Nigeria

Apparently, a staggering one in every six Africans is Nigerian, giving the Super Eagles a vast amount of men to choose from when picking the national side. Of course, as China shows us, in football population does not always guarantee success. However, with so many players to choose from the last thing you would want to do is sack your manager right before the World Cup.

Indicative to African football though, the Super Eagles joined their West African counter-parts – the Ivory Coast – in seeing fit to do just that after their African Cup of Nations ended in dismal failure. Nigeria finished 3rd.

Previous coach Shaibu Amodu can count himself unlucky, yet also possibly a little bit foolish. Amodu led Nigeria through qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, only to see him get sacked after a poor African Cup of Nations. In 2010 déjà vu has occurred. I think he can consider himself rather unfortunate, another innocent victim to a reckless African football association.

His replacement is ex-Sweden coach Lars Lagerback. Lagerback steered Sweden into 5 consecutive World Cups and European Championships so his credentials are high. The Swed will have only 3 weeks to prepare his squad and so changes from the side that performed poor at the African Cup of Nations can only be minimal, as he won’t know who is worth bringing in, making the sacking of Amodu even more bewildering.

One thing is clear about the Nigerian side, they have physical presence. The Super Eagles have a wealth of somewhat sturdy players whose preferred route to goal would be a bulldozer technique. This is epitomised by the fact that John Obi Mikel is seen as their “in the hole” playmaker. The Chelsea star is undoubtedly talented, but he is more renowned for his tough tackling than creative flair.

The strikers have about as much appeal to stylish football as David James has to good haircuts, not that I would ever say that to their faces even in an open light shopping centre, let alone a dark ally. Yakubu and Obafemi Martins are two massive frontmen. Both can score exceptional goals, expect them to give the opposition defence an extremely physical game.

Commanding the field from the back is probably one of the most underrated centre-backs in the Premier League, Everton’s Joseph Yobo. Yobo has been a key figure in Everton’s recent success in the Premier League and should perform well for his nation. In South Africa he may be partnered by Bolton’s Danny Shittu who also is reasonable capable, and physical.

One to watch in the Nigerian side is left winger Peter Obemwingie. The Lokomotiv Moscow was one of the few to play the whole of the latter stages of the African World Cup qualifying, netting 2 goals in his campaign. He will also be looked upon to provide good service for the front two.

Nigeria have been presented with a relatively easy group, in the form of Group B, in South Africa. Argentina, who they face in the group stages for the 3rd time in 4 World Cup appearances (losing 2-1 in 1994 and losing 1-0 in 2002), will expect to top the group. However, Maradona’s erratic style to management may leave them more susceptible to a bullying.

The other two teams are South Korea and Greece, two very hard working nations who will give little to their opponents, yet both very beatable. If Nigeria do progress to the last 16 they will play a nation from Group A. France would probably have no problems dismissing them at this stage, and even a raring South Africa would probably outdo them. However, if Argentina do get topped and Uruguay or Mexico come up against the Super Eagles, there is a slight chance of a quarterfinal appearance for Africa’s biggest underachievers.

Nigeria have a competitive first eleven. Legend that is Kanu may appear frequently off the bench, but realistically his days in the sun are over. The old Nigeria we use to know and love with Jay-Jay Okocha and Celestine Babayaro are long gone. Flair has turned to power. Yet, this lack of creative ability could be their downfall, especially against well organised teams. So it looks like Africa may have to look to another country to fly the African flag after the group stages.