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Eguaveon, Amuneke Pair, Curse Or Blessing?

By Daily Sports on February 14, 2022

With all intends and purposes Nigeria is on the march again in terms of clam returning back to the technical bench of the Super Eagles.

Last week the Sports Minister, Sunday Dare and the Nigeria Football Federation led by its President, Amaju Pinnick finally buried whatever cold war/ differences that have existed between them put Nigeria first and reconstituted the technical bench of the team. Applause!!

A recap, when Gernot Rohr was sacked Sports Minister came up with an idea of employing former Tanzanian national team head coach, Emmanuel Amuneke which however met scout opposition from the NFF led by Amaju Pinnick who vowed to engage a foreign coach instead.

It was that deadlock that prompted the appointment of Austin Eguaveon as an interim coach for the Nations Cup.

Without much ado this columnist must point out that one of the greatest things that must be noted in this context is the way and manner the anticipated crisis and confusion was calmly absolved via the way and manner the Eagles technical bench issue was resolved maturely by the dramatis personae.

It remains a plus in all ramifications otherwise what has been widely reported that hit Ghana FA would have probably been our own lot now.

Our focus I meant technical crew players and NFF would be to grandly put their winning formula and arts together and work together ahead.

We all knew how the Portugese journey man Vitor Peresie went. In short Dare told Amaju Pinnick and his co-travelers that he will never back the foreign coach and it turned out likewise.

It was against the above background that the NFF bigwigs quickly made U-turn and abide with the Minister’s earlier stand to bring in Emmanuel Amuneke into the technical crew of the Super Eagles.

It was when that was achieved that the announcement was made public after it trended in the social media for weeks. It is no longer news that Austin Eguaveon is now the technical Adviser of the team with Emmanuel Amuneke as the chief coach. No doubt the balancing suits the situation on ground presently.

It was a landmark decision that brought much relief to the teeming fans of the team and other followers of the Super Eagles. The question on the lips of bookmakers, and many objective fans are whether the pair of these former top ex-internationals turned trained coaches would be a blessing or curse?

In good faith it ought to be blessing for the Nigerian football. They are capable of producing fantastic game results if they agree wholeheartedly to work together. There is nothing that would frightened them as they have seen its all as players of high repute and coaches too.

Therefore my take is that these men currently on the saddle can qualify Nigeria to the World Cup in Qatar if things are done in a right way without any form of prejudice. The two should also see this as privilege not their right and so redouble their efforts by putting on their right thinking caps to excel. No more, no less.

The team as we are all aware has an important World Cup 2022 play-off against arch-rivals Ghana in Accra, March 23, first leg while the second leg will be played in Abuja five days after. The crucial game informed that Nigeria must put her house in order.

What Nigeria just did mean preparations seem to be in top gear? The onions are now on the crew to start off in earnest a build up to the crucial Qatar World Cup coming up in November 2022. Nigeria needs more than determination and focus to overcome Ghana’s Black Stars threat.

Eguaveon and Amuneke have a lot in their hands and they must face them squarely that is to ensure that the AFCON toga that enveloped the boys after that unceremonious exit had on the physiological effects on the team.

Truth is that some of the players that backed- off participating at the just concluded AFCON will be back in the match against Ghana. If that is achieved as NFF President Amaju Pinnick had been widely quoted that players like Odoin Ighalo will be on the line up against Ghana. So may go with Victor Oshinmen and others.

As that theory may come to pass or not how prepared are Eguaveon and Amuneke towards raising a one stop solid team that would go to Accra, Ghana and achieve result. A team that will not flatter when the chips are down. Questions upon questions which only time will tell.

The earlier these men quickly settle down the better for the team’s progress. Of note again is that NFF authority has assured and reassured that it will do everything to support the Eagles conquer Ghana who are also preparing for the ouster of Nigeria. We all knew the West African country after bad outing at the recently concluded AFCON has appointed new technical crew for the purpose of ensuring Ghana picks the sole ticket for the World Cup 2022.

The encounter won’t be child’s play rather it would be real hot and sizzling as both are some of the continent’s football supremacies of wits and brawns’. In this pairing only the fittest will make it to Qatar from this pending encounter.

The only way out will be for Eguaveon and Amuneke to settle down and drew up road map despite the short period of time. It won’t be an easy task to trend and it won’t be peculiar to Nigeria alone as other play-off pairings are also naught nuts waiting to happen.

Methinks that only Eguaveon, Amuneke and the players hold the ace. The assembling of players that would hold their own in these critical games against Ghana would not be so much an uphill task for the technical crew because most of them just took part in the AFCON 2021 in Cameroon.

One is glad to note the thoroughness of Amuneke when it comes to players’ selection for invitation and matches proper. He does not believe in half measures at all. Also he does not take no as an answer too.

With him a disciplined mind amongst the Austin Eguaveon led technical crew Nigerians must be reassured that the country would present a formidable team purely on merit to contain Ghana’s threat frontally. It won’t be bread on anchor butter affair.

It then showed that one of the reasons why the injection of Emmanuel Amuneke into the technical crew has continued to generate upbeat comments till date. Many believe it has set the tone for resurgence of the Super Eagles team that we knew its pattern of play.

Life many believed has returned to the team. One hopes that Eagles would have the identity it was known for instead of cut and paste system that have been the order of the day these far. Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the team to give them this day a ticket that will see the country be at the finals of the forthcoming World Cup football summit in Qatar in November.

Also of note is the interview Austin Eguaveon granted where he appreciated the inclusion of his former teammate and Tunisia 1994 AFCON victorious team. He was also quoted to have admitted the technical effectiveness and deftness of the former junior teams’ handler which he said will readily impact positively on the Super Eagles and expressed his willingness to work amicably with him for the good of the game and for the love of their fatherland.

This columnist acknowledged this five star sport man by Eguaveon. He has shown his readiness to work with Emmanuel Amuneke to raise a team to face Ghana. That was a great stride by him and would give further impetus for the oneness of the technical crew which will translate into the boys for optimum result.

Everyone is keenly watching and also praying that they get it right from the beginning. Daily Sports portal will as usual keep our numerous readers on their toes via on the spot dropping of new information as our social media handles bubble. Keep shooting hard till next week. The struggle continues!!

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 14, 2022