Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

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Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by nko »

Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by Enugu II »

nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by truetalk »

Unlike Chief Ogbunigwe & Uncle 1naija, I do not belong to the shriner's club of our greatest ever Acrobat and Atilogwu dance performer. :taunt: :taunt:

However, Oga is saying the truth here. Pat Ekeji destroyed that team, and he found a willing tool in Onigbinde.

That team dominated Senegal in the AFCON semis and addition to missing a penalty and hitting the bar during the game, only succumbed to an extra time winner.

Turned out the Senegalese team was not that bad (I knew that. They showed us pepper 2 years before in Lagos & we were only rescued by JAG) and made it all the way to the WC quarters.

Too many hot heads (at the time) acting like kids with Ekeji, Oliseh (unilaterally cancelled a friendly) and Amodu.

Onigbinde who was older and should have acted like an Elder only behaved like an opportunist.

We somehow managed to destroy an extremely strong team that could have made the WC semis and went with some Babamessi-like players who Taribo could only describe as 'Junk'.
Last edited by truetalk on Thu Jul 20, 2017 2:18 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by maceo4 »

truetalk wrote:Unlike Chief Ogbunigwe & Uncle 1naija, I do not belong to the shriner's club of our greatest ever Acrobat and Atilogwu dance performer. :taunt: :taunt:

However, Oga is saying the truth here. Pat Ekeji destroyed that team, and he found a willing tool in Onigbinde.

That team dominated Senegal in the AFCON semis and addition to missing a penalty and hitting the bar during the game, only succumbed to an extra time winner.

Turned out the Senegalese team was not that bad (I knew that) and made it all the way to the WC quarters.

Too many hot heads (at the time) acting like kids with Ekeji, Oliseh (unilaterally cancelled a friendly) and Amodu.

Onigbinde who was older and should have acted like an Elder only behaved like an opportunist.

We somehow managed to destroy an extremely strong team that could have made the WC semis and went with some Babamessi-like players who Taribo could only described as 'Junk'.
Yep, we are somehow in love with "rebuilding" all the time, throw out what you have and start over is the reigning solution. JJ is right, it halted our progress drastically, nothing wrong with phasing out older players with younger ones, but not wholesale, should be a gradual thing.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by theYemster »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
It's more of an insult to the millions who can't even afford to fly on a plane. :)
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by Dammy »

The real culprits were the Minister for Sports, Mark Aku and Taiwo Ogunjobi. Onigbinde was used by these people to settle scores and Nigeria suffered for it. He wanted to recall Oliseh, Finidi etc but Ogunjobi overruled him.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by wiseone »

I do not think getting to the semi-finals of the AFCON, finishing third, and losing only 1 game (to a Senegal team that reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup and beat world champs France a few months later) qualifies as a "dismal performance". I agree with JJ that sacking the coaches and disbanding the entire team was unnecessary. Nigeria would have done a lot better at that 2002 World Cup if Yak, Oliseh, George, Agali, and the other so called "Mafia" had been selected.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by folem »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
Maybe he got a seat with terrible legroom. :mrgreen:
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by truetalk »

Dammy wrote:The real culprits were the Minister for Sports, Mark Aku and Taiwo Ogunjobi. Onigbinde was used by these people to settle scores and Nigeria suffered for it. He wanted to recall Oliseh, Finidi etc but Ogunjobi overruled him.
Ogunjobi's influence grew later, and although he was one of the 'destroyers' of Nigerian football, the main man and trouble maker in 2002 was Ekeji.

The Minister was a problem, I agree, but they almost always are & will remain so as long as the Government is the main funder of Sports in Nigeria..
Last edited by truetalk on Thu Jul 20, 2017 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by kolinzo »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
EII, Jayjay didn't call sitting in economy class INHUMAN. He called the TREATMENTS (with an 's') they received inhuman. And he gave a reason why sitting in economy is inhuman. Here is what he said:

