World Cup Betting: Unorthodox coaching methods but Nigeria have qualified

World Cup / Jonathan Wilson / 19 November 2009 / Leave a comment

Obafemi Martins celebrates after scoring the winner against Kenya but it was a far toghter match than it should have been for Nigeria.

Jonathan Wilson tells us why the Nigeria class of 2009 isn't a patch on the side that featured the likes of Kanu, Okocha and Oliseh. But despite some strange methods by coach Shaibu Amodou, they have booked their place in the World Cup draw.

"And, I confess, having seen how badly Augustine Eguavoen and Adegboye Onigbindi were treated by the Nigerian Football Association, there is a part of me that simply wants to see a Nigerian coach do well with Nigeria to try toend this constant African recourse to European coaches."

It was at Millwall, after a desperately dull goalless draw between Nigeria and Jamaica that I first met Shaibu Amodou. It was a cold, foggy night, the football had been awful to non-existent, and the always excitable Nigeria press pack were rabid with fury. They accused Amodou of all manner of offences and in the face of the storm, he sat calmly in an enormous green padded anorak, dead-batting every question and insult.

Finally, he came up with the most brilliant riposte. "The mistake you are all making," he said, "is to think that I wanted to win this game." There was a ripple of astonishment. "What I wanted to do was to practise holding possession, because there will be times when we have a lead we need to protect, and we need to know how to do that." The press were dumbfounded, because they could hardly deny that Nigeria
had maintained possession well - rather too well for the sake of interest, to be honest, for much of the game featured them knocking the ball sideways along the halfway line.

I did wonder just how useful it was to practise ball retention with the score at 0-0 against a Jamaica side who, their then-coach John Barnes acknowledged, were themselves trying to adopt a more defensive approach, but nonetheless I warmed to Amodou. (And, I confess, having seen how badly Augustine Eguavoen and Adegboye Onigbindi were treated by the Nigerian Football Association, there is a part of me that simply wants to see a Nigerian coach do well with Nigeria to try to end this constant African recourse to European coaches.

I thought of that press conference again on Saturday, as Nigeria, ridiculously, farcically, perhaps even heroically, won 3-2 away to Kenya to secure a qualification for the World Cup that with 30 minutes of the game remaining seemed utterly implausible. It was astonishing and dramatic, but if any lessons in ball retention and killing the game had been learnt at the New Den, they were forgotten in Nairobi.To qualify, Nigeria ([95.0] to win the World Cup) needed to beat Kenya, and hope that Tunisia failed to win in Mozambique, but with an hour gone, they trailed 1-0 and, frankly, didn't look much like getting back into the game. Given it had taken a last-minute winner from Victor Obinna against Mozambique in their penultimate game even to keep their hopes of qualification alive into the final round of games, it was hard to have too much sympathy. This, after all, is not a patch on the Nigeria team of a decade ago, when Sunday Oliseh, Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwanko Kanu made them the most attractive team on the continent. But then Obafemi Martins popped up at the back post and forced in the rebound after Peter Odemwingie's header had been saved. Four minutes later, Victor Obinna's volley was blocked, and the ball fell to Yakubu. In oceans of space it seemed he must be offside, but it wasn't given, and he rolled the ball into an empty net. Then was the time to retain possession, but Nigeria didn't. They were over-casual, and with 12 minutes to go Allan Wefembe converted a looping cross. With Tunisia still drawing, though, that meant one more goal would still put Nigeria through. Then news from Maputo: Dario had put Mozambique ahead. A cross, the ball bobbling around the box, and a strange, almost lethargic volley from Martins, hooked over his shoulder: 3-2.

Reaction in Nigeria was mixed. "Did anybody see any technical input from our 'coach'?" asked one poster on the Next messageboard. "God just decided to help us as usual. Amodu should be sacked immediately to save us from embarrassment in SA next year."
He should have seven months to prepare his side for next summer, but there is a serious danger that if Nigeria fail to meet expectations at the African Cup of Nations in January, he will be on his way. Unorthodox he may be, but he deserves better than that.

Tags: football odds, Nigerai qualify for World Cup, Nigerian national team, World Cup betting, Yakubu