By Daily Sports on June 19, 2017

Many things happened in all facets of sports in the past week that attracted lots of comments for and against. I‘ll highlight some, but no deep comments. Super Eagles against history fell against Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo in AFCON 2019 opening group game qualifier.

Many things have been said but amongst them the one that boiled my anger to high heavens is Daniel Akpeyi’s constant unremorseful, silly, unnecessary and uncalled for outbursts. It is our topic for the week, and it will be strictly on the goalkeeper. Our last week write up on Ibra’s exit from Man U attracted much readership and SMS which brings to the fore the disapproval of many Oldtraford fans. Their reactions showed that it was an unpopular decision from whatever angle one may beam it from.

Last week also, the much awaited and always controversial federations’ election finally held but not without its trademarks of different strokes for different folk’s syndrome. If you have been on this beat, you will quick come to terms with the fact that the crying of wolf mostly where there is none has been a tradition firmly associated with National Sports Federations polls for over these years.
All these unorthodox voices that have rented the air using all available media space to air their views do so mostly for self-interest. If you like, what the stomach will eat. It is the reasons why all these hue and cry all over the place. It is the norm. Sports Minister, Solomon Dalung has been in the eye of the storm. He has been called names. It is majorly because he is on the driver’s seat. He has removed food from their mouths and given to new set of people. What he has just done is Nigerian. He did not import them.

My only moan with Solomon is that those he surrounded himself with leave him unguided and also claim they are doing a wonderful job for him. These people have misled him severally leaving him at the receiving end. He has no media team. He is always prone to missiles hauled directly on his fore head.

He has survived thus far not because of his shrewdness or anything near it but because he is a beneficiary of a crude system that leaves and encourages business as usual gift at the bare face of pure emptiness. He is not alone. It is renewed since this lame duck and deceitful government of doom by Buhari berthed since May 29, 2015.

What happened in the Federations elections is not new. It firmly took its ugly and destructive roots when Dr. Amos Adamu held Nigeria’s sports hostage. He introduced so many unconventional practices that ruined sports in the country. He was in full control of the situation. He determined who becomes what in the federations. If he discovers you are a black leg, he remotely through his strong, solid, loyal and wide network of boys that cut across, laid banana peel on your way and there and then you are out of the system.

He conducted Federations elections at his whims and after all the noise similar to what is currently in the air, heaven never fell. Adamu even extended his total grip of sports structures to the Nigeria Olympic Committee that has nothing to do with Sport Ministry but only answerable to the International Olympics Committee. He influenced who would emerge the NOC President and Secretary General because it is the National Olympics Committees that are mandated to harmonise guidelines and conduct federations’ polls as sanctioned by IOC.

That is why for instance, the NBBF purported election in Kano that returned Umar won’t hold. Those who are disqualified also have bad cases. I believe those that are not conversant with the under currents that is federation elections must have been a bit schooled and so would move on with what has been put forward by the NOC as the duly elected.  Don’t get me wrong, I have not stamped what transpires during these polls as near perfect, no. However, until when we are ready to call a spade by its name, there and then we will collectively fight this now entrenched anomaly. Keeping quite when it affects camp A and it is wrong only when it affects you in D camp, is when you cry foul will continue to live us in this kind of division now among us. The saddest happened also the same week of mixed feelings. The death of Mrs. Lizzy Onyenwenwa, one of the foremost administrators of Women Football in the country and drowning of Florence Omagbemi’s own in Effurum Delta State. They are the black highlights recorded. And as usual, we in Daily Sports join our numerous readers and the larger fans to console these two great sporting families to bear these irreparable losses.

I ramble.

Yes, Daniel Akpeyi is by accident a stand-in goalkeeper of the Super Eagles. He plays for Chippa United. I don’t like the way he goes about his goalkeeping abilities. I said this severally to my friends. He has not for once impressed me while in goal. His anticipation and reflexes are faulty, hence he concedes cheap goals.

He has no confidence in himself and his ability to organise his defenceline to fence off pressure is zero.  Whenever he is on duty I held my heart on hand. Akpeyi is bad news for goal keeping department. He has never for once, be called to duty and he proved to be ‘saviour’ even if in one momentary loss of concentration from his players. I’m not vilifying him or calling a dog a bad name in other to hang it. No, I’m not one for such dangerous part or full time criticism. I have tried to be objective, criticise where necessary and proffer solutions. That has been my hallmark and will power.

One of my very sound minded mentors in writing, former editor and ace columnist in the defunct Herald newspapers, Kwara State, Dan Ikunaiye of the blessed memory whose column ‘Events Of The Time’ in the Sunday Herald in the 1980’s was a must read by the all including the powers that be, told me that the bedrock of writing be it analysis or commentary you must not only be objective in your criticisms but you must also endeavour to proffer solutions to the problems. I have held that instruction very close to my heart till this day. I digress.