" We also knew that they got more allowances than us and still wanted to deprive us our own. It was inhuman. We closed ranks to fight for our rights. Imagine flying on economy class without leg room. And they expect you to do magic on the pitch. Some players ended up getting injuries before the match or not giving their optimal best. We connected flights(commercial flights) and waited almost 10 to 14 hours to connect flights. When we speak out against such inhuman treatments, they are quick to call us mafia. What is mafia? If they don't pay you in your place of work, will you be happy? "
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by felarey »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
Haba, he was referring to the totality of treatments they got not just sitting in economy. Our players have been shafted on logistics and welfare for a long time.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by Odas »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.
JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
How did JJ think the entire team (staff included) could have been seated in First Class section? What would have been the cost for about 25 people to seat in First Class section? The part I agree with Oga is the flying of Commercial Planes. Does it mean we (NFF or Nigeria) could not afford a Chartered Plane to take our players to their destination?
And the BIBLE says: The race is NOT for the swift, neither is the battle for the strong nor ... but time and chance makes them all.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by metalalloy »

Odas wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.
JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
How did JJ think the entire team (staff included) could have been seated in First Class section? What would have been the cost for about 25 people to seat in First Class section? The part I agree with Oga is the flying of Commercial Planes. Does it mean we (NFF or Nigeria) could not afford a Chartered Plane to take our players to their destination?

You never hear of chartered planes? Or Business class? or even Economy plus sef?
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by Gotti »

Odas wrote:
Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.
JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
How did JJ think the entire team (staff included) could have been seated in First Class section? What would have been the cost for about 25 people to seat in First Class section? The part I agree with Oga is the flying of Commercial Planes. Does it mean we (NFF or Nigeria) could not afford a Chartered Plane to take our players to their destination?
Dude, it's not either first class or economy (cattle :lol: ) class...

There's also business and premium economy classes, with better legroom. Why should the NFF officials (and the so-called "staff") seat in first (or even business) class while the players, whom the game is really about, seat in cramped space. Anyway, as others have already noted, Jay Jay was actually referring to the totality of the treatment meted out to the players.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by Bell »

DON'T LEAVE THE FANS OUT


I recall the events that led to the disbandment of that team. It started after the firing of Bonfrere when all real hope was lost and the SE only had a math chance of qualifying for Korea/Japan. Enter AKEtrio (Amodu, Keshi and Erico) who, against all expectations, went on to qualify the team. That meant the trio was going to coach the team in WC2002. Instead of rejoicing at the qualification, and giving credit for the feat, there were those (and many of them were on this board) who looked for ways to disparage the coaching crew, belittling their immense accomplishment at every turn. They never ceased to call for the immediate hiring of a foreign coach, predicting disaster if AKEtrio was allowed to coach the team in the WC.

The buildup to the Nations Cup was the usual chaotic SE story with conflicts between the FA and players. Friendlies and travel arrangements were mismanaged before the team got to the tournament.

The unfortunate outcome of the match against Senegal gave the FA and their critics in the media and fandom the excuse they needed to fire AKEtrio in expectation of hiring a foreign coach. After that failed (what coach with any dignity would take up such an assignment with such little time?), they hurriedly brought in Onigbinde who many believed had been scheming to get the job all along. Many of the first line players declined to go to the WC and Nigeria had its worst outing. Senegal which was the excuse for the firing went on to be a surprise team in the tournament, beating France.

The fortunes of the SE declined further when they failed to qualify for Germany06 but history was to repeat itself in SA2010 after Amodu again rescued the team and qualified it. Ignoring both the symbolism and morality of having a Nigerian coach in the only WC in Africa, the FA again fired Amodu and brought in Swedish Lagerback (sp) and the SE again had a dismal performance. The only good thing that came out of that was that even as the FA tried unbelievably to extend Lagerback's contract, ostensibly to achieve continuity, he selflessly recommended that the FA look inward for its coaches.

Those hoping that the FA had learned fro these would have been disappointed. Witness how they dispatched an official with cash to Brazil for players' bonuses, ignoring all the conveniences of modern banking. And when they came back, while other countries were plotting for Russia, Nigeria's FA spent years fighting over positions in the FA.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by 1naija »

Enugu II wrote:
nko wrote:Culled from the Vanguard
http://allafrica.com/stories/201707200425.html

I beg to disagree with Oga here. With proper management and consistency such problems could be overcome.

