Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
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Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
Well this is the World Cup in 2018, so everything factors in.
Obviously the group sucks, so no need to break that down, but I will say it is open nonetheless.
Group 0
Just had a quick look at the map, and it seems that we will have the worst travel schedule in the group, leaving the enclave, heading south, before heading North again. If we factor in where the World cup Base is (Which we should, since teams will stay there fore and every match, Argentina has the best travels, followed by Iceland, we come in 3rd and Croatia is last, with NONE of their matches near their base.
Travels -1
But the schedule works in our favour, we have the best sequence of games that we could have possibly hoped for. In Round 1 and Round 2, we are playing in the 2nd match in the group. So we get to see beforehand, how the group is shaping up, and perhaps that will help to motivate us. Of course the other thing, is that by Round 3 (most pundits/fans, rightly or wrongly), are assuming that Argentina will have little to play for. We will also be more rested for the 2nd round, while Croatia will be more rested for their toughest match.
Sequence +1
Stadia
We are all playing in similar sized stadia, well except for the big clash with Argentina. I will not delve into the width of the pitch, so let us just leave it there
+0
Climate
I haven't looked into this yet.
Overall our off the pitch circumstances are 'open', similar to our on the pitch circumstances.
Obviously the group sucks, so no need to break that down, but I will say it is open nonetheless.
Group 0
Just had a quick look at the map, and it seems that we will have the worst travel schedule in the group, leaving the enclave, heading south, before heading North again. If we factor in where the World cup Base is (Which we should, since teams will stay there fore and every match, Argentina has the best travels, followed by Iceland, we come in 3rd and Croatia is last, with NONE of their matches near their base.
Travels -1
But the schedule works in our favour, we have the best sequence of games that we could have possibly hoped for. In Round 1 and Round 2, we are playing in the 2nd match in the group. So we get to see beforehand, how the group is shaping up, and perhaps that will help to motivate us. Of course the other thing, is that by Round 3 (most pundits/fans, rightly or wrongly), are assuming that Argentina will have little to play for. We will also be more rested for the 2nd round, while Croatia will be more rested for their toughest match.
Sequence +1
Stadia
We are all playing in similar sized stadia, well except for the big clash with Argentina. I will not delve into the width of the pitch, so let us just leave it there
+0
Climate
I haven't looked into this yet.
Overall our off the pitch circumstances are 'open', similar to our on the pitch circumstances.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
Re: Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
I think the key non-football benefit for us is the sequence.
It is the saving grace from an otherwise bad draw.
It is the saving grace from an otherwise bad draw.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
Re: Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
Well the first point of the Sequence is now coming into play, although the second point (Argentina being in the ascendancy) is not.
Although the Denmark affliction is affecting many people on CE, and they believe the human psyche is not driven by emotions (hint, it is), the reality is the fact that Argentina played before us in Round 2 HELPS US. We may not want to admit that it does (due to the Denmark Affliction), but it does.
Now moving on, I have finally gotten some insights into the climate.
Volgograd in the South will be a hot 32 degrees when we play.The Icelanders are of course a Nordic people. Nordic BTW is derived from Norden, meaning the Northern lands! These are people who are built for the cold, more than most people on earth. This is not the classic European V African argument. Southern Europe can be hot, Northern Europe is something else.
While one might argue that most of our players play in Europe, most of them DO NOT play in the type of conditions where the Icelanders were raised. Even Amokachi who spent a significant percentage in Europe, was shocked when he went to Finland. They WILL feel the heat!, no two ways about.
Regarding another point I made, the travel for Iceland and Nigeria will be good for both teams, so they will be well rested.
Although the Denmark affliction is affecting many people on CE, and they believe the human psyche is not driven by emotions (hint, it is), the reality is the fact that Argentina played before us in Round 2 HELPS US. We may not want to admit that it does (due to the Denmark Affliction), but it does.
Now moving on, I have finally gotten some insights into the climate.
Volgograd in the South will be a hot 32 degrees when we play.The Icelanders are of course a Nordic people. Nordic BTW is derived from Norden, meaning the Northern lands! These are people who are built for the cold, more than most people on earth. This is not the classic European V African argument. Southern Europe can be hot, Northern Europe is something else.
While one might argue that most of our players play in Europe, most of them DO NOT play in the type of conditions where the Icelanders were raised. Even Amokachi who spent a significant percentage in Europe, was shocked when he went to Finland. They WILL feel the heat!, no two ways about.
Regarding another point I made, the travel for Iceland and Nigeria will be good for both teams, so they will be well rested.
Last edited by Tbite on Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
Re: Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
Last edited by Tbite on Fri Jun 22, 2018 6:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT
Re: Breaking down Nigeria's group Dynamics (Non-Football)
But all of these things have been scientifically proven to matter.ANC wrote:WC fever
In fact even those who might come into this thread to yab me know this (they are just yabbing).
Non-Footballing factors MATTER! Do a survey of professional footballers, the overwhelming majority will tell you it does.
A simple one is the home/away difference. The location affects the psychological state or psyche of the players, as well as the referees themselves! A point that we keep forgetting is that we are human beings.
Even in the World Cup we know it matters. Another very simple one, are host teams generally doing better in the World Cup they host. There are some small exceptions among the favourites, but borderline teams or dark horses irrefutably do better.
There is also the case of European teams struggling in South America and vice versa. European winners win in Europe, South American winners win in the Americas. The trend has only been bucked twice, Brazil in Sweden and Germany in Brazil.
Buhari, whose two terms thankfully ground to a constitutional halt in May. (One thing both democracies have going for them is that their leaders, however bad, have only two terms to swing the wrecking ball.) Under Buhari, growth per head also plunged to 0. An economic agenda drawn from the dusty pages of a 1970s protectionist handbook failed to do the trick. Despite Buhari’s promise to tame terrorism and criminality, violence flourished. Despite his reputation for probity, corruption swirled. FT