By Ernest Osogbue
I am really disappointed with Nigerians, especially those of us who are sports writers. I feel terrible. I have read all the insults against Osimhen, over his outburst during the game against Mozambique, and I now understand why our country can not grow.
Nigerians are so easily satisfied, we don’t understand that once you have an opportunity, you utilize it to the full. Now, why was Osimhen angry? A lot people who have been insulting the young man, have forgotten that he remained the only shinning light when others were misbehaving during the world cup qualification.
After carefully looking at the issues, I clearly understand why Osimhen was angry. He was not angry at Lookman, he was angry at the entire team, but since Lookman is his friend and is the person nearest to him, he had to vent at him.
Now, let’s look at the background of the story. In the game against Tunisia, Nigeria was leading by 3-0. Due to complacency, Tunisia scored two goals and were on the verge of equalising if not for time.
Osimhen took note. Zimbabwe, cost us the World Cup ticket in Uyo. We were leading them 1-0 until the last minute, and complacency, after Osimhen was substituted, led them to equalise, denying Nigeria two points.
Had we held unto that lead, Nigeria would be in the world cup today. Under Rohr, we were leading Sierra Leone 4-0 but they equalised 4-4 and almost won the game, if not that time ran out.
This scenario has become a pattern with the Super Eagles, once they have a lead, they slack off, especially towards the end of the game. There have been other circumstances where the Eagles have let a lead slip.
For instance in the 2023 AFCON final against Cote d’Ivoire, we had a 1-0 lead, but let it slip. Had we been more serious, we could have won the title, but we slacked off.
That is what Osimhen was trying to avoid. The Zimbabwean coach told a press conference, that the Eagles become complacent 15 minutes to the end of matches, and that his team utilized that knowledge to press the Eagles, resulting in the equaliser in Uyo.
We could have scored up to 7-0 against Mozambique and created a record. Osimhen saw the complacency in the team as they were fooling around, refusing to press harder for more goals and he was pained. He didn’t want complacency.
Germany hammered Brazil 7-0 at the world cup in their own backyard, setting a record. Eagles can score ten goals if they have the chance, but they will not, because we’re easily satisfied.
You guys must apologise to Osimhen, the boy understands what complacency can do and wanted the team to remain focused and anger is his only way of doing it, yet people are talking nonsense against him.
We can criticise his outbursts, but at the end of the day, I believe that the young man has a point. We seem to have forgotten how complacency cost us a world cup ticket against Zimbabwe, and an AFCON title two years ago.
During the world cup playoffs, our coach Eric Chelle, told a press conference that the team was not prepared for penalties, after losing to the DRC.
You can imagine that kind of talk. It demonstrates a lack of preparedness, when we’re going into a game, all options must be considered and the team must be fortified for any eventualities. I believe these were Osimhen’s reasons for anger.
We shouldn’t just condemn him, but look deeper at the issues. We need to address the matter of why the Eagles become complacent once they are leading, especially in the dying minutes of a game. This has to stop.
The team must learn to remain focused for 90 minutes and beyond, if required. Complacency when you have a lead is not a good omen. All those who abused Osimhen must apologise to the young man.
He is passionate about his country and that is why he expresses himself the best way he knows how.
