From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Having excelled as an athlete, Green Eagles player, coach and sports administrator, former Director General, National Sports Commission (NSC), Dr Patrick Ekeji surely knows where the bones of Nigeria sports are buried.
Speaking in Abuja recently, Ekeji enumerated measures that would help the Super Eagles make appreciable impact and effective participation at the 2018 Russia FIFA World Cup, harping on the need to sharpen the team’s attacking department.
Ekeji particularly appealed to the corporate communities to urgently come to the aid of the Nigeria football Federation (NFF) to ensure that the Eagles did not face the usual challenges of financial difficulty before and during the campaign.
He equally speaks on the crisis rocking the sports federations and the secret of his good health in retirement, stressing that the imbroglio among the sports federations will remain insoluble because of peculiar Nigeria circumstances.
Is Nigeria on course for the preparations ahead of Super Eagles participation at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup?
Of course, I will say that we are on course. We have qualified for the main tournament, which was an indication that we are on course. Having been there as the Director General of the National Sports Commission and as a coach of the team, I know what it takes to prepare a national team for tournament of such magnitude.
Let me say that the biggest challenge a national team coach has is the unavailability of the players he depends on to deliver because of their club engagement. Most of the players are playing in different parts of the world.
This situation makes it difficult for the coach to assemble the players when he wants to. It is very challenging especially when it is not the kind of challenge most European countries that qualified for the tournament would have.
Certainly, Germany, Russia, Spain and even England won’t have that kind of problem because most of their players are playing in their leagues. Argentina and Brazil will encounter such problem for such obvious reason but not with the degree we would have it in Nigeria.
However, the good news is that we perhaps have individual players that are strong, skilful and tactful that the coach can confidently rely on and be sure they can deliver. The greatest task for Rohr will be putting this team together as a tactical unit.
Again, we are hoping that the strike force will be sharp enough to deliver the needed goals. In football, the team that wins is the team that has superior goals regardless of how beautiful the defeated side played. I am praying and hoping that the strike force will have, individually and collectively, developed enough to convert no chances to chances because that is what counts.
Having said these let me add that my confidence for the team doing well in Russia is that we have crop of players hungry for success. I was very much impressed with their friendly match against Argentina.
They were very confident and commanded the tempo of the game the way any fan had wanted the game to flow. As a coach, I watch and see more than other ordinary people in terms of the character of the team.
I must confess that I was very much pleased with the flare I saw even when they were two goals down. That they did not panic when they were down showed sign of maturity in the team. All I can say is to wish them all the best.
How far do you think they can go in the tournament?
Incidentally, I cannot correctly answer that question of how far the team can go at the World Cup because I am not a magician. All I can say is that they can go as far as they can. We can only pray and support them.
What is your view on the clamour for Vincent Enyeama’s return to the team?
Only the technical adviser and Enyeam himself are in the best position to answer that question. If the coach wants him and Enyeama feels that he can still deliver, there is nothing wrong with that. If on the other hand, Enyeama feels he has gotten to his limit, I don’t think he will be ready to come back.
What is your take on Rohr still shopping for players barely six months to the tournament?
Incidentally, it is difficult for any coach to announce his starting team six months to the World Cup. The coach has broad view of those he wants but he is still at liberty to beef up the team in one or two departments. He should keep looking because we have players in every part of the globe.
I strongly believe that he is doing the right thing. However, I also know that no coach would want to develop a player six months to the World Cup. I am sure he is looking for already developed players. He must be looking for tactically matured players with skills to execute matches and he can only get them from players in the big leagues.
Does it surprise you that crises still rock some sports federations?
Honestly, I am not surprise because it is typical of us in this part of the world. By the way, the crisis rocking the basketball is a long story I would not want to relate here. However, I am optimistic that they will settle themselves.
What is the secret of your looking fresh in retirement?
I feel very homely when I am around sports. I still do sports and that is the secret of my looking good.
