Former Coach of defunct ACB Football Club of Lagos, Chief Gideon Njoku has said that Argentina cannot scuttle Nigeria's World Cup dream in South Africa.
Reacting to the draw held Friday in Cape Town, South Africa which pitched the South American giants with Nigeria, South Korea and Greece, Coach Njoku said, "a lot of people are afraid of Argentina, but I am not.
I am confident we will beat them because they don't have a coach. They only have a former football star who sits on the bench as coach and their defense is very poor They should not scare us."
Coach Njoku said to nail Argentina, coach Amodu Shuaibu must find a way of snuffing life from the Argies by rendering Lionel Messi immobile.
"If I were Amodu I would train two players specifically for Messi. I would instruct them to go wherever he goes; even to the toilet. I will tell them not to give him any breathing space ," he said.
Njoku said the teams to fear in Nigeria's group should be Greece and South Korea. "Yes, this is because they are regarded as Dark Horses," he remarked, adding that "Greece have a very good team and some very good players.
For Korea, I think they are just out to make a name for themselves. In 2002, they got to the semi final because they were co-hosts. I don't see them progressing that far this time around."
Njoku took a look at the Nigerian team and advised that the players need to buckle up before the Mundial.
"Yobo, to me is suspect. Mikel should be more patriotic while Osaze should stop taking free kicks because he is not very good at set pieces."
On Nwankwo Kanu, chief Njoku said the head coach must draw up a plan that would see Kanu become more useful to the team. "If they want to use him like Cameroun used Roger Milla in 1990 World Cup they do so. Kanu should not be made to sit on the bench like a technical official.His continuous stay on the bench is robbing other younger players of the opportunity to prove themselves."
The former sweat merchant declared his support for Coach Amodu Shuaibu but recommended that the technical crew should be fortified with experienced local coaches.
"I see nothing wrong with Amodu. What I feel could be done is to fortify the technical crew with experienced local coaches. At times watching Amodu on the bench you would think he is in a trance so you need someone who is experienced to bring him back to life once he is that state. But he has to be assured that nobody is taking over his job".
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I beg to differ.Amodu is not the best man for the job.He should be fired before its too late.The man does not even command respect and authority from his players.To make comparisons with Argentina is suicidal.Its true Argentina also dont have a coach.But it ends there,for they have lots of world class players who can tilt the tide of the game to their favour.
Also these South Americans just like their European counterparts dont need a good coach or money in order to play well for their country.They do for glory.The dream of every top player is to win the World Cup.Just have a look at Beckam,he is prepared to forfeit his millions just to present his country.How many Super Eagles players would do that.
So lets not deceive ourselves here.Nigeria needs a world class foreign coach like Hiddink.He is somebody who can work miracles within a short space of time just like he did with Chelsea.Moreover he has played and coached at the highest level.The NFA should talk to Abramovich and the Russian FA to let them have Hiddink just for the world cup.Surely something ca be worked out.
Gullit isnot a good choice for he does not stamp his authority on his players just like his stint at LA Galaxy bears testimony.The only problem is that no serious minded top foreign coach would ever agree to coach the super Eagles ,with the NFA"S hotchy-potchy and mafia type of adminstration.
The NFA should realise that football has evolved tremendously,so there is no room for this type of management.Success is dertemined by good organisation.Look at countries like Greece,Denmark etc,they dont have any world class players but due to sound adminstration they are ever making progress.Which is a far cry of our beloved Super Eagles.
If we are not careful, with Amodu in charge, this could turn out to be Nigearia"s worst World Cup outing.
By the way I am a Zimbabwean who follows the Super Eagles.