ANC Final game in Abidjan 1984, Nigeria v Cameroon

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

I cannot believe that the legendary Yekini was just a sub! Who watched this game? SUYA come forward and tell us what happened as we look at past games.

[Sanga Balende]

I watched and taped this game and have it (In relatively poor quality) back in the home land.

The Eagles cored first through the clinical finishing of an elder Muda Lawal from a wicked left footed cross from James Etokebe. Up until that point, the relatively young and inexperienced Eagles had almost 65% of the ball.


However, when Audi Ibrahim, Ndo-Lea, Ernest Ebongue, Arantes Mbida, Eugene Ekoule and the gang got to work, Patrick Okal became an instant statue.


The greatest undoing for the Eagles (On this day) was Okala's goalkeeping. Despite the heroics of Rufai in the amazing comeback against Egypt, earlier in the week, Gboyega Onigbinde chose to make a few fundamental changes.

While the midfield of bala Ali, Muda Lawal, Etokebe, Igwilo was quite solid, the Eagles lacked finishing up front.


The rest as they say, is history. The mistake of Nigerian football is that Adeshina, Edobor, Yekini, Igwilo, Nwosu, Bala Ali, Sofoluwe, Keshi, Ozogula, Eboigbe and Rufai should have been kept intact. Instead, the reign of the excellent Christopher Udemezue did not blend these players well with the "newer" discoveries and Westerhoff inheritees.

Imagine if that group of players were kept together with the Adepoju, Amunike, Finidi, Ekpo, Eguavoen, Sisasia era and allowed to form an even better team

1986-1994 would have been an embarassment of riches.

[mystic]

The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.

[Sanga Balende]

Mystic, you are 100% accurate in your asessment.

[DMS]

Mystic, you are 100% accurate in your asessment.

Shoo.. even late Earnest Okwonkwo wouldn't have recapped it better.

[Oba]

Frankly, I can't wait to have Nigeria break the Cameroon jinx once and for all. It's a pity we're not likely to play the finals of this ANC.

[The real deal]

Frankly, I can't wait to have Nigeria break the Cameroon jinx once and for all. It's a pity we're not likely to play the finals of this ANC.

Why not?

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

I watched and taped this game and have it (In relatively poor quality) back in the home land.

The Eagles cored first through the clinical finishing of an elder Muda Lawal from a wicked left footed cross from James Etokebe. Up until that point, the relatively young and inexperienced Eagles had almost 65% of the ball.


However, when Audi Ibrahim, Ndo-Lea, Ernest Ebongue, Arantes Mbida, Eugene Ekoule and the gang got to work, Patrick Okal became an instant statue.


The greatest undoing for the Eagles (On this day) was Okala's goalkeeping. Despite the heroics of Rufai in the amazing comeback against Egypt, earlier in the week, Gboyega Onigbinde chose to make a few fundamental changes.

While the midfield of bala Ali, Muda Lawal, Etokebe, Igwilo was quite solid, the Eagles lacked finishing up front.


The rest as they say, is history. The mistake of Nigerian football is that Adeshina, Edobor, Yekini, Igwilo, Nwosu, Bala Ali, Sofoluwe, Keshi, Ozogula, Eboigbe and Rufai should have been kept intact. Instead, the reign of the excellent Christopher Udemezue did not blend these players well with the "newer" discoveries and Westerhoff inheritees.

Imagine if that group of players were kept together with the Adepoju, Amunike, Finidi, Ekpo, Eguavoen, Sisasia era and allowed to form an even better team

1986-1994 would have been an embarassment of riches.

Thanks for the history lesson you provided for those who did not watch the great game. Is Gboyega Onigbinde of yonder related to Pa Onigbinde of 2002? Or is it the same person ?

[Toxicarrow]

I watched and taped this game and have it (In relatively poor quality) back in the home land.

The Eagles cored first through the clinical finishing of an elder Muda Lawal from a wicked left footed cross from James Etokebe. Up until that point, the relatively young and inexperienced Eagles had almost 65% of the ball.


