By Daily Sports on November 19, 2018

Like this page wrote last week on the Super Eagles AFCON second leg qualifier game between Nigeria and South Africa on their home soil, the result already known meant that the hurdle has been crossed by the Nigerian team and from it, the former African Champs have joined host, Cameroun and Morocco to book places in the prime African football summit.

A recap, it ended 1-1 draw. Nigeria leads the group with South Africa placing second. For the Eagles, it was an act of hard work, determination, focus, zeal and sundry which was well deserved.  Losing its very first group match even at home against same South Africa could be very demoralising but the team worked harder, coming up stronger gamely which brought the side thus far. To say the very least, it was great come back, showcasing the picture of an emerging champion. It is one window the technical hand of the team, Gernot Rohr must exploit to build the Super Eagles towards great showing at the impending AFCON in Cameroun come 2019. There ought not to be excuses any longer. Therefore, it is incumbent on him and his players to engage their arsenal to make sweeping impact at the football summit.

If you have been following the team after the loss at home against South Africa, one would agree that Eagles had made steady improvement in group qualification games and if the trend is sustained, there will be a great departure from the failings of the past. The boys are steadily gaining confidence and playing as a team also. It is against that inflammable background therefore that the self-belief (for want of a better word) would grow and pay off when the chips are down.

The lot about performance in the championship would solely depend on how Rohr sets the tone for the team en route the competition. One believes that the NFF leadership led by Amaju Pinnick is working on achieving at least near perfection stance of the apex football body. You don’t need to look too far to know the kind of importance Amaju Pinnick and his men attaches to an upbeat performance of the Nigerian team at the championship. It further meant that no stone would be left unturned to ensure total concentration that would bring the result for the team.

Although the game against bottom-placed Seychelles at home which is already formality will serve as one of the vital grounds for Rohr to test more of his boys’ readiness for the big stage, it will also help to fight off stage fright always associated with first-timers. This is one championship that will give Rohr, his crew and his boys the opportunity to dot all the I’s and cross the T’s as the heat for the 2019 championship boils.

Nigeria is one of the football powers in the continent and would be ready to gainfully engage itself in thorough preparations for the game. Daily Sports, therefore, joins others fans to congratulate the Super Eagles saying that the task ahead remains enormous and planning well would be the best option for results.

• • •

Godwin Dudu Orumen As A Symbol

He is a household name in sports especially football where he analyses authentically with all ease. He made it look easy, appetite wetting which draws traffic of listeners, viewers and readers to his direction.

To be honest with you, he has made his mark in the upliftment of the game via credible, critical and objective analysis of issues in our football cum sports. He has over these years been associated with excellence in his quest to contribute meaningfully to the growth and overall sustenance of African sports.

One must posit that he has paid his dues handsomely. A Barrister at Law, he discusses football and other sports with the relative passion to say the very least. When he talks, you must listen even as he employs this knack for accurately looking into the seeds of time and telling which one will grow and which will not. A no-nonsense man when it comes to his job, Orumen was appointed to head the Edo State Sports Commission and it was not surprising that his appointment was held to high heavens by sports enthusiasts. He is not known to talk at the drop of a hat which has made his voice authentic on issues. For instance, the sports programme he co-anchors with Segun Odegbami and Nkechi Obi has within the short period of existence become a reference point.

He is a close friend and dear brother who calls me by my first name and advises me same. When the idea of Daily Sports came, he was one of my confidants that made useful inputs, pat me on the back and wished me well. He never stopped at that but aside from calling from time to time to make some useful corrections; he reads the all-sports website daily. He has encouraged me a great deal.

In short, his suggestions have gone and improved us tremendously. It is on that unbiased note that one is not in any doubt that he will succeed in his spirited bid to selflessly re-invent sports in the state, without any prejudice as far as his depth blueprint on the way forward for the return of the good old days of Bendel State excellence in sports is concerned.

Methinks that once he is given the needed backing by the government, he will fly with his ideas of uplifting sports in the State. Godwin Dudu Orumen is known for his excellent achievements and this won’t be an exception if roundly supported by the government.

He knows what else to do to make Edo State sports viable and acceptable by even the private sector. He is a master in oiling the wheels to start working anew. With the unflinching support of all and sundry, this enormous like task of confronting the decadence in all facets, which have made the task of reformation almost mission impossible, would be tackled head-on. He is not one that runs away from tedious task like the one right on his laps.

For instance, he was welcomed with the return of Edo State arsenal the then famous Bendel Insurance back to Nigeria Professional Football League. It was a soaring profile for him and also marked a watershed on his arrival. He is loaded and would not fail to offload and also deliver once there is an enabling environment to safely operate upon. As a go-getter, he can’t afford to fail. His is one appointment that had Governor Obaseki scoring full marks from me.

From what he said so far, there is a glimmer of hope that the ‘Up Insurance’ that used to be the order the day way back, would be back to rent the air once again. Daily Sports crew wishes you well, Sir!

As we keep our watchdog status intact and in full gear, let’s discuss further in our ever bubbling social media platforms, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc, as we savour the traffic of readers that troop to our all-sports website since Google gave us a clean bill of health. So keep shooting hard, till next week!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 19, 2018

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