While I was away...

I have been on a long overdue vacation for the past two weeks.I haven't taken one since 2006, so I decided to do this one right...get away from it all.
Well, I'm back!

I did keep track of all the happenings in the world of football and a lot did happen.Charity they say begins at home(a cliche,I know, but I'm allowed one of those once in a while), so I will start with events in Nigeria.

The Amodu/Siasia debate, like most exercises in futility, has died down at least until the Super Eagles play their next match against Sierra Leone in October.I think it will be resurrected, especially if the Super Eagles do not win the match in convincing fashion(by this I mean by scoring more than two goals).

Meanwhile coach Amodu has released the squad for next month's match.The only surprise being that Seyi Olofinjana was left out,given that he has being ever present for his club Stoke City in the EPL.He lost his place to Sani Kaita who was excellent in China.There were also recalls for five other dream team members, while not surprisingly given his current form John Utaka was left out, along with Obinna Nwaneri and Haruna Lukman who have featured in all of Amodu's squad since his return in April.

The national U-17 team,rather to the dismay of whole nation, lost to Benin 3-2 on aggregate to crash out of the African Championships.This has set the alarm bells ringing and there have calls for the coach Alphonsus Dike to be sacked.

To be honest,I think too much is being read into the issue.At the U-17 level, the focus should be on developing players,helping them to improve their technical skills as well improving their tactical approach to the game. Also it is at this stage that they learn the football culture,mentality and style traditional to Nigerian football teams.If they happen to win a silverware along the line, then good, otherwise it should make no difference.

In fact it is in failure that people learn how to win.Four members of the Olympic team-Vanzekin, Isaac, Ogbuke and Solomon Okoronkwo, were also in the U-17 team that went to the 2003 world championships in Finland.The team also included Mikel,Kola Anudi,Emmanuel Sarki and Ezekiel Bala who were part of the Dream Team at some stage during the qualifiers or final stages of preparations for the Olympics. It was the first team from Nigeria that failed to go beyond the group stages at the U-17 level. They were considered a failure, but they since proved otherwise.

I believe in second chances and I think we might be better served in the future if the NFF allowed Mr Dike to complete the job. I believe he would have learned that Nigerians demand nothing but the ultimate prize.Thankfully he has years of experience from managing teams in the football league.

Talking about the league...it kicked off this month...with the return of Warri Wolves to top flight football.They held Gateway of Abeokuta to 1-1 draw in the first match of the season. FA cup finalists in 1969, they have been in coma until the government of Delta State bought former NPA of Warri/Lagos(the Marines? first FA cup winners) and renamed it Warri Wolves.It's a shame we do not actually pay attention these details of our football history, these could be selling points for our clubs.Well that's a topic for another day.

Newly promoted Kaduna United and Enugu Rangers are the early pace setters, both have a 100% record after three rounds of matches.Defending champions Kano Pilars have just one win and are currently in 12th position.Niger Tonadoes,JUTH and Akwa United are yet to earn any points and they prop-up the league.

So far we have seen signs that another exciting season is on the cards, with a few surprise results recorded so far.Heartland FC were held by new boys FC Abuja at Owerri on the first day of the season.They in turn lost at home to Sunshine of Akure 3-1 in the following round of matches.Enugu Rangers and Kaduna also recorded away wins, at Akwa United Niger Tonadoes respectively.

Enyimba are yet to play any league match this season due to their involvement in Africa were they have qualified for semi-final of the CAF champions league.I am looking forward to an exciting season and will like to commend the NFL for a great job done so far.There is more to be done, especially in relation to facilities,curbing match fixing and other corrupt practices in the league.They will also do well to encourage owners to restore some of the more traditional clubs like Stationary Stores of Lagos and Calabar Rovers while we hope Bendel Insurance returns to the top flight as soon as possible. These clubs with their rich history could be key to selling the league.

This leads me to the next major occurrence of the past weeks, the news that a Nigeria consortium is planing to buy Newcastle United.I must say that the only reason why I'm commenting this is the fact that I think that Nigerian football will be better served if they bought one the clubs mentioned above that need a huge injection of cash to come to back to life and transform them into a top club.

While the money is theirs to spend in the manner they deem fit, I do hope they realize what they're buying.The baggage that comes with buying an EPL club is enormous in terms of debt,operational costs etc. If you add the extra baggage peculiar to Newcastle United, you will understand were I'm coming from.

Finally, the UEFA champions league group phase kicked off with only three of the seven Nigerians registered for the UCL playing for their various cubs involved.

Taye Taiwo and Mikel both played the full ninety minutes for as Marseilles lost to Liverpool and Chelsea beat Bordeaux.Dynamo Kyiv's Yusuf Ayinla could not prevent Arsenal from snatching a late equalizer in their 1-1 draw in Kiev,but Emmanuel Okuduwa was out injured. Stefano Okaka Chuka-who was born in Italy,but is eligible to play for Nigeria through his parents-was on bench as Roma lost to Romanian minors CFR Cluj.FC Steaua Bucureşti's Ifeanyi Emeghara was not involved in his club 1-0 loss to FC Bayern Munich. Inter won 2-0 away at Panathinaikos, but youngster Joel Chukwuma Obi not invloved,Victor Nsofor and Rabiu Ibrahim were not registered for Inter and Sporting Lisbon respectively.

Do you know that? Finidi George and Kanu were the first(and so far only) Nigerians to win the UEFA champions league.They achieved this feat when they helped Ajax win in 1995.Since then Jon Obi Mikel is the only player to have gone close to wining it when his club Chelsea lost to Man Utd in the 2008 final in Moscow.Kanu and Finidi also came close again in 1996 when Ajax lost to Juventus in Rome.
Karibe Ojigwe's club Bayer Leverkusen lost to Real Madrid in 2002, but he was not in the squad for the final.
Daniel Amokachi was the first Nigerian to play in the UCL.He played for Club Brugges in 1992/93 season the the first time the league format was adopted.