However, when Audi Ibrahim, Ndo-Lea, Ernest Ebongue, Arantes Mbida, Eugene Ekoule and the gang got to work, Patrick Okal became an instant statue.


The greatest undoing for the Eagles (On this day) was Okala's goalkeeping. Despite the heroics of Rufai in the amazing comeback against Egypt, earlier in the week, Gboyega Onigbinde chose to make a few fundamental changes.

While the midfield of bala Ali, Muda Lawal, Etokebe, Igwilo was quite solid, the Eagles lacked finishing up front.


The rest as they say, is history. The mistake of Nigerian football is that Adeshina, Edobor, Yekini, Igwilo, Nwosu, Bala Ali, Sofoluwe, Keshi, Ozogula, Eboigbe and Rufai should have been kept intact. Instead, the reign of the excellent Christopher Udemezue did not blend these players well with the "newer" discoveries and Westerhoff inheritees.

Imagine if that group of players were kept together with the Adepoju, Amunike, Finidi, Ekpo, Eguavoen, Sisasia era and allowed to form an even better team

1986-1994 would have been an embarassment of riches.

Thanks for the history lesson you provided for those who did not watch the great game. Is Gboyega Onigbinde of yonder related to Pa Onigbinde of 2002? Or is it the same person ?

The Onigbinde of 1984 is the same Onigbinde of 2002.

[Oba]

Frankly, I can't wait to have Nigeria break the Cameroon jinx once and for all. It's a pity we're not likely to play the finals of this ANC.

Why not?

Because if for any reason Nigeria and Cameroon top their groups, both teams would only be able to meet in the semi-finals.

[The real deal]

I watched and taped this game and have it (In relatively poor quality) back in the home land.

The Eagles cored first through the clinical finishing of an elder Muda Lawal from a wicked left footed cross from James Etokebe. Up until that point, the relatively young and inexperienced Eagles had almost 65% of the ball.


However, when Audi Ibrahim, Ndo-Lea, Ernest Ebongue, Arantes Mbida, Eugene Ekoule and the gang got to work, Patrick Okal became an instant statue.


The greatest undoing for the Eagles (On this day) was Okala's goalkeeping. Despite the heroics of Rufai in the amazing comeback against Egypt, earlier in the week, Gboyega Onigbinde chose to make a few fundamental changes.

While the midfield of bala Ali, Muda Lawal, Etokebe, Igwilo was quite solid, the Eagles lacked finishing up front.


The rest as they say, is history. The mistake of Nigerian football is that Adeshina, Edobor, Yekini, Igwilo, Nwosu, Bala Ali, Sofoluwe, Keshi, Ozogula, Eboigbe and Rufai should have been kept intact. Instead, the reign of the excellent Christopher Udemezue did not blend these players well with the "newer" discoveries and Westerhoff inheritees.

Imagine if that group of players were kept together with the Adepoju, Amunike, Finidi, Ekpo, Eguavoen, Sisasia era and allowed to form an even better team

1986-1994 would have been an embarassment of riches.

Thanks for the history lesson you provided for those who did not watch the great game. Is Gboyega Onigbinde of yonder related to Pa Onigbinde of 2002? Or is it the same person ?

The Onigbinde of 1984 is the same Onigbinde of 2002.

Its unfortunate how much vilified FO has been with some forumites here for strange reasons. I have personally trained under FO and knows he's one of the best coaches from this continent.....hsi down side is that FO has STRONG views and he's unbending sometimes and gets entangled in unnecessary personal battles a few times. There is no role for the "BIG" plater with this man at all. Some forumers here are pediatric too, with little knowledge of our recent past and how NIg football metamophoesed into what it is today.

[Toxicarrow]

The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.

Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

[The real deal]

Frankly, I can't wait to have Nigeria break the Cameroon jinx once and for all. It's a pity we're not likely to play the finals of this ANC.

Why not?

Because if for any reason Nigeria and Cameroon top their groups, both teams would only be able to meet in the semi-finals.

Its pipul like u with this sort of mentality that's the bigger problem now.Such defeatist psychology, such inferiority complex............nauseating!

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.

Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

So Onigbinde had been fired before 2002?! .I notice a trend. Our forgiving natue (Africans) .. CCC should just be patient. His turn will come again. It's safe to assume that Egu will be fired should Naija fail to reach the Semis of ANC 2006.

[Toxicarrow]

The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.

Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

So Onigbinde had been fired before 2002?! .I notice a trend. Our forgiving natue (Africans) .. CCC should just be patient. His turn will come again. It's safe to assume that Egu will be fired should Naija fail to reach the Semis of ANC 2006.

You are right there is a trend.

CCC was fired in 1994 after Westerhof left Nigeria. He came back in 2002 and was fired again in 2005. Amodu was hired in 1994 and was also fired in 1996. He was back in 2000 and fired again in 2002.

Bonfrere Jo was in 1996/1997 before he was fired. He back in 1999 and was fired again in 2001.

If Egu failed to win ANC 2006, there is 90 percent chance that he would be fired immediately !

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.

Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

So Onigbinde had been fired before 2002?! .I notice a trend. Our forgiving natue (Africans) .. CCC should just be patient. His turn will come again. It's safe to assume that Egu will be fired should Naija fail to reach the Semis of ANC 2006.

You are right there is a trend.

CCC was fired in 1994 after Westerhof left Nigeria. He came back in 2002 and was fired again in 2005. Amodu was hired in 1994 and was also fired in 1996. He was back in 2000 and fired again in 2002.

Bonfrere Jo was in 1996/1997 before he was fired. He back in 1999 and was fired again in 2001.

If Egu failed to win ANC 2006, there is 90 percent chance that he would be fired immediately !

I guess the coaches should not take the firings personally then. It's just shifting blame and appeasing the ever demanding fans. But research suggests that teams which keep coaches longer tend to perform well in the long run. Switching coaches may not be the solution at times.

[azuka]

Toxicarrow wrote:
mystic wrote:
The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.


Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

You guys make me laugh. Are we talking about a different Onigbinde here or what? Is it not the same Onigbinde who could not qualify the SE for 1984 Olympics? The same Onigbinde who's only major win was the 2-1 victory over Ghana? Or is not the same Onigbinde who took the SE to China Great Wall Competition and came back with table tennis scores yet had the guts to tell Nigerians we learnt a lot by playing and losing rediculously to village teams in China? Did we go for table tennis lessons?

Or are we not talking about the same Onigbinde who usurped that silent IICC coach - Niyi or something- only to lose woefully to Zamalek in the African Champions cup right at the national stadium. And guess his tactical ploy of the day: Playing a quarter-fit Segun Odegbami on the basis of his name only. Ooo did i forget to add he forgot to find an answer to the question posed by that Zamalek Ghanian player by the name of Emmanuel Quarshie who turned our National Stadium Lagos to a practise pitch and the great IICC Shooting stars to the practise team.

Or are we not forgetting the WAFU competition in which Onigbinde's SE was beaten 4-2 or was it 5-2 by Togo?

You all talk about qualifying for the final in 1984 maybe you should educate us all on how we qualified. I guess it was spectacular that we won 2-1 against Ghana, drew 2-2 with Malawi - yes Malawi that's the hallmark of his coaching, played an accord game with Algeria and won Egypt via penalty kicks against all odds playing the most stupid football ever played by a Nigerian team.

Yes we should remind General Ogolo that to qualify for Cote D'Ivoire '84 we defeated Morocco via penalty kicks but also did not qualify for the Olympics simply because we did not win another series of penalty kicks against the same Moroccan team. Wobbling and fumbling at its best. And if the truth had to be told, we lost to the Camerounian bench in the second half of that match. That match was a typical example of how lacking a technical bench could be. In the second half, Onigbinde was bereft of ideas to counter the blazing Camerounians who came out smoking. General Ogolo in case they come with the excuse that the team was lacking in manpower, let me name some of those stars on parade at that competition for Nigeria: Rufai, Okala, Agbonavbare, Sofoluwe, Eboigbe, Keshi, Paul Okoku, Chibuzo Ehilegbu, Ademola Adesina, Bala Ali, James Etokebe, Deinde Akinlotan, Louis Igwilo. It was an assemblage of the brightest and best of Nigeria football at that time. And just like in 2002 and elsewhere he has coached he did not know what to do with these guys.

