How poor coordination, Angolan girls ruined Eagles in Luanda

In the last three weeks, the attention of millions of Nigerians shifted from the political scene, kidnapping and hostage taking in the Niger Delta to the field of soccer, with all eyes focused on the Super Eagles camping in the 27th Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. From a poor start against Egypt, where the team lost 1-3 to the slim victory over the Squirrels of Benin, down to the last group match against Mozambique and the quarterfinal match against Zambia, it was a big struggle for the 'star-studded' Eagles in the 2010 Nations Cup.

But when it mattered most against the Black Stars of Ghana in the semifinal, the Eagles crashed, leaving behind tales of misdemeanours, with accusations and counter accusations flying all over the team's camp. In deed, the Eagles defeat on Thursday brought to fore pictures of high-level indiscipline in the Eagles' camp. GOWON AKPODONOR, who is with the team in Angola, captured the mood of the players, coaches and FA officials after the defeat.

In the view of Ogun State Sports Commissioner, Bukola Olopade, the defeat of the Super Eagles in the semifinal against Ghana could have been avoided if only there were proper coordination in the team. "I think the Eagles worked against themselves in this competition," Olopade told Nigerian journalists at the Hotel Havalade camp of the Super Eagles in Luanda shortly after the players left for Benguela yesterday for their third place match against Algeria.

"It has been a case of do well today and not doing well tomorrow with the Super Eagles and I feel that we need a total overhaul of the system. I am not saying that Coach Shaibu Amodu should be sacked, but sincerely speaking, he (Amodu) needs an assistant.

"I am saying this because we need somebody who can look officials of the NFF in the face and tell them the bitter truth. We need someone who will be able to coordinate things properly in the camp because from what I have observed here since I came, things are going wrong and no one is doing anything to bring sanity into the system. I slept in this hotel and in a situation whereby players are allowed to have separate rooms for themselves for the purposes of keeping women means that there is no discipline in the camp. This is not good for our national team," an angry Olopade stated.

In sports, victory covers a lot of sins, while defeat on its part brings out the behind the scene dirty deals that transpired in and around the team's camp.

Ever since the Super Eagles lost to Ghana on Thursday, there have been series of allegations here that the players worked against the interest of their fatherland by 'messing' themselves with Angolan girls, even under the nose of their coaches and top FA officials, who were in the same camp with them.

"This is not a hidden matter. Right from Benguela to Lubango, this problem had been on ground. It got to a stage when the NFF had to summon some of the players to find out why they (players) decided to pay for different rooms for their PAs (Personal Assistants) in the same hotel we are staying. But rather than stop or look for another means of relating with their PAs outside the hotel camp, the players continued in their ways and the prize is what we have paid," an official of the team told The Guardian yesterday.

According to the official, majority of the players used their PAs as cover to commit evil in the camp. He said: "What these boys normally do is to hire a separate room for their PAs and use the rooms as meeting point with women. The PAs or brothers of these players will organize women in the room and phone them to come over. One of the players was seen with two women in his room last night. Is that a normal thing to do at a time when millions of Nigerians back home are lamenting over our defeat by Ghana?

"I agree the players are adults, but for God's sake, they should know that things of that nature have its psychological effect on teams, especially when we are out for an assignment. I won't say all the players are involved, but a greater number of them are guilty.

"What baffles me is the fact even the NFF President (Sani Lulu) and all the coaches are aware of this mess and they kept quit. The Chief Security Officer of the team (ASP) Gideon Akinsola is only busy driving innocent Nigerians away from speaking with the players or having photographs with them. Now we have crashed out and everybody is feeling so sad. The players should bury their heads in shame," the official stated.

Signs that the Eagles were not their usual selves started manifesting in their first match against the Pharaohs of Egypt in Benguela, when the Nigerians managed to hold the Egyptians for only 30 minutes and thereafter, struggled in the remaining part of the game, squandering a 1-0 lead to crash 1-3.

The Eagles went on to struggle in other three matches played against Benin, Mozambique and Zambia, before crashing 0-1 to Ghana in the semifinal on Thursday at the November 11 Stadium in Luanda.

Apart from the players, some people are of the view that officials of the NFF and the coaching crew of the Super Eagles should be blamed for the team's poor performance in the Nations Cup.

To such people, the Lulu-led board of the NFF failed in its primary responsibility of good team coordination. "Before we crucify the players, we must ask ourselves some fundamental questions, especially the leadership quality of Sani Lulu and his board members.

"It is not just enough to take a team out for a competition, pay the players allowances and pocket estacodes. The likes of Lulu, Ogunjobi, James Peters and others stayed in the same hotel with the players from Benguela to Lubango and Luanda, yet the players could not be called to order.

"Where on earth do you see players being allowed to take their Personal Assistants to team's camp, not to talk of paying for different rooms for them? In an ideal situation, Coach Amodu and the entire FA members should be made to pay for their improper coordination of the team in this competition," the official stated.