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When Argentinian
coach, Diego Maradona, named the players that will face the Super
Eagles on June 12 at Ellis Park, in the South Africa 2010 FIFA World
Cup, the inclusion of Lionel Messi in the list and other players with
intimidating pedigree like : Romero, Otamendi, Demichelis, Samuel,
Heinze, Jonas, Veron, Mascherano, Di Maria, Higuain or Tevez, did not
strike fear in the mind of Nigerians like it used to.

After a splendid
performance in the Spanish La Liga and brilliant performance against
Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League, the fear of Messi was the
beginning of wisdom for Nigerian players and fans. It got so bad that
Nigerians, who had seen Messi make a fool of the most exalted
defenders, were praying that the smallish Argentinian gets injured
before the World Cup. But thanks to Serie A giant, Inter Milan, Messi,
who looked unstoppable before now, appeared like a mere mortal when
Barcelona played Inter at the San Siro last Tuesday.

Inter defenders,
Maicon, Javier Zanetti, Walter Samuel, Lucio, and defensive midfielder,
Esteban Cambiasso, taught the Super Eagles defenders a lesson on how to
stop Messi. Will our boys stop Messi on June 12? Probably yes, most
probably no. But at least, we know he is stoppable, and that is
cheering news for many of us.

Bad news

Save for the above,
it has been a harvest of bad news. When Colleen Dardagan, a colleague
who I met during the FIFA and LOC of South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup
tour of 11 venues for championship, called me last Wednesday, I taught
she had got a cheap place for me to stay in Durban. Rather, Dardagan
was calling in respect of the Hampshire Hotel in Ballito where the
Eagles will stay during the World Cup.

After a tour of the
hotel, and interview with the management and officials of the NFF,
Dardagan came to one conclusion: the reason why NFF officials opted for
the hotel was because FIFA will give them $400 for each player, and
they have decided to get an hotel where they will pay $200 for two
players. Thus, they will be pocketing a minimum of $600 daily on each
of the room the players will be staying, since they will be staying two
in a room. This conclusion, coming from a South African colleague, is
not cheering news.

Before the
unpleasant news from Dardagan, the only Nigerian player playing for
high profile club in Europe and who is playing regularly, John Mikel
Obi, was injured in club Chelsea 2-1 loss to Tottenham at White Hart
Lane.

That Mikel will be
out for at least three weeks after tearing a meniscus in his knee is
sad news. Said Mikel, “Its a little tear in the knee meniscus. I won’t
play this weekend, and the doctors say it will take about three weeks
to heal, although there will be no surgery.” Mikel, who was named in
the Super Eagles provisional World Cup squad of 44 players, assured
Nigerians that he will be ready for the World Cup: “I will be in the
camp. It is very important for all of us as players to get together,
even if there is no match. I am always proud to play for my country,
and it is an honour to be called up to join the team.” Despite these
sweet words from Mikel, many of us are still worried.

Blunder and more blunders

One is not sure of
who to blame, whether the NFF or coach Lars Lagerback, but the planned
meeting with the 44 players invited for World Cup may not hold, as many
European clubs are reported to have written to the NFF that invited
players will not be at the meeting.

The meeting, slated
for two days in London, may now be cancelled. “We may have to cancel
the meeting in the interest of the players’ careers and their
relationship with their clubs. We are naturally very disappointed, but
we do not want to cause any friction between them,” a federation
official told Kickoff.

But what will one
say of NFF not getting visa for its six home- based stars expected at
the meeting. Haba, NFF! Getting visa for players is not rocket science.

If you add the above to FIFA’s warning on NPL election, April is surely a month of bad news for football.