Honestly if the truth need to be told, the greatest injustice was not to allow Udemezue to move on to the SE with his FE who had just returned from the Mexico WYC. Waiting a year later and with the FE dis-integrated and many gone abroad for further studies, the spack was just not there anymore when Udemezue took over. I guess you guys now understand my clamour for Siasia to take over the SE immediately he came back from Holland. We keep making the same mistake all over again. At least this time we try to patch-patch by having Siasia on the bench.
Dont get me wrong, Onigbinde was a good theoretician. He will be a good candidate for the post of the Technical Director for the NFA formulating a playing formular for Nigerian teams with no input whatsover to team coaching. But as a coach, it is hard to know who is the worst coach between him and Christian Chukwu. At least Chukwu has one over him. He once won the National League with Enugu Rangers. Maybe Toxi and Mystic can remind us all in case we forgot one trophy Onigbinde won? Dont tell us about the the first African Cup Winners Cup Sooting won because we know there was one Allan Hawks on the Sooting bench then. And i do remember while at Water Corporation of Ibadan he was just an also ran.
Onigbinde a good coach. What will one not read on the pages. Tomorrow now somebody will come blowing the trumpet of CCC to high heavens.

[Field Marshall Ogolo]

Toxicarrow wrote:
mystic wrote:
The biggest mistake Nigeria made in the 1980s was firing Onigbinde. Had he been allowed to continue with the team that he built, Nigeria may well have seen something special. Instead, his great rebuilding job was interrupted and Nigeria missed out on CAN 1986.

As for Yekini, he was just breaking into the scene back then and was one of the new players that Onigbinde brought into the team.


Mystic:

You are 100% correct. In fact, if one put things in proper contexts, one would quickly discover that lack of vision, administrative problem and inpatience with coaches have been one of the greatest problem confronting Nigerian soccer development.

You guys make me laugh. Are we talking about a different Onigbinde here or what? Is it not the same Onigbinde who could not qualify the SE for 1984 Olympics? The same Onigbinde who's only major win was the 2-1 victory over Ghana? Or is not the same Onigbinde who took the SE to China Great Wall Competition and came back with table tennis scores yet had the guts to tell Nigerians we learnt a lot by playing and losing rediculously to village teams in China? Did we go for table tennis lessons?

Or are we not talking about the same Onigbinde who usurped that silent IICC coach - Niyi or something- only to lose woefully to Zamalek in the African Champions cup right at the national stadium. And guess his tactical ploy of the day: Playing a quarter-fit Segun Odegbami on the basis of his name only. Ooo did i forget to add he forgot to find an answer to the question posed by that Zamalek Ghanian player by the name of Emmanuel Quarshie who turned our National Stadium Lagos to a practise pitch and the great IICC Shooting stars to the practise team.

Or are we not forgetting the WAFU competition in which Onigbinde's SE was beaten 4-2 or was it 5-2 by Togo?

You all talk about qualifying for the final in 1984 maybe you should educate us all on how we qualified. I guess it was spectacular that we won 2-1 against Ghana, drew 2-2 with Malawi - yes Malawi that's the hallmark of his coaching, played an accord game with Algeria and won Egypt via penalty kicks against all odds playing the most stupid football ever played by a Nigerian team.

Yes we should remind General Ogolo that to qualify for Cote D'Ivoire '84 we defeated Morocco via penalty kicks but also did not qualify for the Olympics simply because we did not win another series of penalty kicks against the same Moroccan team. Wobbling and fumbling at its best. And if the truth had to be told, we lost to the Camerounian bench in the second half of that match. That match was a typical example of how lacking a technical bench could be. In the second half, Onigbinde was bereft of ideas to counter the blazing Camerounians who came out smoking. General Ogolo in case they come with the excuse that the team was lacking in manpower, let me name some of those stars on parade at that competition for Nigeria: Rufai, Okala, Agbonavbare, Sofoluwe, Eboigbe, Keshi, Paul Okoku, Chibuzo Ehilegbu, Ademola Adesina, Bala Ali, James Etokebe, Deinde Akinlotan, Louis Igwilo. It was an assemblage of the brightest and best of Nigeria football at that time. And just like in 2002 and elsewhere he has coached he did not know what to do with these guys.

