By Daily Sports on September 27, 2021

Truly, dear readers, last week’s write-up on 3SC FC of Ibadan was a great copy. Thank you all that reached out via phone calls. I did appreciate and it has given me more impetus to continue this column as more and people from across the globe have keyed in and look forward to every Monday for this incisive and analytical page in your soar-away Daily Sports digital newspaper.

Thanks for being there. Truth is that the 3SC FC of Ibadan is a great and ancient crowd-pulling football club like Rangers International FC, Kano Pillars, and of late Enyimba International FC, among others.

Governor Seyi Makinde knew the gains of ensuring the darling team of Ibadan fans came back to where it rightly belongs. As we did read last week, the onus is now on the board and management to keep the ball which the hardworking first citizen of the state has set in motion rolling. In short, it must not be a fluke. Period.

This week there are so many issues to discuss in sports – football in particular. However, I will randomly pass comments on a few selected.

Dear readers, you must have come to terms now with the performance of Super Falcons at the just concluded Aisha Buhari women football tournament. The truth remains the truth irrespective of whatever excuses NFF chiefs, especially NFF executive member and its first Vice Chairman, Seyi Akinwunmi, and others come up with.

I never wanted to comment on the said tournament because of how it was appropriated by all kinds of people because of the huge fund that was sunk into the football summit. Many things were left undone and people were hand-picked based on reasons other than merit.

Super Falcons got the kind of result it was prepared for. When very few of us would make bold to say that Amaju Pinnick-led NFF is doing vitally nothing to grow the game in all facets those that he has heavily induced would always be handy to pour acidic venoms on the sincere and objective but critical writer.

One would continue to recall and say it to high heavens that when the first African Women Championship was held in Nigeria it was superb. I covered the tournament in Abeokuta on the stable of the great and good old days Daily Times and it was when ambushers had not hijacked football administration and the sports writing beat.

Justice Fatima Abdul Salam Abubakar was the Special Guest of Honour when Super Falcons won the maiden edition and the just concluded Aisha Buhari Cup. It is an alarm bell tolling for Super Falcons and other national teams. No matter what defence those NFF stationed as attack dogs would put up the obvious fact is that football in all facets is declining steadily in the country.

We have seen what is Super Eagles today, a mere shadow of its self. The Super Eagles team has been reduced to an unpredictable side. It has come to a stage you cannot look at the team and stick out your neck. But to those managing the game in Nigeria, the Super Eagles side is a fantastic squad presently.

When a supposedly high-flying side is being handled by an unqualified technical man this is what you have at the end of the day. I have said many times how Gernot Rohr was imposed on the national team by Amaju Pinnick and his masters.

That gang is what has sustained the Franco-Germany coach till now. Ordinarily, he would have been told to go when his first term contract expired but No.

True that South Africa’s Banyana Banyana team has proved difficult for our Super Falcons even at full strength but at the end of the game Super Falcons would usually triumph. We have been told that the team would make up in future assignments. We are keenly watching. Our national teams are falling freely.

Now you have also finally absorbed the shock of the early exit of Akwa United FC from the CAF Champions League. If you are a keen reader of this column even of late, you would bear me out that I warned Akwa United and other teams in both the first tie and second tie of CAF competitions.

Akwa United failed right there in Uyo in the first leg and foremost the technical crew led by Kennedy Boboyo, and without any prejudice is not a coach with foresight. If you recall, he led Plateau United to win the NPFL and in the CAF Champs League the Plateau team went the very way Akwa United did in the first round of the prestigious championship. Akwa United FC failed woefully.

Pity, it did. I saw it coming and I was never proved wrong. My heart goes out to senior colleague, Elder Paul Bassey, who worked so hard for Akwa United to come out tops in last season’s NPFL. He should come back home to roost. It is time to tell Kennedy to go. He is a jinx. I don’t have anything against him but the truth must be told. He may be good on the local scene but he has no clout to lead teams and withstand the tactics of more prepared and superior African teams.

Now Rivers United must be very vigilant as it goes into the second round. The stage is gradually being set. Akwa United is out and shamefully too. It showed no championship stuff. The hardworking Algerian team bundled it out and so be it. Rivers United must wake up. Thank God, it has a highly experienced coach in Stanley Eguma. I am not afraid that the management is up to its teeth to support the side in all facets.

Bayelsa United must be wary of its next opponent and ensure it prepares so well. I have no doubt about the boys’ ability to deliver. African scene is hotter now and any team that wants to fit in must be ready to go the extra mile hard work-wise. One is not losing sight of Enyimba International FC. No team that qualified to represent his country in any of the CAF competitions is a minnow.

Join our social media handles for on-the-spot comments. Keep shooting hard, till next as the struggle continue!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted September 27, 2021

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