Lagerback and Maradona
Their coach is better now, I am told. Employed with very shallow managerial experience in 2008, the team that suffered shaky match days has found places in the cold for their initial worries and announced its readiness for Nigeria and the rest of the opposition they will face in World Cup 2010 with a comprehensive 5-0 whitewash of Canada in their last friendly. Conversely, our coach is just celebrating his third week of work with his boys!

The die is cast. We do not care whether we prepared well or not. All we are asking for is that the Argentines should be brought on.

Thus eleven years of democratic rule have given Nigerians that unique advantage of shouting hoarse without being heard or of knocking without being answered. Afterall, it is our wish at all times that we prefer freedom with danger to servitude in tranquility. Many people might think that what we are getting at the moment might not resemble rich dividends we deserve or desire, but the opposite of what Nigerians (except the wealthy few) prefer.

A COUPLE of months ago – while Yar’Adua was still alive – an unknown person or group decided to paste “Jonathan For 2011” campaign posters all over Abuja.

Today, the greatest sports show on earth, with due respect to the Olympic Games, will kick off at the impressive 94,700 seating African Calabash Soccer City stadium that FIFA president Joseph Blatter has described as one of the best in the world. If the Fifa president himself can say that, then you better believe it .