Kojo Williams blames Goodluck Jonathan for AFCON failure

[John Obi Moses]

Outspoken former head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Anthony Kojo-Williams has blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea


Speaking yesterday to Saturday Vanguard Sports, Kojo said that it was wrong for President Jonthan to overturn the decision of the NFF to relieve Keshi of his duties after last month’s AFCON qualifying match against Sudan in Abuja, arguing that the Presidential directive created the mess Eagles have found themselves in now.

“The one person who created this mess is the President. It was wrong of him recall Keshi when he was told to go by the NFF. We do not know if Nigeria would have qualified under the consortium of coaches led by Shaibu Amodu but that infamous decision to recall Keshi was responsible for our failure as the latter became bigger than the NFF as he was no longer answerable to them again”, said a livid Kojo.

Indeed, Keshi, in the days leading to the final two AFCON 2015 qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, said his future with the team was not tied to the Eagles performance, a subtle way of saying that no matter the results that he was going to remain in charge..

It is this attitude of the former Togo and Mali manager that Kojo finds most resentful, insisting that it was time for some total cleansing of the football house.

He pointedly attacked the NFF board, led by Amaju Pinnick as a lame duck for accepting full responsibility for Keshi’s failure to safely steer the Eagles ship to next year’s AFCON.

“The NFF as presently led by Amaju Pinnick has been caged. Those guys do not have the guts to stand on their decision. It is most shameful and disgusting that they have accepted responsibility for Keshi’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup.

“When Siasis failed to qualify the Eagles for the Nations Cup in 2012, he was sacked. So why are they afraid to sack Keshi after he failed to qualify us for Equatorial Guinea 2015? I am totally shocked with what is going on. I am tired of this country.

“I expected Pinnick and his board to have resigned when the President overturned their decision to sack Keshi because they are the ones running our football, not our President, who has a lot on his hands to deal with. They should have stuck to their ground and told the President why they sacked Keshi but all of them, simply kept quiet and look at the mess that came out of that decision”, Kojo added.

By John Egbokhan

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=195895

[DIMKA76]

Outspoken former head of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Anthony Kojo-Williams has blamed President Goodluck Jonathan for the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea


Speaking yesterday to Saturday Vanguard Sports, Kojo said that it was wrong for President Jonthan to overturn the decision of the NFF to relieve Keshi of his duties after last month’s AFCON qualifying match against Sudan in Abuja, arguing that the Presidential directive created the mess Eagles have found themselves in now.

“The one person who created this mess is the President. It was wrong of him recall Keshi when he was told to go by the NFF. We do not know if Nigeria would have qualified under the consortium of coaches led by Shaibu Amodu but that infamous decision to recall Keshi was responsible for our failure as the latter became bigger than the NFF as he was no longer answerable to them again”, said a livid Kojo.

Indeed, Keshi, in the days leading to the final two AFCON 2015 qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa, said his future with the team was not tied to the Eagles performance, a subtle way of saying that no matter the results that he was going to remain in charge..

It is this attitude of the former Togo and Mali manager that Kojo finds most resentful, insisting that it was time for some total cleansing of the football house.

He pointedly attacked the NFF board, led by Amaju Pinnick as a lame duck for accepting full responsibility for Keshi’s failure to safely steer the Eagles ship to next year’s AFCON.

“The NFF as presently led by Amaju Pinnick has been caged. Those guys do not have the guts to stand on their decision. It is most shameful and disgusting that they have accepted responsibility for Keshi’s failure to qualify for the Nations Cup.

“When Siasis failed to qualify the Eagles for the Nations Cup in 2012, he was sacked. So why are they afraid to sack Keshi after he failed to qualify us for Equatorial Guinea 2015? I am totally shocked with what is going on. I am tired of this country.

“I expected Pinnick and his board to have resigned when the President overturned their decision to sack Keshi because they are the ones running our football, not our President, who has a lot on his hands to deal with. They should have stuck to their ground and told the President why they sacked Keshi but all of them, simply kept quiet and look at the mess that came out of that decision”, Kojo added.

By John Egbokhan

http://www.osundefender.org/?p=195895

[Rawlings]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

[nellcarter]

The SE were basically playing away in Uyo's new stadium. SE needs to go back to the national stadium in Surulere to re-ignite that winning engine.

