Nigeria’s shock exit from CHAN 2016 has been greeted by disappointment in the football-mad country just as it has sent warning signals co...
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and coach Sunday
Oliseh were quick to apologise for the inglorious crash of the team in Rwanda.
Expectations were high the Super Eagles ‘B’ team could go
all the way at this tournament after they finished third two years ago in South
Africa even with a team widely agreed was not representative of the best
players in the league.
These hopes were well placed as the home-based team were
unbeaten until Tuesday’s 1-0 loss to fellow West Africans Guinea.
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| Guinea celebrate their lone goal that eliminated the Super Eagles |
The team’s preparation was adequate as it included two weeks
in close camp in Pretoria, South Africa, where they played two warm-up matches
against CHAN qualifiers Cote d’Ivoire and Angola.
Oliseh said his team have worked under very difficult
conditions like “a car driving on empty tank”, a reference that bonuses and
allowances had yet to be paid.
But such a situation is no longer strange with the country’s
teams as the U20s, U17s and U23s all had to endure this cash crunch on their
way to clinching the 2015 AYC, the FIFA U17 World Cup and the U23 AFCON crown,
respectively.
Did the Eagles get carried away with a 4-1 spanking of
whipping boys Niger in their opening group game?
Against Tunisia, Nigeria rode on the luck that the referee
cancelled a good goal by the Carthage Eagles just before halftime in a match
they were clearly second best.
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| The Super Eagles were second best against Tunisia |
The Eagles were therefore the happier of the two teams to
come away with a draw.
On Tuesday, they were lethargic even after debutants Guinea
went ahead went in front just before the interval.
“The boys just couldn’t move, it was like their legs were
too heavy for them to carry. They were not motivated,” lamented a disappointed
team official.
The CHAN has proved to be a good shop window for players who
feature in their various domestic leagues, not only attracting foreign clubs
but also staking a serious claim for a place in their countries’ full
international squads mostly dominated by overseas-based pros.
These ought to be bigger incentives than cash.
Chisom Chikatara, Usman Mohammed and Ifeanyi Matthew have
taken the chance the CHAN in Rwanda has offered to be considered for the main
Eagles squad.
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| Chisom Chikatara was a revelation at the tournament |
But with two months to crucial double-header against Egypt
in the AFCON 2017 qualifying series, public confidence in Oliseh has suffered a
big body blow.
The results of the two matches in March will most certainly
have far more serious implications on the future of the current Super Eagles
team.
