Now that we are
about to play in or should I say compete in an age-grade – U-20 –
championship again, there is a strong need to address pertinent issues
concerning a festering sore in our football, age-cheats and the
age-bending tactics. There is always the lazy and jaundiced argument
that we are not the only nation that cheats. The point is cheating is a
misdemeanour and howsoever or wherever it manifests, it’s a crime.
Granddads’ masquerading as youth is fraudulent.
Perhaps it would help here to re-state the main objectives of age-grade competitions in the first place.
In 1974, Brazilian
lawyer and businessman, Jao Havelange was elected President of World
Football Governing body, FIFA at the FIFA Congress in Germany where the
World Cup was held. Africa’s champion and lone entry at the Mundial
suffered heavy and embarrassing defeats in all the matches they played
at the opening round.
Havelange’s new
Executive Board sought to find reason(s) for the heavy defeat suffered
by the African Champions at the 1974 World Cup. Amongst other findings,
it was revealed that the African Champion suffered from inferiority
complex. Such psychoanalysis propelled the thought and eventual resolve
that lesser platforms be created to afford African and third World
countries opportunity to compete with the rest of the world before
getting to the World Cup proper. It was also resolved that the
championships so recommended, U-16 (later U-17) and U-20 be hosted by
third world and developing countries.
That is why the
maiden edition of the U-20 World Cup was held in Tunisia in 1977. In
1979, Japan hosted with Argentina winning, throwing up an all-time
great, Diego Armando Maradonna. Since then Nigeria has participated and
hosted without really recording outstanding players or players who
lasted ten years after participating in either U-17 or U-20
competitions.
Nigeria failed to
go to the Tokyo in 1979 even with talent like Sylvanus Okpala, Henry
Nwosu, Adedeji Obe, Lucky Imafidon, Franklin Howard, Humphrey Edobor,
Edema Benson etc.
Note that Edobor
and Edema played in U-20 from 1978 to 1983, in the team that played in
Mexico! In the 1983 team, Samson Siasia and Andrew Uwe played again in
U-20 in 1985 Russia edition. That is how we have been doing it even
when the Mexico ‘83 team had talent like Wilfred Agbonavbare, Yisa
Shofoluwe, Amaechi Oti, Tarila Okorowanta, Deinde Akinlatan, Yemi
Aderanijo, Alphonsus Akahan, Paul Okoku, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, the
Olukanmi brothers, Femi and Segun, Dahiru Sadi, Christopher Anigala,
Ali Jeje (Captain), Tajudeen Disu, Edema Benson, Humphrey Edobor
(again), Wahab Adesina, Patrick Udo etc. The team to Russia ‘85 was
loaded to hilt with Aloy Agu (Keeper) Mark Odu, Andrew Uwe (Captain),
Osaro Obobaifo, Waidi Akanni, Ndubisi Okosieme, Titus Mbah, Niyi
Adeleye, Wasiu Ipaye, Godwin Eke, Christian Obi, Uche Ikeogu, Augustine
Igbinabaro, Mark Anunobi, Michael Dominic, Monday Odiaka, Kingsley Onye
(Mature), Samson Siasia (again).
Never mind that
bronze boot winner in that competition, Monday Odiaka did not claim an
Eagles shirt, he could not hold a first team shirt at his club, ACB FC
of Lagos in the 1986-87 season.
Missing the point
Monday Odiaka and
his types represent premature retirees and the negative impact or lack
of growth of our youth players. To be honest, apart from the 1983 U-20,
who Adegboye Onigbinde had the balls to blood, and who made the nucleus
of the Eagles for the African Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire ‘84, the
percentage of graduation to the senior national team has dropped
sharply. The team had players such as Yisa Shofoluwe, Paul Okoku,
Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Femi Olukanmi, to join other relatively young and
little tested Peter Rufai, Patrick Okala, Kingsley Paul, Charles
Yancho, Rashidi Yekini, James Etokebe, Clement Temile and tested horses
Muda Lawal, Stephen Keshi, Bala Ali, Humphrey Edobor.
The decline is
such that out of the very talented and on the face of it a young
looking squad to Japan ‘93, Celestine Babayaro and Nwankwo Kanu are the
only real benefits of that edition. In Wilson Oruma and Mobi Oparaku,
we have two other players who looked good enough but only had a handful
of caps between them. The drop became more apparent in subsequent years
when football administrators lost the essence and spirit of age-limited
competitions. Pressure to win and justify their stay on the job forced
not so ready Nigerian Coaches to recruit grandfathers from Pro-League
Clubs for even the U-17 team.
Nigeria’ 1996
Olympic Squad: Emmanuel Babayaro, Celestine Babayaro, Taribo West,
Nwankwo Kanu, Uche Okechukwu, Emmanuel Amuneke, Tijani Babangida,
Wilson Oruma, Teslim Fatusi, Jay-Jay Okocha, Victor Ikpeba, Abiodun
Obafemi, Garba Lawal, Daniel Amokachi, Sunday Oliseh, Kingsley Obiekwu,
Mobi Oparaku and Dosu Joseph, all full internationals apart from Mobi,
Dosu, Obiekwu, Emmanuel Babayaro and Obafemi before the Olympics on
paper had an average age of 23 years. Ten years later, only Wilson
Oruma, Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu could still play big-time
football. U-23 players indeed.
Of Samson Siasia’s
famed Holland’ 2005 just Taiye Taiwo, John Obi Mikel, Sani Kaita
(loaned to just about every team in Russia), Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi,
forever injured, Solomon Okoronwo, Dele Adeleye, Olubayo Adefemi, John
Owoeri, Onyekachi Apam have graduated to the Super Eagles even when
there are not many good players around. So what happened to team
Captain Isaac Promise, Kennedy Chinwo, Monday James, Yinka Adedeji,
Daddy Bazuaye, Daniel Akpeyi, Soga Sambo, Kola Anubi, Kola Ige, Ambrose
Vanzekin?
Then scan through
the U-17 of 2007 if you will recognise any top flight player in it
still plying his trade at home or abroad: Laide Okanlawon, Ganiyu
Oseni, Usman Amodu, Azeez Balogun, Kingsley Udoh, King Osanga, Kabiru
Akinsola, Rabiu Ibrahim, Matthew Edile, Oladele Ajiboye (Aji boy!),
Yakubu Alfa, Lukeman Abdulkarim, Sherif Isa, Mustapha Ibrahim, Uremu
Egbeta, Ademola Rafael, Saheed Fabiyi, Lukman Haruna, Uche Okafor and
Macaulay Christantus, hailed as the new Jay-Jay Okocha.
As we now know, he is the new Phillip Osondu.
You all know that
story, no need to bother readers with it. Like his Ghanian equivalent,
Nii Odartey Lambtey, Phillip Osondu never grew. But how could he?
Osondu, known as Zanza played in the football League for Falcons of Aba
in the 1979 – ‘80 season and played U-17 for Nigeria in 1987. Such is
the level of fraud in age-grade football in Nigeria.
Adokiye Amiesimaka
aka Chief Justice, ex-Eagle and Cup of Nations 1980 winner screamed
loud before the U-17 championship in 2009 that the players we were
parading are overage particularly the team’s captain and that it’s a
disservice to the country, opinions were divided as to the propriety of
his action. I supported him at the time and still support his position.
Now let’s save that agony and national embarrassment and do it right
for now. Choose real U-20 please.
