The four-match ban UEFA imposed on Chelsea striker Didier Drogba over the misconduct at the end of the semi-final match in London with Spanish side Barcelona was not only deserved but also lenient. Chelsea’s right full back was also banned for two matches. The two of them only stopped short of employing violence to protest the referee’s very very poor handling of the match.

There was no case especially for Didier Drogba’s behaviour. Right from the first leg in Spain, Drogba lost the match for Chelsea by his fake falls all over the place and when Chelsea even had a chance to score an away winning goal, the same Drogba lost the chance through over confidence believing he was tipping the ball into an empty net.

The second leg in London was even more inexcusable for Chelsea to allow to be forced to a draw. With one of the best goals in the history of football scored by mid-fielder Michael Essien to put Chelsea ahead early enough, the team foolishly virtually all drew back to be defending a goal forgetting that all Barcelona needed was an equalizer to earn victory. At any rate, Chelsea boys put themselves under pressure.

Instead of score more goals to secure a clear victory, the same Drogba kept falling at the slightest touch, grimacing every occasion as if he was wounded aiming at three things (a) to get the Barcelona man concerned sent off or given yellow card (b) seeking free-kick against the Barcelonians and (c) most fraudulently diving in the penalty box to earn penalty kicks even when all alone he could have scored goals and I mean goals.
I am an ardent Chelsea supporter but cannot support fraudulent or unserious tactics to earn victory. No sensible referee will award dubious penalties in such a high tempo match. In fact I want my team Chelsea to win marches clearly and fairly. Since Jose Mourhino left Chelsea, Drogba’s mind was no more with the team and until he leaves, Chelsea’s scoring strategy will not be firmly established.

Didier Drogba is now only openly committing himself (still half heartedly) because he is commencing his thirties, which by English premier league standards, is showing him the way out and secondly, much to his shock, no team is now reckoning with him. Not even Jose Mourhino’s Inter Milan.
Having said all these, soccer authorities must also provide sanctions for whichever authorities selected post and inexperienced referees such that officiated in the Chelsea-Barcelona match. It was not enough to be lenient with misbehaving footballers without suspending incompetent referees. Obviously, only tacit acknowledgement of the low performance of that Chelsea-Barcelona referee earned Drogba only four-match ban.

While still playing for Chelsea, on and off Solomon Kalou said he would like to wear Arsenal’s colours. New Chelsea Manager Ancelloti, as part of his restructuring, should assist Kalou in his desire. You are either with Chelsea or go to the team of your desire.
Back home, there is misplaced confidence that Nigeria will qualify for the World Cup, in complete disregard for the opposition posed by Kenya. By the way, it is noticeable how the boys (Eagles) have all been responding to invitations for national assignment. In the past, that was not the case, with everybody sharing the blame.

First, sportswriters who never kicked an orange would sit in radio or television studios or (would) write in newspapers condemning those they hated to make way for their favourites. Second, Nigerian football authorities would not perfect arrangements for the boys’ efforts. If the boys were not asked to pay their air fares with promises to refund them in Nigeria, they would be asked to travel by economy class, the same boys who had been used to the minimum of business class when traveling with their teams in Europe.

In either case, they were mostly not paid refund of their fares and match bonuses when departing Nigeria.
On their part, the footballers themselves got it into their head that in wearing our green colours, they were doing Nigeria some favour. Perhaps except that it never occurred to them that the World Cup series (always) offer them free multi-million dollar exposure as a result of which they were always snatched by top European teams.

Nigeria perhaps rightly, missed the last World Cup series and everybody got the message – the government, the football association, sportswriters and of course, the boys themselves that the best entertainment in the World Cup is to have a piece of the action. Notice the unusual all hands on deck this time.
That is why it should be realised that no team travels away to concede defeat. Nigeria lost the chance by failing to win or at least score in Tunis last time. Tunisians want to qualify and therefore coming to Nigeria determined to win. The real team is the one that wins away. Tunisians are coming in full force.
Another defect in our team is the idea of defending and depending on one goal lead at home especially in a match like the one against Tunia? What if in the first place, the Tunisians score first. Nigeria must therefore get off the tactics of slowing down game which makes the match boring. Nigeria must then develop the idea of scoring goals as many as possible. It is a warning bell for other competing teams in the World Cup.