[yannick]

The SE were basically playing away in Uyo's new stadium. SE needs to go back to the national stadium in Surulere to re-ignite that winning engine.

you may not be far from the truth, but the trademark of a good team is that they are able to win anywhere even if its in Pluto or Mars...I still agree with you to a certain extent, we need that intimidating and very rugged atmosphere that Lagos fans always deliver whenever we are playing a crucial game...that way the insults,chants,and mere presence of those molue boys will not only subdue our opponents but strike the fear of the lord into our lazy players when they begin to play rubbish.

[ANC]

The SE were basically playing away in Uyo's new stadium. SE needs to go back to the national stadium in Surulere to re-ignite that winning engine.

you may not be far from the truth, but the trademark of a good team is that they are able to win anywhere even if its in Pluto or Mars...I still agree with you to a certain extent, we need that intimidating and very rugged atmosphere that Lagos fans always deliver whenever we are playing a crucial game...that way the insults,chants,and mere presence of those molue boys will not only subdue our opponents but strike the fear of the lord into our lazy players when they begin to play rubbish.

Not sure it applies anymore. It was generations ago that SE played in Lagos.

[Benedict Iroha]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

Finally i agree with u....don't forget the great benedict iroha...


Nigeria just don't have the talents anymore......until we get a coach with the vision like clemens westerhoff......

[Orion]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

Finally i agree with u....don't forget the great benedict iroha...

This same guy was all over this forum in 2012 saying these same things.

Since then..
AFCON champions 2013
World cup qualification 2014
WC 2nd round - 2014 - Best African nation along with Algeria.
U17 world champions

As for Ghana in that same time? NOTHING!

He fled the forum after we won the AFCON in 2013 and didn't show his face here for months.

This clown waits around here patiently until we have a dip in form or we're affected by admin issues and then he starts spewing his rubbish again. He is like a broken record. Ignore him.

[osita]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

Finally i agree with u....don't forget the great benedict iroha...

This same guy was all over this forum in 2012 saying these same things.

Since then..
AFCON champions 2013
World cup qualification 2014
WC 2nd round - 2014 - Best African nation along with Algeria.
U17 world champions

As for Ghana in that same time? NOTHING!

He fled the forum after we won the AFCON in 2013 and didn't show his face here for months.

This clown waits around here patiently until we have a dip in form or we're affected by admin issues and then he starts spewing his rubbish again. He is like a broken record. Ignore him.

Wait for him to disappear once more when ghana gos out from the group phase of AfCON.

With all there midfield talent watch them struggle to score goals during Afcon.

[furiously frank]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

Really, the same team that won ANC 2 years ago and went further than any other African team at the mundial (including Ghana ) YOu are kiddin right?

Lets see how talented Ghana will do next year...

[Cristao II]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....
That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

Now you are being a troll!

[Catalyst]

Kojo is not a very smart guy based on these comments. This can change with coaching and reading of some books I will recommend to him. But I digress.

If he bothered to check the contracts or "agreements" with regards to the tenures he is comparing he would have known what I know now.

One tenure was point blank - fail to qualify you are gone. It was written in the contract. I warned everyone back then about the fact that he has been setup to fail - not by NFF - but the fans.

Keshi's long term stay is tied to his ANC gold (which you cannot buy with money anyway). Win the ANC gold, you are given 4 years automatically. He has at least 2 years left to cash in on his equity (this can rise to another 4 years if he wins 2016 ANC gold - as expected?). He has buffer room to skid off the freeway. But we are back on track now.

[Enugu II]

Catalyst,

To be frank, I am with Kojo on the fact that the Presidency should not be involved in determining who stays as coach and who does not. I often disagree with Kojo's views as they are extremely tinted with coloniality, at least from my view, but on the issue of interference with NFF's statutory duties he is correct. Yes, one may like Keshi and his tenure but that should not excuse Presidential interference.

Kojo is not a very smart guy based on these comments. This can change with coaching and reading of some books I will recommend to him. But I digress.

If he bothered to check the contracts or "agreements" with regards to the tenures he is comparing he would have known what I know now.

