By Richard Animam
Former NFA Chairman, Ibrahim Galadima has added his voice to the call on former Super Eagles captain Austin Okocha to quit retirement and lace his boots for the Super Eagles once again, if Nigeria picks the 2010 World Cup ticket. Last week, ex-international Adokie Amiesimaka called on the Presidency and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to prevail on Okocha to come out of retirement and assist Nigeria at the World Cup in South Africa. He went on to say, that his call was based on the fact that Nigeria still lacks a creative midfielder, one who can hold the ball and create chances out of the ordinary.
Austin Okocha
Galadima, says he shares Adokie’s view, stating that for Adokie to have made that call, he meant well for Nigeria. But the former NFA boss added that only Austin Okocha can confirm if he would want to quit retirement to play for the country again at the World Cup.
“Amiesimaka is someone who has the pedigree to talk about football in Nigeria. I respect him and share his views and by all means it is a reasonable call. But it also has to do with Austin to confirm if he is in position to play again.
“I know he loves Nigeria but it also depends on him being able deliver. We need to find out from him what he feels about it. Okocha knows why he retired from active football and only him can say if he will come back or not”, he said.
On the scoreless draw in Rades, Galadima said that game lifted the morale of Nigerians, who now believe that Nigeria’s flag will be hoisted in South Africa next year, when the world gather for the global event.
“If we had lost, it would have been another thing entirely. But the result in Rades was good. The result kept us in the race to South Africa. But to qualify, we must beat Mozambique, Kenya and Tunisia”, he added.
if jay jay is coming back it is not a bad idear,atleast zidan did it when france was strugling to qualify 4 world cup.
Lets be looking forward! Did you see the players Brazil used in winning the Confederaton cup? Did Brazil hanged on to Ronaldo, Ronadiho? Lets face the fact, Okocha has done well, lets look for the likes of Luis Fabiano, Kaka, and the rest, we have them in abundance, we only need a good coach to bring them out!
The issue of bring okocha is not good. There are new young stars out there in nigeria they can play good ball even better then jay jay. I suggested that we should go for them not old people. Reds for pinnock.
Okocha is good in the midfield and freekick but instead of comeout of retirement and play let him be a midfield traineer. Let Okocha handle the midfilders and train them how to distribute accurate passes, ball control and better freekicks. His experience is needed and our midfield will be ok if Amodu will not see it as a treat. God bless Nigeria ,God bless Super Eagle.
Yes, i believe in okocha,the issue of bringing jay-jay is not a bad one,if he can do us right,let it be done because i don’t think he has a replacement…since he left the midfield notting has be done postively…and i think he is too old for that? Look at song of camerou…and zindea of france and so many of them…please FG should call he back immdiately before it too late,obimdi casmir
I weep for Nigeria, a country of 150 million people, where young and talented minds can be sourced for sport, politics, and industry effortlessly. But, what do you see? This greatly endowed country always rely on worn out and antiquated ideas of 18th century rather than innovation and drive of the 21st century when there is a need and problem of choice. I am surprised that calls are been made to the midfield maestro to return back to active football after retirement. Austin Okocha made this nation proud in his hay days and we are all greatful for his heroic effort that brought glory and successes to our nation.
It is a testimony of the failure and incapability of our sports administrators that there is no competent replacement for Okocha when we have the likes of Mikel Obi et al. Mikel can be disciplined and given tact instructions and will perform; young and talented players from our proleague can be molded with tact supervision and a world class talent will be born. We need to look inward and look at new ways of doing things rather than worn and failed ways of the past if we must see greatness as a nation.
With all humility, I don’t have any problem with Okocha, he is my football hero, but this era of always looking backward is a pandemic that need to be cure if Nigeria wants to be relevant in the new world order.
There is an ongoing strike action embarked upon by the ASUU in Nigeria and it seems as if nothing can be done about it.Something can rally be done about it.Is it not better to leave Nigeria’s participation in the world cup and see to it that the nation’s University sytem is brought to a good shape and form? Let us think twice and examine our conscience.The time for action is now….
of course the issue is not the return of Okocha. fine, we really miss his passes and the likes, but that we need him back right now should be thrown out. Mikel should be played as a defencive midfielder – his traditional role with chelsea and not as an attacking one. lets simply keep grooming this players and hope something better will come out of them and stay entirely out of the idea of bringing Okocha back to the Squad.
I don’t think we need Okocha in the squad
It is not the issue of Okocha coming out of retirement .The problem we are having is the attitiude of most of our player especially at the defence,with regard to these their TRADITIONAL BACK PASSES.Ttat is one of the greatest problem the team is facing.Taiye ,Yobo mikel etc are killing our game with too much back passes instead of feeding the ATTACKERS with good and killer passes to Ike Uche and other attackers to give us the goals.
Otherswise we will keep on having draws and end up not qualifing