Honestly if the truth need to be told, the greatest injustice was not to allow Udemezue to move on to the SE with his FE who had just returned from the Mexico WYC. Waiting a year later and with the FE dis-integrated and many gone abroad for further studies, the spack was just not there anymore when Udemezue took over. I guess you guys now understand my clamour for Siasia to take over the SE immediately he came back from Holland. We keep making the same mistake all over again. At least this time we try to patch-patch by having Siasia on the bench.
Dont get me wrong, Onigbinde was a good theoretician. He will be a good candidate for the post of the Technical Director for the NFA formulating a playing formular for Nigerian teams with no input whatsover to team coaching. But as a coach, it is hard to know who is the worst coach between him and Christian Chukwu. At least Chukwu has one over him. He once won the National League with Enugu Rangers. Maybe Toxi and Mystic can remind us all in case we forgot one trophy Onigbinde won? Dont tell us about the the first African Cup Winners Cup Sooting won because we know there was one Allan Hawks on the Sooting bench then. And i do remember while at Water Corporation of Ibadan he was just an also ran.
Onigbinde a good coach. What will one not read on the pages. Tomorrow now somebody will come blowing the trumpet of CCC to high heavens.

Wow! An excellent analysis. I wonder what others will say. They sounded convincing too. Y'all appear to be taking Naija football in different directions..

[azuka]

Wow! An excellent analysis. I wonder what others will say. They sounded convincing too. Y'all appear to be taking Naija football in different directions..

Not convincing but the truth.

[megapro]

Azuka,
please keep them coming.
meanwhle I saw Nigeria 0-0 Morocco in benincity 13.08.83
pathetic.

[Toxicarrow]

Honestly if the truth need to be told, the greatest injustice was not to allow Udemezue to move on to the SE with his FE who had just returned from the Mexico WYC. Waiting a year later and with the FE dis-integrated and many gone abroad for further studies, the spack was just not there anymore when Udemezue took over. I guess you guys now understand my clamour for Siasia to take over the SE immediately he came back from Holland. We keep making the same mistake all over again. At least this time we try to patch-patch by having Siasia on the bench..

For real? What did Udemezue achieve with Flying Eagles in Mexico 83?

That being said, so the mere fact that Siasia won silver with Flying Eagles (who in the Solowe's terms are "bunch of Agbaiyas") now has made him the saviour of the Nigerian team. To simply put it, he is now a master tactician that must be the chief coach of SE with immediate effect ! Wonder now cease to happen !! This is the same argument that was put forth in 1993 when Fanny Amu won under-17 WC. We promoted him to Flying Eagles. What did he achieve? Na fumbling and wobbling we get at the end of the day.

To be frank with you, there is nothing so superb about Siasia's achievement in Holland. To call a spade a spade, is the Siasia's silver medal in Holland anyway better what Tunde Disu achieved with Flying Eagles in 1989? Is it in anyway better than Bonfrere's Olympic gold medal, Boderick's gold medal of 1985 and Fanny Amu's gold medal of 1993? Except, we are saying Siasia's silver medal is now "Golden Silver" !

[YoungLion]

Anybody care to upload that infamous match for the rest of us who were still in our diapers to watch?
Someone's gotta have it in his/her archives.

[Toxicarrow]

Ogolo: Here is a profile of Onigbinde and his work in 1983/84

Onigbinde: The 38th coach

By Maxwell Odita

Daily Independent
Against the backdrop of public reaction to Nigeria's dismal performance at the recently concluded African Cup of Nations hosted by Mali, the Minister of Sports, Ishaya Aku made public the appointment of Chief Adegboye Onigbinde as the new Chief Coach of the Super Eagles. He replaced compatriot Amodu Shuiabu . This is Onigbinde's second coming. Between late 1982 and mid 1984, the man who was to become technical adviser to the national team of Trinidad and Tobago, held the ace in the Eagles team. It is pertinent to go down memory lane to see how prepared the man will be for the Korea-Japan World cup task. First indigenous Nations Cup Chief Coach Festus Adegboyega Onigbinde was the first indigenous coach of the senior national football team known as the Green Eagles to take the team to the Nations Cup at Ivory Coast '84 before 1990 when the Federal Government re-christened them Super Eagles. All his predecessors were expatriates.