One tenure was point blank - fail to qualify you are gone. It was written in the contract. I warned everyone back then about the fact that he has been setup to fail - not by NFF - but the fans.

Keshi's long term stay is tied to his ANC gold (which you cannot buy with money anyway). Win the ANC gold, you are given 4 years automatically. He has at least 2 years left to cash in on his equity (this can rise to another 4 years if he wins 2016 ANC gold - as expected?). He has buffer room to skid off the freeway. But we are back on track now.

[Damunk]

The SE were basically playing away in Uyo's new stadium. SE needs to go back to the national stadium in Surulere to re-ignite that winning engine.

you may not be far from the truth, but the trademark of a good team is that they are able to win anywhere even if its in Pluto or Mars...I still agree with you to a certain extent, we need that intimidating and very rugged atmosphere that Lagos fans always deliver whenever we are playing a crucial game...that way the insults,chants,and mere presence of those molue boys will not only subdue our opponents but strike the fear of the lord into our lazy players when they begin to play rubbish.

Not sure it applies anymore. It was generations ago that SE played in Lagos.

That whole 'Lagos intimidation' thing is a myth. Time erodes memories. Football moved away from Lagos not only because the facilities were falling apart. A major problem was the fans.
They had no loyalty to the SE. If the boys played badly, or didn't get a hold of the game 'on time', or the opponents played well, or scored first, Lagos fans no send - they'd boo and abuse the SE, no shakin'. It was a major problem.
So the thinking at the time was that the rest of the country also had a right to host the national team, and it was believed that no way would they be as fickle as the Lagos fans. They were wrong.
That as you say was a generation ago, but applied even then.

[amoky]

I am sad that most Nigerians are STILL burying their head in the sand.

The failure has nothing to do with Keshi, BadLuck, Mikel, NFF/Pinnick, NEPA, etc

The resources/talent is simply not there anymore .... and please don't refer to the U-17 team ...we are still waiting on Chrisantus
When was the last time u got a team like: West, Okocha, Kanu, Amokachie, Yekini, Oliseh, Amuneke, Finidi ....That team would have easily qualified for ANC after the first four games

I agree with you that the era of the highlighted above would have qualified easily... But I would not agree that the resources are not there. There are better players out there than what we have at the moment
its just that we have a lazy administrative system and you can't completely exonerate Keshi from this either

[Riversboy]

The SE were basically playing away in Uyo's new stadium. SE needs to go back to the national stadium in Surulere to re-ignite that winning engine.

you may not be far from the truth, but the trademark of a good team is that they are able to win anywhere even if its in Pluto or Mars...I still agree with you to a certain extent, we need that intimidating and very rugged atmosphere that Lagos fans always deliver whenever we are playing a crucial game...that way the insults,chants,and mere presence of those molue boys will not only subdue our opponents but strike the fear of the lord into our lazy players when they begin to play rubbish.

Not sure it applies anymore. It was generations ago that SE played in Lagos.

That whole 'Lagos intimidation' thing is a myth. Time erodes memories. Football moved away from Lagos not only because the facilities were falling apart. A major problem was the fans.
They had no loyalty to the SE. If the boys played badly, or didn't get a hold of the game 'on time', or the opponents played well, or scored first, Lagos fans no send - they'd boo and abuse the SE, no shakin'. It was a major problem.
So the thinking at the time was that the rest of the country also had a right to host the national team, and it was believed that no way would they be as fickle as the Lagos fans. They were wrong.
That as you say was a generation ago, but applied even then.

The reaction of the Lagos crowd during WCQ02 was really a shock to some people, and precipitated the move to allegedly friendlier climes.

My stance on abuse of players and team in the media and on the web is well known. However when I was growing up, we knew that "Lagos Crowd" would boo the hell out of SE in the second half if things were going wrong. To my mind, three things have happened to make the atmosphere in Naija stadia work against SE:

1. Fans boo and turn faster than before. The SE Are barely given time to settle.

2. This generation of players are "softer". They have thinner skin when it comes to the hostile home crowd because they didn't play a lot of formative football in Naija league, and because Naija fans no longer come out for league football anyway, so the only time an average SE player faces a large "Naija crowd" is during his SE career.

3. The Supporters Club is a shadow of its former musical self.

That's my pet hypothesis.

RB.