Daily Independent Online.
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Wednesday, July 21, 2004.
Feedback on FUTUBOL
By Tai Emeka Obasi
I felt so elated when I checked my box
last Sunday and noticed there quite a sizeable number of reactions to my last
week's piece; GIVE CHUKWU A CHANCE. My elation is because I've saved some
writing hours the Nigeria Movie Industry enjoys most these days.
Thank you so much for promptly
contributing. Please, if I didn't publish yours, that means it came to my box
after Sunday. I reproduce each letter unedited. Enjoy them.
First, Emeka Obasi, who initiated the
write-up in the first place.
Re: Give Chukwu some Respect
I won't dissipate much effort trying to
counter some of the highly contestable points my mentor, Tai Obasi,made in
defence of Chukwu's pathetic incompetence, and his swinging attack on the
people I refered to in my last article as football afficionados. Chukwu's case is sealed. The
sport ministry seem to have woken up from their camatose state - ready to purge Nigerian football of
deadbeats like Chukwu and his counterparts
in the NFA who, to say the least, have been over-indulgent of him (Chukwu) for
their own selfish reasons. Chukwu's irreversible fate is a bitter pill for my
friend,Tai Obasi, to swallow. He doesn't like to lose.
But in fairness to Tai Obasi, there is much
to say about the ill concealed Igbo phobia about the call for the termination
of Chukwu's contract expecially in the context of pleas in certain quarters, by
some ethnic chauvinists and Igbo haters,that Chukwu should be replaced by some
people who fared worse than him during their time as Super Eagles coaches.
Chukwu has done very well,no doubt. Infact he surpassed all my expectations of
him, because I had very low expectations, really. My argument has always been
that if we have to remain competitive in football at the world stage we, like
other football nations in the world are doing, must go for the best manager
available which obviously we can not find in Nigeria .
That's what we have been fighting for and
not for any ethnic or parochial interest. But our fight won't worth a tinker's
cuss if Chukwu is replaced with
any other Nigerian coach for any vested interest.The least the football
authorities can do to reward Chukwu is to renew his contract so that he could guide whoever is
coming in as his boss. The seamy Politics in the sports ministry at the moment
must not throw up a new local coach that will make Igbos view Chukwu's removal
as another poke in the eye instead of a boost for NIgerian football.
Emeka E Obasi
[email protected]
That,s the way to go
Emeka, as my namesake I must commend you on
the analysis you gave on Christian Chukwu,You did a good job as regards
research and I challenge the likes of Dudu Orumen, Paul Bassey, Mumini Alao
(though somebody I like) to counter this analysis if they can.Though I support
the call for a technical adviser but like you rightly pointed in the mould of
Arsene Wenger, Ruud Gullit, Guus Hiddink etc.Dudu Orumen,Paul Bassey,Ade
Ojeikere and co should bury their heads in shame for being die hard cynics who
don,t see anything good in another man’s effort. Keep up the good job.
Cheers,
Emeka onuoha
Thumbs up Tai.
Your analysis on Christian Chukwu,’s
successes and failure as the chief coach of the Super Eagles which appeared on Daily
Independent Newspaper of July 14th, 2004 shows that Nigeria still have
honest men and women who say things as they see them and not biased like Paul
Bassey, Dudu Orumen, Ade ojeikere,Mumuni Alao, Tanko and Tony Obot of Brilla FM
who wants to make a mess of our darling station through his biased programme
BACK PASS in which people who only know the beauty of football and does not
know what happens when football does not flow as they want it. How can Nigeria
win all the time when there is no time to train together but our opponents practice bearing in mind that
they are meeting Super Eagles.Can one plant cocyam and harvest yam,it is not
possible.Chukwu is working under difficult conditions where he is not given
free hand to operate and the established players are too proud of their
wealth.From major parameters he has excelled beyond the expectations of cynics.