Appointed Eagles sweat merchant late in 1982, Onigbinde took over from the Brazilian Coach Otto Gloria. Gloria, it was who led Nigeria to winning its first Nations Cup trophy in 1980 as host. Unfortunately,the Brazilian could not continue the winning streak and had to be eased out. In October 1981, Nigeria was eliminated from the race to Espana'82 by Algeria's Desert Warriors, the same team the Eagles had walloped 18 months earlier to lift the Unity Cup. Gloria's greatest undoing, however, was the elimination of the defending champion, Nigeria in the opening rounds of Libya'82 Nations Cup, a turn of event that belied its pre-tournament rating as favourites. Before Otto Gloria was a Yugoslav reffered to as Father Tiko. Dropped old players, discovered new talents Missing in the roll call of players invited to the Eagles camp by Coach Onigbinde on assumption of office, were hitherto household names as Peter Freghene, Okey Isima, Emmanuel Osigwe, Felix Owolabi, Adegoke Adelabu, David Adiele, Kadiri Ikhana, Tunde Bamidele and Franklin Howard, so-called big names of the Otto Gloria era. Such young and talented players of the disbanded team as defensive midfielder Sylvanus Okpala, central defender Stephen Keshi, midfielder Henry Nwosu, full back Bright Omokaro, goal keeper Peter Rufai, utility player Ademola Adeshina, and right winger Fatai Amao were given the chance of making input into the new team.


The list also marked the beginning of the career at the national level of players like Kingsley Paul and Mohammed Ibrahim, both of them remarkably gifted full backs, in the Eagles team for the 1984 edition of the Nations Cup. It is also on record that Onigbinde in his days as Eagles Coach discovered many players who have carved a niche for themselves in the history of Nigerian football. They include such players as midfield ace Ayo Ogunlana (Algiers' 90), right winger Wole Odegbami (Maroc'88), central defender Sunday Eboigbe (Cote d'Ivoire'84 and Maroc'88) and gangling striker, Rashidi Yekini who remains the second highest goals scorer in the Nations Cup annals (second only to mercurial Ivorien striker of the late 60s and early 70s, Laurent Pokou). Interestingly, some of these players did not find their feet when Onigbinde was in the saddle. They owe to him, their initial exposure to soccer at national team level. Onigbinde's team would not be complete without a mention of members of the Under-21 national team, the Flying Eagles who graduated into the Green Eagles in September 1983, after their participation in the Kodak /JVC World Youth Championship.


Only three of these players made it into the first eleven of the Eagles, and they were full back Yisa Sofoluwe, support striker Chibuzor Ehilegbu and left winger Humphrey Edobor. The others featured much of the time as substitutes. They included the super-sub midfielder called Bala Ali, Dahiru Sadi and Paul Okoku, goal tender Wilfred Agbonavbare, right winger Tarilla Okorowanta and striker Dehinde Akinlotan Did not rely on foreign-based professionals From the time he assumed office as Eagles coach to when he was seconded to the then IICC (3SC) Shooting Stars of Ibadan for the African Champions Cup campaign, Onigbinde did not solicit the services of any foreign-based professional footballer. The moment one of his players, Sylvanus Okpala left for Portugal to pursue a football career, Onigbinde did not require his services any longer. Okpala was not given the chance to play for fatherland again till 1985 when Onigbinde's successor the late Chris Udemezue invited Nigerian professional players abroad to participate in the World Cup qualifier campaign for Mexico' 86. For the Espana'82 World Cup qualifiers, Onigbinde's predecessor Otto Gloria also enlisted the services of no less that five Nigerian foreign-based professional footballers, and one of them Godwin Odiye played the final match of the 1980 Nations Cup against Algeria. The other Europe-based stars in the 1981 World Cup qualifiers include Andrew Atuegbu, Christian Nwokocha, Tunji Banjo and John Chiedozie. Coach Gloria's predecessor's Tiko did not invite foreign-based players despite the intimidating fame of Justin Fashanu in his own homeland, England and the nostalgia of wonder boy, Thompson Usiyen's departure. Defeated Lions of Teranga (Senegal) home and away When the ECOWAS Cup was conceived in 1983, Cote d'Ivoire was given the hosting right to enable it put to test facilities ahead Nations Cup 1984. The Cup was named after late Ivorien President Felix Houphouet-Boigny who donated the trophy.


