Emmanuel Ibru was a member of the board of the Nigeria Football Association, now NFF, between 2002 and 2005. Because of his background with corporate Nigeria, he headed the Marketing Committee of the then board. In this chat with Jacob Ajom, Ibru speaks on    matters affecting  Nigerian football and gives the newly elected Amaju Pinnick-led NFF board tips on the way forward.
Excerpts:

Do you believe Nigeria can still qualify for Afcon 2015?

It is going to be difficult. We have taken our fate out of our own hands. For us to have any mathematical chance is to win our remaining matches. If South Africa had won the match against Congo, that would have made our chances better and qualification easier.

Why do you think Keshi was sacked?

FILE PHOTO:BRAZIL, Curitiba : (From top L) Nigeria’s team midfielder John Obi Mikel, forward Emmanuel Emenike, defender Kenneth Omeruo, defender Godfrey Oboabona and defender Efe Ambrose (from bottom L) forward Victor Moses, goalkeeper and captain Vincent Enyeama, forward Ahmed Musa, midfielder Ogenyi Onazi, midfielder Ramon Azeez and defender Juwon Oshaniwa pose during a Group F football match between Iran and Nigeria at the Baixada Arena in Curitiba at the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 16, 2014. AFP PHOTO

What we have witnessed over the years has been somehow deceitful. Most people thought things were getting better. Prior to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa the situation was so bad. Keshi had the opportunity of having quite a number of friendly matches and he tried a number of players. A lot of players cropped up. We went to the Nations Cup and, although Nigeria was not one of the top teams on the continent we won the tournament. After the Nations Cup there was a clear rift between Keshi and the NFF which blew open. All that transpired thereafter is now history.

Keshi’s disengagement did not come as a surprise to me. I feel the first alarm bell was Nigeria’s performance at the Confederation Cup. We won only one match against Tahiti, a team any Nigeria Premier League club can beat. Against Spain and Uruguay we clearly showed that we could not compete at the highest level and it was evident at the World Cup. In Brazil, we qualified for the second round by dint of luck after the gratuitous 1- 0 victory over Bosnia. We got to the second round not because of our quality.

Keshi’s reign also witnessed a lot of rifts between him and some elite players of the national team. Osaze, Martins and the celebrated case of Ikechukwu Uche.

He also had an unstable NFF to deal with. Election controversies, FIFA bans and the concerted intimidation of the Maigari NFF board because some people wanted to ensure certain people did not come back, the impeachment and all. It was really difficult to operate under such situation.

Did the new NFF board drop Keshi to win popularity among Nigerian football fans who were calling for his disengagement?

I don’t think that public opinion pushed the NFF to sack him. It was unfortunate for Keshi because every Nigerian wanted him out. It was good he was taken away because the whole thing had become a distraction. It was good he returned to his family and good for the new NFF to settle down for business without what had become a clear distraction. Beyond the fans, the NFF needed to take that step, the timing notwithstanding.

Amodu back in the saddle? You think he is psychologically prepared for the task handed him?

I am not in his mind to know what state he is at the moment. But beyond that, Amodu has been around for a long time. He knows the system. He has a decent record with the national team. But it will be unfair to put any pressure on Amodu. I don’t expect that he is given a mandate to secure the 2015 Nations Cup ticket. If we qualify, fine. But if we don’t, the blame should not be his.

Foreign Coach?

Ideally, given where we find ourselves, I will say yes to the foreign coach option. But can we put at his disposal what he would need to succeed?

Most of these successful foreign coaches take a lot of backroom staff – nutritionists, physiotherapists, psychologists, scouts, etc. Above all, a foreign coach worth his salt must insist on standard facilities, like training pitches to be in place. When you bring someone to Nigeria where basically nothing is working, what type of result do we expect from such a coach.

So, what kind of coach do we want? Maybe we want to go for? African journeymen coaches who have been around for a long time. Nigeria is a peculiar country.

Advice to the new NFF board?

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations ticket should not be our priority. If we get it fine. But the bigger picture should be the 2018 World Cup in Russia. How do we get there? We need a formidable national team

Fortunately, the new board is led by Amaju Pinnick; a young man whose rise in the last six years has been meteoric. He is a go getter. When he sets his mind on something, he pursues it with vigour.

But Pinnick must know that football in Nigeria today is very political. From that point of view, he knows how to walk on the corridors of power.

Second, a lot of fences have to be mended. He must reach out to all members of the football family. The aggrieved members of the family too, should bury the hatchet. They should realise that whatever happens is for the good of Nigerian football. It is not a one man’s game.

The new board must be holding regular meetings, produce a blueprint and there must have a clear vision where they want to take our football to.

The strength of your league determines the strength of your national team. Attention should be paid to our local league.