Though he has his weaknesses and that,s human nature for you. The problem of
football in Nigeria is to a large extent administrative coupled with nepotism,
ethnicity and lack of support for what we have.I watch with keen interest for
the arrival of the foreign technical adviser and how he can battle politics of
Nigerian football. Thanks,
Chief Tony Onuoha
ONYEEZE
Oga Tai,
Thank you very very much for the clear
analysis you made on the people's column. God will bless you for speaking the
truth and shaming the devil. It is no hidden fact that the haters of Christian
Chukwu are only doing that based on sentiment. There's no coach in this land capable
of doing what Chukwu has done with the Super Eagles. What did Oningbinde do
with the super eagles in Korea and Japan? Is it not disgrace upon disgrace.
Brave writers like you are what we need to push this country forward, not only
football.
keep up the good work.
Maxwell Ike.
Dear Sir,
Your name sake Emeka Obasi in his own bias,
has been hoodwinked by his so called afficianodos to believe coaching is all
about sitting behind television cameras to speak grammar . It is much more than
that and I believe none of them knows any thing about football including the
NFA Chairman and the sports minister, whose agenda to replace chairman with
Khadiri Ikana is no longer hidden. Which oyibo coach can coach this country and
their foolish NFA and get the results Chukwu got. abeg make we leave matter. na
bad belle.
Ernest Nwizu
[email protected]
Sir,
Football in the world over has gone beyond
the level of mediocre coaches like Christian Chukwu. Are you sure you watched
the match against Algeria? Which
coach that knows what he is doing will make such stupid changes? Please,
whatever the results he has, we need a foreign coach. You cant claim to be
wiser than Paul Bassey, Mumini Alao, Dudu Orumen put together. The way forward
is for the sports authorities to provide us with a foreign coach. I am not
comfortable with Tigana because he has never coached a national side. Coaches
like Trappatoni are what we need.
Tony 'Mafia' Okougha
[email protected]
Dear Tai,
I agree with you. The problem we have is
impatience coupled with everybody knowing better than the man on the job.
Whatever these men are saying, including
the sports minister and the NFA chairman, Chukwu has long surpassed his
expectations. Before God and man, no one in this country believed Chukwu would
have taken the eagles as far as
the gentleman from Enugu has. Call it any thing; I'm solidly behind Chukwu and
calling a foreign coach now to spoil the good works of the man is typical of
Nigeria. The way they sacked Amodu and put Onigbinde in charge. our football
crashed to pieces. now that Chukwu is bringing it back, they want foreign
technical manager. When will Nigerians ever learn?
Emma Uwaebeka
[email protected]
Tai,
I don't quite agree with you the Chukwu has
performed better than Westerhof, though I give the coach passmark. The scenario
are quite different. Westerhof built a completely new team but Chukwu inherited
a squad just coming back from Korea/Japan. which player has chukwu discovered
since he took over apart from using players of Festus Onigbinde? Please this is
not an Igbo thing. we need a foreign coach to tinker the big team that Nigeria
has. But sincerely, Tai, I enjoy
your write ups right from the days of complete sports.
Your followership of the game is second to
none.
Kolawole
[email protected]
Tai,
Dont kill yourself fighting for Chukwu,
this is Nigeria where good work is never appreciated. I was with a friend the
other day and the guys only problem with chukwu is "na noly him be de
coach wey dey naija.
de man don chop, make others chop
boo." With such attitude, how can football grow in Nigeria? Football is
all about consistency, persistence and patience.
You say it every day but they wont listen.
God bless you for being consistent yourself.
Emma Okafor, Enugu.
Tai,
God bless you for telling Nigerians the
whole truth and nothing but the truth. Those who say chukwu is incompetent are
blind and completely mischievious.
Football is all about results and Chukwu's
scorecard is taller than anybody can imagine. Thank you for making it known and
scoring the percentages accurately. We are watching. Let's see who will beat
Chukwu's record in time to come .
Sunny Nkan, Port Harcourt.
