By Victor Omoregie

This was Paul Bassey’s assertion in his column in the Vanguard Newspapers of Monday, February 17, 2014. Irrespective of the assumption he thought the readers should adduce, I believe a journalist of his caliber should not make such rudimentary mistake. As journalists, facts are sacred. This goof by Mr. Bassey arose from the very sensitive issue of having Steven Keshi to take on a Technical Assistant (foreign or local).

It is on record that Keshi qualified Togo to the World Cup but was not allowed to take the team to the mundial. I believe Mr. Bassey’s statement might be a sub-conscious thought to mean that if Keshi was not allowed to take Togo to the World Cup, he not carrying Nigeria to the World Cup would not be new or a strange occurrence. In plain language, Keshi the coach has not taken any country to the World Cup and so it can still happen and the world would not end.

According to Bassey, Keshi was invited by the NFF to ask him if he needed some assistants to help him tactically and in the area of player’s fitness, which Keshi replied that all he needed was just two people – Slyvanus Okpalla and Ogugua. However the Head of the Technical department of the NFF, Mr. Chris Green said that at their last meeting nothing of such was discussed.

This assertion was corroborated also by NFF President Aminu Maigari, who told a group of journalists that there was never a time that the federation discussed the issue of technical assistant to Keshi. Meanwhile the issue of a Technical Assistant has been discussed as far back as 2013. It is alleged that the Head, Technical Department of NFF, Emmanuel Ikpeme raised the idea.

Who are we to believe? This is where I have a grouse. In other civilized climes, a total contractual package would have been spelt for the intending coach. This would contain aside remuneration, the caliber of back room staff that the FA expects him to bring along and his plans of blending footballers he will call into a TEAM. The intending coach would then give the contract form to his lawyers to go through before he can reach a decision.

At the end of the day, both parties would be in agreement. Thus creating an atmosphere of unity of purpose and direction to the objective. It is shameful that it is at this hour that some persons are shouting to high heavens that Keshi should have additional staff. I believe it is rather too late in the day for such and this is bound to be a distraction. Mr. Bassey says he has been a member of the FIFA delegation to two World Cups. I am surprised that Nigeria has not gained anything from his experiences.

If the country had, she should not be asking for a technical assistant in the ‘evening’ of our preparation. Preparing for the World Cup is like going to war. You strategize very early, draw out your plans and then ask for all you will need to prosecute the war. All Commanders are given crucial and very vital equipment to persecute the war. What comes later are just minor supplies to back up the initial strategy.

On the Okpalla’s case of insubordination, Bassey was quoting Lagos SWAN. I am taken aback by the remark. One would have expected him to quote the section of the Civil Service regulations on the subject. What was he expecting to achieve.

It is no longer a secret what transpires before a footballer is invited to the national camp. Only a fraction of these footballers are called up because of their talents, the rest pay their way into camp. Ask any footballer who has been invited and those that were dropped and you will be shocked about the stories you would hear. Even at the cadet level, it is all about how much you are willing to part with to get into camp.

Small wonder, you find 20 year-olds masquerading as 17 year-olds. Sadly enough these footballers see nothing wrong in this act because at the club level the act is rampant. So the comment that Keshi did not take the ‘best legs’ to CHAN is debatable. Keshi is the Coach and it is who he wants that he picks, period. Is Bassey telling Nigerians that the ‘best legs’ in Nigeria football are to be found in the Nigerian league. Then he has not gone round the country to watch unemployed and club less young Nigerian footballers display raw skill and grit that would put to shame what we see day-in-day-out as league matches.

We should not deceive ourselves, Nigeria will not get to the quarter-finals, semi-finals, not to talk of the final of the World Cup, not because we cannot, it is just that we are doomed to fail. There is always a self-destruct mechanism any time we embark on journeys like this. There is never nationalistic approach or commitment to sports. All you hear is egoistic statements about personal achievements.

This played out in Bassey’s closing statements…..  “while waiting to one day tell the story of our contributions to date, like Alhaji Maigari, I also want to be able to say that I was a member of the Technical Committee when Nigeria for the first time qualified for the quarter final… the semi final… of the World Cup. Keshi’s success will therefore be to my glory”. Not even to the Glory of GOD or NIGERIA, haba !!!

It is only Nigerians that can say whether Nigeria has done well. Till date, all Nigerians agree that the 1994 Super Eagle squad to the mundial of 1994 has been the best ever. FIFA rated Nigeria number five in the world at that time. This accolade given to the squad is far above the Football Olympic Gold medal winning team that went to Atlanta Olympics in 1996. Incidentally, both achievements occurred in the United States of America.

Nobody can present the history or record of another person except the person directly involved. Keshi should be allowed to write his own history. If he wants to go to the World Cup alone or with two or half number of coaches, that’s his business. He knows that he is at the threshold of history and he knows the steps to take. LET KESHI BE.

•Mr Omoregie, a former national athlete, is a staff of Vanguard