled to include Iheanacho’s name. The boy earned his place in the team.
I’m of the opinion that Iheanacho’s debut is overdue. I was one of those that ceaselessly mounted pressure on Stephen Keshi to get him involved while he handed invitations to amateur players but Keshi felt the boy was ‘too young’ for the national team. I also did not see the justification in leaving him out of the last set of friendlies. The earlier we get him started in the national team the better for us. Moreover, this international status should accelerate his development while boosting his ego among the avalanche of internationals at City. If we accord him more recognition, Manuel Pellegrini will be forced to give him bigger responsibilities at City.
But the issue of his role in the national team has now become expedient. At City, he is listed as a striker but we all know him as a number 10 (that is a goal-scoring one). The national team will need him more in the number 10 role, playing at the top of a midfield triangle with Mikel Obi and Ogenyi Onazi at the base. From there, he should notch more of those trademark assists while also getting a cleat sight at goal himself. If we repeatedly use him in that role, Pellegrini could start looking at him more as a David Silva and not a Sergio Aguero. We wouldn’t want another foreigner to do a Mikel on our burgeoning number 10. We can nick it in the bud.
A CASE FOR SUCCESS, IDEYE
One clamour that will gain some ground sooner than later is the invitation of Isaac Success to the senior national team. The lad has been consistent in Granada’s colours in the La Liga. Just like a six-month old pregnancy that cannot be hidden, the national team selectors cannot claim to be ignorant of the burly striker that has been on our faces since the beginning of the season.
Then there is the case of Brown Ideye. During the period in review, he scored four goals, including one in the Champions League, for Olympiacos. If you are looking for that experienced option for Emenike, Ideye would also have fitted in. This is another player seriously knocking on the door for a recall.
GOOD DECISION ON TROOST-EKONG, BALOGUN
In four caps for the national team now, William Troost-Ekong has not gone beyond anonymity. He doesn’t seem the solution to the retired Joseph Yobo at central defense and Oliseh was right to drop him for this game.
But on the contrary, Leon Balogun has always shown great potentials and was on for 90 minutes for Mainz in the Bundesliga last weekend. But the question will always be whether he is more suited to the right back or central defense. I think he has always had his best matches in national colours in the central defense. He was excellent against Cameroun the last time. He has the physical presence and calmness required of a central defender. In the long run, the national team coaches should start working at the lad settling down in that role.
HMMMMMM….IGBONU?
Every coach seems to have that player whom only him, the coach, deems ‘good enough’. In the recent past, we all complained about the regular invitation of China-based Aaron Samuel at the expense of more in-form strikers in Europe but to Keshi, Samuel was as good as Robert Lewnadowski. There was also a Chigozie Agbim in that class. Now there is this Sylvester Igbonu who makes every Oliseh list but hasn’t impressed many. May be someday, we will see that quality in the FC UFA, Russia midfielder which has seduced Oliseh. For now, I have not been won over by the Churchill Oliseh protégé.
*Nwankpa is the author of ‘From Atlanta with Football made in Nigeria’
