NIGERIA: THE LIVERPOOL OF NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAMS

Awkward comparism right? well to an extent yes but with reference to my point, they are the liverpool of national teams.

First of, like liverpool, Nigeria are still a big team (at least in africa), they are expected to always perform but like liverpool, they rarely do.

I was tempted to compare their inconsistency with arsenal but i realized that arsenal are in better shape: an organised coach with a clear tactical plan, a functioning youth to senior team transfer system, regular champions league football to back it up and positive balance at the end of the football year.

New coaches...again

Not my dear Nigeria...naaa. Regular coach changing (from lagerback in 2010 to siasia in 2011 to keshi in 2012 to oliseh in 2015) compares to liverpool (hodgson in 2010 to king kenny in 2011 to rodgers in 2012 to klopp in 2015). Similar right, yeah. Now you are getting my drive.

Azeez: failed woefully as an attacking midfielder

Clear tactical plan...erm, nope. Not the Nigeria i know. Keshi came close to doing that with an attacking 4-3-3 formation but lack of adequate players curtailed him (imagine playing Ramon Azeez as your attacking midfielder!) so he switched to a 4-2-3-1 that tended to become 4-4-2 as Akpan or odemwingie or ideye or amoebi or aluko that were to fill the hole were basically strikers. That sounds liverpoolish. switching from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3 to 3-5-2 every other game was hard to watch.

omitted...but needed?

As for our youth team, we have always had the best! regular u-17 winners, less regular u-20 winners proove we have youth. Do not tell my about age changing because its the same machine that our guys pass through thatvevery one else does unless you are telling me that the machine is faulty or receives bribe or that Nigerians have got the technology to manipulate it (i wish that was true though). Liverpool also have a good youth team but then apart from sterling and Ibe, who else have graduated to the senior team? very few others recently. Likewise Nigeria, from the triumphant 2007 u-17 team, only lukman haruna and Rabiu ibrahim with echiejile have made their case with the senior national team. Odion ighalo has been horrible overlooked. from the 2009 set, we have ramon azeez. only omeruo, mikel and onazi are regulars currently who have played our youth levels.

Then we have the constant team changing. only lucas leiva has stayed at liverpool for up to 5 years. The rest have come and gone. Imaging making 8 purchases last season with only 2(moreno and lallana) in the starting 11! This season, they have added 6; 3 of whom are forwards and 1 of who they do not even know where to play. As with Nigeria, only Enyeama (Now retired) and mikel are regulars from 5 years back. Since 2013, not less than 50 people have been called to wear the green(sometimes lemon green) and white of Nigeria to varying succeses.

Then there is the power tussle between the coach and management. It is important to have a plan when bringing in players but when plans conflict, there will be issues. Between FSG bringing platers that rodgers doesnt want or need to NFF giving keshi players to call up, the similarities are thesame. Now the coach is handicapped with his choices and the management can find who to blame.

Then finally, the results. Liverpool were so high and lovely until SAF came around and toppled them. one champions league win this century when they were not expected(2005) compares to Nigerias sole cup of Nations triumph this century when not expected (2013).

Lets hope in the end though that the new coaches Sunday Oliseh and Jurgen klopp will bring theur youth and vibrancy to bear in turning the fortunes of these former great teams.

Your thoughts are welcomed.