Truth be told, many of us detest the international break, especially when it comes at a time when the big European leagues are beginning to gain momentum.
Club coaches often nurse a 'not-so-hidden' hidden animosity for it and just like Harry Redknapp recently claimed, even some players don't seem to fancy it that much.
It’s fair to say that the dislike for the international break is more prevalent in ‘first world’ footballing countries, but for we the so called ‘second world’ footballing nations, it’s always an opportunity to watch our top stars don the national colours again.
The last time Nigeria's Super Eagles came together, it was a pitiful sight to behold; lethargic, unimpressive, and very boring to watch, they got what they deserved for such shambolic performances.
Many things have happened since Nigeria lost to Congo and drew with South Africa, many things have happened since then; Amaju Pinnick is now the new NFF president and we're no longer tormented by the Chris Giwa/Maigari rumble, but one thing hasn't changed, Stephen Keshi remains the national team coach, with or without a contract.
This begs a very interesting question; having sorted our administrative problems, does Keshi deserve a new deal? It is understandable that the new men in charge of the Glass House are stalling on a new contract for the Cup of Nations-winning player/coach. He's done an amazing job since he took over but without having to mince words , the progress of the team has been halted since their Afcon triumph.
The problems at the Glass House haven't helped matters, nor has the coach himself. He had a decent World Cup but lost to a very beatable French team, his knack for blooding new players into the team has had both positive and negative effects on the team.
Beginning with the positives, injecting new players into any squad will increase competition and make players work harder, with the knowledge that someone is available to take your place if you're not playing well enough. This is what the great footballing nations thrive upon.
However, the reverse seems to be the case in Keshi's team, even the consistently disappointing John Obi Mikel remains one of the first names on the team sheet.
Mikel remains the centrepiece of the national side despite indifferent performances
There are claims that he's got personal reasons for giving so many unknown rookies a chance on the big stage...whatever it is, all Nigeria fans want are the results.
As the cliche goes, ‘the stats don't lie’. Since January 2014, Keshi has won six, lost six and drawn five, that includes the Championship of African Nations tournament, friendlies, Afcon qualifiers and World Cup matches.
From the start of the year, the home-based Eagles and the main team, both managed by Keshi have scored 23 goals and conceded 21. The last time the Super Eagles won a game was against Bosnia in June, they had conceded two goals or more in three games before their last match against South Africa.
Some will say stats can be very cruel, but since that brave 3-2 loss to a Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, the Super Eagles have not had one good game.
The team still struggles against set pieces and don't make any use of theirs, even in promising positions, everyone in defence has looked capable of a match-losing mistake and Mikel continues to look uninterested. Now they have to play Sudan twice in five days and it’s easy to say that both games will go a long way in deciding whether Keshi keeps his job or not.
Nigerian Legend Jay-Jay Okocha recently said he's got a funny feeling about the team's Afcon-qualification chances, he might not be the only one who feels that way. Keshi has to win both games for the Super Eagles to stand a chance of qualifying and the Sudanese team, well-known for their mind games, have already had a late switch of venue, from Omdurman to the artificial pitch of the Municipal stadium in Khartoum.
It won’t be easy, and knowing that his job depends on it, Keshi will have to motivate his troops to play for him when he needs them most. Emmanuel Emenike's recent outbursts about the coach gives every fan out there a very sore feeling, it gives an impression that the Big Boss might be fast losing his grip on the group.
Is the Big Boss losing his grip on his players?
In my last piece about Super Eagles, I stated that it’s only a matter of time before the big players, coached by A-grade coaches in Europe, begin to question the tactical nous of Keshi. Unless both games against Sudan are won convincingly, Keshi's influence on this players will continue to gradually diminish. However, Keshi is a man who's not new to being under the extreme pressures of a football-mad nation, he's managed to turn his fortunes around before when things looked so bleak.
The shaky starts at both the Afcon and World Cup are very good examples, but if we go further down memory lane, Keshi's predecessor, Samson Siasia was sacked after failing to qualify for the tournament in 2012. The rumour mills already have it that Amaju Pinnick is not the biggest Keshi fan, and unless the team get their qualification back on track and secure a Cup of Nations ticket, Keshi might suffer the same fate Siasia did in 2012.
Nevertheless, just like a cat with nine lives, Keshi has been on the very edge before and yet managed to turn things around, this time, he must turn it around to save his job and get himself a new deal.
The clock is ticking for the Big Boss and the falcons are circling.
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