JJ sef. He called sitting in economy class inhuman. Wow! So those who sit there are not people. I can understand that it may be a problem having players in economy section for long flights but the use of the word inhuman is an insult to thousands of people that use economy.
It is inhuman to have millionaires fly economy when Ogunjobi requested for business class money for their flights. We should not look at everyone through yemibrassiere's eyes.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by deanotito »

I agree with all Jay Jay said, but the truth is that he should have stuck with his banned comrades when it came time for the WC. If he Kanu, Taribo, Aghahowa etc had resisted coming back ...just to stay in solidarity with the rest, I would buy more of what he's selling.

It rings a bit hollow now.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

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deanotito wrote:I agree with all Jay Jay said, but the truth is that he should have stuck with his banned comrades when it came time for the WC. If he Kanu, Taribo, Aghahowa etc had resisted coming back ...just to stay in solidarity with the rest, I would buy more of what he's selling.

It rings a bit hollow now.
The choice to play was given by the NFA. Those 'banned' players would have played if the NFA allowed them. Banning your best players was such an archaic, primitive decision in hindsight. I'm hopeful we can say now, that we've moved past such behavioral tendencies in Nigeria.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

Post by maceo4 »

deanotito wrote:I agree with all Jay Jay said, but the truth is that he should have stuck with his banned comrades when it came time for the WC. If he Kanu, Taribo, Aghahowa etc had resisted coming back ...just to stay in solidarity with the rest, I would buy more of what he's selling.

It rings a bit hollow now.
It's easy for you to say, but he still had a career, family to feed, and was looking for a new club at the time. Plus he was flying out colors and fighting to make the best out of a bad situation. I applaud him for standing up to be counted regardless of the useless NFF and the maltreatment the players suffered. If he didn't go the rhetoric would be well you can't talk because you abondoned the team when they needed you. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

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maceo4 wrote:
deanotito wrote:I agree with all Jay Jay said, but the truth is that he should have stuck with his banned comrades when it came time for the WC. If he Kanu, Taribo, Aghahowa etc had resisted coming back ...just to stay in solidarity with the rest, I would buy more of what he's selling.

It rings a bit hollow now.
It's easy for you to say, but he still had a career, family to feed, and was looking for a new club at the time. Plus he was flying out colors and fighting to make the best out of a bad situation. I applaud him for standing up to be counted regardless of the useless NFF and the maltreatment the players suffered. If he didn't go the rhetoric would be well you can't talk because you abondoned the team when they needed you. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
None of our players would have passed up the chance to be at the WC at the time. Something they worked very hard for. They were just banned.
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Re: Nigeria: They 'killed' Super Eagles in 2002 - Okocha

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maceo4 wrote:
deanotito wrote:I agree with all Jay Jay said, but the truth is that he should have stuck with his banned comrades when it came time for the WC. If he Kanu, Taribo, Aghahowa etc had resisted coming back ...just to stay in solidarity with the rest, I would buy more of what he's selling.

It rings a bit hollow now.
It's easy for you to say, but he still had a career, family to feed, and was looking for a new club at the time. Plus he was flying out colors and fighting to make the best out of a bad situation. I applaud him for standing up to be counted regardless of the useless NFF and the maltreatment the players suffered. If he didn't go the rhetoric would be well you can't talk because you abandoned the team when they needed you. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.
I didn't mean to imply that it would have been an easy decision. It definitely would have cost him, and anyone that takes public stances such as these has to consider the cost. But I would say this...if they held out together, they stood a better chance of forcing the hand of the FA.

The FA kept the fan favorites like Jay Jay and Kanu...and brought back Taribo so the defense did not resemble a hole...they punished the trouble makers like Oliseh, and the aging ones like Finidi. They also punished the local-based like the coaches, who did not have sufficient international clout to have other options. I once talked to Amodu about this, and what he told me would make you cry.

So essentially, Finidi, Oliseh and co bore a disproportionate amount of blame....blame that should have been shared by all was dumped on a few. I know that Taribo for instance did not want to play...but his club situation was so dicey, he didn't think he had a choice. Jay Jay's contract was up with PSG, and he needed a new home...

Yes, I know it would have cost Jay Jay....but I think if Jay Jay said I will not play unless you reverse the disbandment of my colleagues and the firing of our coaches, it would have been more honorable. Stephen Keshi once called the bluff of the FA....and he went on to thrive.

It is the age old challenge with strikes...if we really want to force change, we have to force oppressive regimes to listen. The moment they can break our ranks, change is hard to achieve.
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