Akpeyi has been suffering from diarrhea of the mouth. He has gone to town talking carelessly. I didn't know he was like that, though I have said I don’t reckon with him. He went ahead to justify the loss Eagles suffer against the Bafana Bafana in Uyo. He has severally exonerated himself from the two goals he conceded. He talks on drop of hat; you know the implications and the danger such people pose. Akpeyi is a danger to the team. Football is a team sport therefore any defeat or win is shared by the players. No player worth his salt would come out openly to claim glory or otherwise after each game.

I don’t know who his agents or media guys are. I thought they would call him to hold after the first outburst when he said the two goals the South Africans scored were not his fault. It left much to be desired desire and called to question, his competence as the last man in the defence. He gave himself out as a nobody in this business of goalkeeping. He told the world that an amateur player is in better steady to man his post effectively than him the so called professional.
I have not hidden my disdain for people like Akpeyi because their behaviours give them out as one of the idlers that parade or pretend as serious minded professionals and patriots, when the chips are down, they falter as he just displayed. I don’t want to believe he doesn’t know the rules of the game because he will readily tell you he is an experienced player. In his interviews since that defeat he ought to have shown that he is very sober. If he can vividly without any atom of remorse lay blame on his fellow players, then, there's a big question mark on his integrity.
I have a few questions for him. One, who was he trying to impress. What is the motive of exonerating himself from blame in a team sport?   Who asked him for explanation? Was he at gun point? Now as the last man in the defence, why did he not call his defence line to order? Why did he further expose himself? Akpeyi actions and inactions put him on the spot which would linger in a long time to come.

His nonsense way of goal keeping, I believe set NFF and Rohr into their thinking corner that with an Akpeyi in goal against Cameroun, we should be ready to bid good bye to our much anticipated 2018 sole group World Cup ticket. He is not steady on his post most times he leaves his line thereby giving the imaginative striker (s) the leeway to score from many metres away from his 18 yard box, the same way he gave the Algerians their lone goal in Uyo World Cup qualifier.
There is every need for NFF leadership to drop its ego and make its way straight with Vincent Enyeama; Ikpeme would pair with him because from August and against Cameroun, the home ward journey, crucial and critical stage of the World Cup elimination series enters. Every team will reach out for its bests to see how far it will make up lost grounds. Cameroun and Algeria are desperate and would come out smoking in the impending stanza. Nigeria cannot afford to field a Daniel Akpeyi in goal for a grade A encounter that has all the trappings of an explosive game.
Again, the other way out is to rally round Gernot Rohr. He must not be subjected to any form of pressure whatsoever now that his team list would go through the technical and development committee of the NFF. The Franco-German technical hand has proved he is worth his salt when the chips are down and unflinching and unparalleled five-star support to him to subdue Cameroun, first in the first leg in Port Harcourt would prove to be the needed tonic he and his lads need to turn back the African champions.

I’m one of the few that believes that Bafana Bafana defeat of the Eagles is blessing in disguise and a wakeup call that there are is still work to be done and the manager has the capacity to surmount. We can do that without first eleven, we only need to commit them into God’s hand for injury free camp.

I have to re-run one of Akpeyi’s sing-songs that leaves sour taste in the mouth.
Why we lost to South Africa – Akpeyi, published June 13, 2017.

“Super Eagles goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi has said the side got their tactics wrong against their South African opponents, Bafana Bafana.

“The Eagles were benched 2-0 by visitors, Bafana Bafana in Saturday’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo.
Akpeyi said the three-time African champions were on the right peddle in the first half of the clash but got things muddled up in their quest for the lead and later for the equaliser.
“We got it wrong tactically, we were doing well in the first half and in the second half we were anxious for goal, that’s where we lost it. “As a result of which we conceded a goal and eager for the equaliser we opened our defence and the South Africans cut us off guard coupled with one or two mistakes to score the second goal.

“It was one of the bad days in football having to start our AFCON ticket chase on a losing note.
“Well there is a whole lot of lesson we have learned from the loss which will guide us in subsequent matches.

“I believe we still have hope in the qualifying race with the other matches on the AFCON calendar.
“I know for certain that we will get back on track to position ourselves towards claiming the sole ticket in the group,” said the Chippa United shot stopper to supersport.com.
Akpeyi however asked Nigerians to avoid hasty and roundly condemnation of the players for the AFCON loss to South Africa.

“None of us is happy with the sad turn of event; we never went into the game with a mind to lose to South Africa.

“Nigerians are too quick to condemn and pass judgment, a little error everybody is quick to throw stone.

“We have won several matches in the past whether by luck or not and the encomium is understandably endless.

“If we continued to be sentimental in our discourse especially when things went wrong things will not work well.

“We need to encourage, standby and support the team at all times, we just lost a game, not war, as we are determined to pick the AFCON qualification ticket to Cameroon,” said the former Heartland and Warri Wolves goaltender.

Nigeria is third on the group E log with zero points, while Libya and South Africa are on three points and the Seychelles remain at the bottom. Only the group winners are guaranteed an automatic berth at the 2019 AFCON in Cameroon.

Your guess is as good as mine on Akpeyi and his status as a national team player of a high competitive and flamboyant team like the Super Eagles. Let’s go over and continue discussion on WhatsApp, Twitter, face book, IN share. Keep shooting hard, till next week!

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 19, 2017

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