Is this the beginning of the end for Keshi?

An end seems to have come to the winning mentality of the Super Eagles. After match day three of the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers, a hitherto perceived easy group has turned a Greek puzzle, with the African champions firmly rooted at the bottom of the ladder in the group of paper weight teams. From nine obtainable points the Super (?) Eagles have got just one point; making Maroc 2015 look more like a ‘mission impossible.’ Considering the relative weight of the four teams in Group A and their antecedents, the Nigerian team should have been nine points up now.

All the three teams were ones the Nigerian team had beaten silly home and away. But the flair of the side, the lively attacking mentality and the entertaining quality of the team had paled, giving way to sluggish offensive. Perhaps only perspective analysts will notice that the team has had a five-match run without a win.
This is perhaps the longest of such streak in the annals of Nigeria’s national team. The last time the Super Eagles won a match was the 1-0 defeat of Bosnia Herzegovina at the World Cup. Even then, the victory was not popularly acclaimed. International media opinion was divided.
But for the Edin Džeko’s 22nd minute incorrectly disallowed goal on account of the Manchester City striker being ruled offside, the Nigerian record would have being worst by now.
It would have meant 12 matches without a win since beating Ethiopia last November 16 in Calabar. This is in contrast to an earlier 18-match unbeaten run, which the Super Eagles had from the June 3, 2012 lone goal defeat of Namibia in Calabar to the June 21, 2013 loss by 2-1 to a Luiz Suarez – inspired Uruguay at the FIFA Confederation Cup in Brazil.
Team coach, Stephen Keshi, has failed to breathe inspiration to the squad and appears bent on settling personal scores with players, rather than picking best available materials for Nigeria. The disciplinary attitude of the players may be in question. But if that were to be the sole determinant for inclusion into a squad, the likes of Wayne Rooney under Alex Ferguson would not have had a place in Manchester United.
Mario Balotelli would have had career switch as both Italy team manager and that of his clubs – Inter, Manchester City, Milan and lately, Liverpool – would have long shut him out. A manager knows players come in different moulds.
Ability to shape them into the desired concept is the hallmark of a good manager. It took almost the entire nation to go on its knees before Osaze Odemwingie could be recalled into the national team as he was shut out for almost two years.
Yet, it was the same player that has scored Nigeria’s only winning goal since the 2-0 defeat of Ethiopia on November 16, 2013. The now free-scoring Ike Uche is suffering similar fate. Good coaches, who are vast in the art of diplomacy, know how to tame eccentric players and still get the best out of their skill for overall objective of their teams. With the stigma that Luiz Suarez carries, no coach, save a result-seeking one, would have opted to sign him on. But a high profile side like Barcelona still coughs out millions to sign him.
His scoring prowess compensate for any other adverse quality he may have.
It still remains lost to logic why Chigozie Agbim, in spite of the glaring poor form and scanty match appearances
for club, will always be a member of the national team. Cui bono? This is a Latin expression that the Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo once threw up. It means: to whose benefit? Has the national team turned a rehabilitation centre for players? Emmanuel Emenike is perhaps the main striker Nigeria depended on to deliver the goals. But when last did he find the net? Since the brace against Ethiopia exactly a year today, the bully striker has gone 11 matches for the Super Eagles without a goal. Why did the Keshi opt to leave out Ike Uche, who at least has been scoring in the Spanish League? The coach has persistently wave aside suggestions that he needed some form of assistance to consolidate on previous successes.
But the present state of the Super Eagles may not be entirely the coach’s fault. The ghost of the 2012 African
Nations Cup qualifiers may be hunting Nigeria. It was in the midst of struggle for power that we began the quest for the 2012 edition.
There were threats of possible FIFA ban or suspension ahead of the first leg match with Guinea. Nigeria lost by the odd goal and eventually had to struggle till the end before stumbling at the last hurdle at home.
We are threading the same path again.
We lost the opening game last month in the midst of confusion of possible FIFA ban. As it was three years ago, the Super Eagles are condemned to struggle to the end, which incidentally will also be at home.
Will Sudan again be the ultimate beneficiary of the lucky third place team as it happened three years ago? Stephen Keshi, the Super Eagles and the entire board of the NFF will have to provide the answer. To Amaju Pinnick: Are we to panic over 2015 Africa Nations Cup or will you provide a picnic environment for Super Eagles’ followers?