As it was not an invitational tournament, other West African countries had to participate in a knockout elimination series, out of which three finalists emerged. They were Nigeria, Mali and Togo. Nigeria walked over Ghana in the first round and defeated Senegal (October 1983) in Lagos and Dakar by a lone goal. Ademola Adeshina scored in Lagos, while Chibuzor Ehilegbu scored in Dakar. Nigeria was literally disgraced in the tournament proper: Houpheot Boigny Cup finals (November, 1983) NIGERIA vs TOGO: 2-5; scorers for Nigeria, Ademola Adeshina and Louis Igwilo NIGERIA vs MALI: 4-5 penalties; scorers for Nigeria, Ademola Adeshina, Fatai Yekini, Bala Ali and Stephen Keshi Beat Ghana in Accra, conceded ticket to Morocco In the second round of the qualifiers for the soccer event of the Olympic Games tagged Los Angeles'84, Onigbinde's Eagles made history by defeating Nigeria's arch rivals and African champions the Black Stars 2-1 at the Accra Sports Stadium in October 1983, after a goalless first leg with the Ghanaians in Kaduna. Chibuzor Ehilegbu and substitute John Omoghele scored Nigeria's goals. For the records those that were fielded in the Accra match were Peter Rufai, Kingsley Paul, Yisa Sofoluwe, Louis Igwilo, Stephen Keshi, Tony Edwards, Fatai Yekini, Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Ademola Adeshina, Bala Ali and Humphrey Edobor. Before losing to Ghana in the second round of the Olympic Qualifiers, the Green Eagles defeated Hawks of Togo 3-2 goals aggregate (2-1 in Ibadan, 1-1 in Lome) earlier in July.


Ademola Adeshina scored Nigeria's three goals. But Nigeria did not make it to Los Angeles'84. The Eagles lost to Morocco (4-3 penalties after 180 minutes of action in Lagos and Casablanca ended goalless) in February 1984. Chibuzor Ehilegbu, Yisa Sofoluwe and Stephen Keshi scored their penalties, while Clement Temile and Henry Nwosu lost theirs. Enforced discipline in camp Coach Onigbinde maintained discipline in camp, without being harsh. He simply kept to the rules. For instance, when full back Bright Omokaro got himself enmeshed in a feud with players from Enugu Rangers International in the Green Eagles camp, he sent him packing but when that trouble appeared to have subsided he brought him back to the team. Onigbinde refrained from taking unilateral decisions. When Henry Nwosu declined to report to camp for the return leg of the Nations Cup final qualifier match against Morocco in Rabat.


Onigbinde referred his matter to the Nigeria Football Association which promptly suspended him from the national team. Nwosu lost his shirt for a while to midfielder Louis Igwilo. Also, no player had automatic shirt in Onigbinde's Eagles, not even Stephen Keshi the skipper of the team. There were matches that Keshi did not feature. There were other times when Keshi found himself in the starting line-up, only to be pulled out midway into the game. Somehow, Keshi shared the captainship band with Muda Lawal, Peter Rufai and Henry Nwosu. It could be said that Onigbinde's Eagles never scored more than two goals in any match. They were, therefore, not a high scoring side. Except for their 2-5 loss to Togo in 1983 Houpheot Boigny Cup and 1-3 loss to Cameroun in the finals of the 1984 Nations Cup, his team did not concede more than two goals in a match. There was tactical discipline. And the governing attitude in the team was,'" if we could not score against our opponents, then they must not find our net.