Two years ago, a colleague who sat next to me at work, a Crystal Palace season ticket holder, asked if I had heard of a Nigerian footballer called Victor Moses. At the time, I had never heard the name, but over the last 12 months, Victor Moses has slowly been catching everyone’s attention, and may have played his last match for Crystal Palace. Crystal Palace are reluctantly looking to sell him to ease their financial problems, and the interested clubs are rumoured to be Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool and Manchester City(currently favourites to land him). He is currently the hottest football property outside the premiership at the moment and looks to command a transfer fee of between £3-5 million depending on which news paper you read.

His back story: Victor Moses was born in Nigeria, and lived in Kaduna. His father was a pastor and was killed during one of Nigeria’s many religious riots, back in 2002. (Sadly, today’s news is reporting religious clashes in Jos, it’s so sad how we are still fighting the same battles so many years on). Within a week of his parents being killed, Victor was brought to London, where he was registered as an asylum seeker.(Read his full back story here, although I RESENT the use of the term “war torn Nigeria” in that article)

In 2005, he helped his school (Whitgif)  to win the FA Youth Cup with a superb display, he was 14 at the time, and already attending Crystal Palace’s academy.

The young man seems destined for the big time.

The big question, will he ever play for Nigeria? He has already played for the England U-19 side, but can still switch to Nigeria if he so wishes. Can the right Nigerian manager convince this man to switch allegiance, or will England get him, just like they have already ‘captured’ Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor ? The Nigerian team, for some inexplicable reason, is currently being built around the cretin that is Chelsea’s John Obi Mikel, however, building the team around this 19 year old lad will be a long term aspiration, and hopefully we can find the players to play around him, and build a team that can challenge for the World Cup sometime in the future. Looking at the current team in the Nations Cup, you can tell we are desperately in need of a creative spark in midfield, and Moses fits the bill.

Sadly, given his personal tragedy back in Nigeria, I doubt that this young man will ever wear Super Eagles green.

As a Nigerian, I have grown up reading about religious crises in the north, but this story just goes to show that innocent people are the ones who end up with scars for life. I am just pleased that this young man has at least managed to put the past behind him, and is poised to make a success of his life.

"Some people believe football is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that."

Bill Shankly

The first time I ever saw an English football match was 20th of May 1995. That was the day ABG came to install our ‘cable TV’ (which was really an antenna) in Lagos, just in time for us to catch the FA cup final. Everton was playing Manchester United, and Nigeria’s Daniel Amokachi was playing for Everton, so of course I was rooting for the boys in blue. The antenna was not set up properly, so we watched the whole match with a very grainy, snowy picture. 4 days later, we got to watch Ajax lift the Champions League with a win over AC Milan, with 2 Nigerians in their team (Finidi George and a very young Kanu Nwankwo). Yes, those were the good old days, when Nigerians were ruling the football world, but I digress, let me get back to where I was heading. (I have a post in my head about this, coming soon)

Anyway, the next season, we got to watch the English Premier League live. I didn’t support any team in particular, I just loved watching the football. My uncle lived in Liverpool, so I assumed he was a Liverpool fan, and was very disappointed that he turned out to be an Evertonian (In 2001, when I went to live in Liverpool, I found out that almost EVERYONE who lives in Liverpool is an Evertonian !!) So, my natural affinty to Liverpool began, they had some really good players in their squad, most notably Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman. And McManaman was the reason I eventually started supporting Liverpool.

Liverpool was a ruthless team, and their passing game reminded me of the clinical. methodical game Ajax played in the 1995 and 1996 Champions Leagues finals. But as we didn’t get the Dutch league on TV, Liverpool became my Ajax. And on the 19th of August 1996, it was sealed. Liverpool beat Arsenal 2-0 at Anfield, and McManaman gave one his best performances ever. The rest of the team were playing a one touch passing game, but once McManaman got the ball, the ball seemed stuck to his feet, he dribbled like a master, went past anyone who dared challenge him. ESPN’s Tommy Smyth said “He’s a good player, but he doesn’t score enough goals”. And Stevie scored 2 goals, and shut him up. Mangerless Arsenal were no match for the men in Red. And that was the day I started to support Liverpool “Full time”. (Bruce Rioch was sacked by Arsenal at the start of that season. In October, a few weeks later, Arsene Wenger became Arsenal manager)

Anyway, the next few years saw more and more Nigerians get access to cable TV, satellite TV, and most importantly, Premiership football. Most people started ‘supporting’ the teams who were winning things at the time, namely Arsenal and Manchester United. I stuck with Liverpool. After researching the history of the club, I couldn’t let go. All you need to do is read one Bill Shankly quote, and you’re hooked. The history around the club is inspiring, and their record second to none in England.

Over the years, it’s been an interesting journey, I went to University of Liverpool in 2001, and finally got to watch a few matches at Anfield.

So, why did I give all this ‘history’?

Well, last week, after Arsenal lost to Manchester United, a Kenyan Arsenal fan hung himself. He was still wearing his Arsenal shirt.

This has shocked people in Kenya, as to why he took this so far. But coming from a similar background, I can understand where the passion came from. But I would obviously not go that far (following Liverpool, I would have killed myself a million times in the last 14 years!!).

When I went back to Nigeria in 2003, I was surprised to see how well the Sky/Premier League marketing machine was working. Everyone was a fan of a club in England. Arsenal, Man. United mainly. We watched so much Premier League, it felt like we were English. In 2006, sports shows were inviting listeners to dial in and debate who would be a better England captain, John Terry or Steven Gerrard. I remember listening to the show online, and amazed at how people called in to argue their points, even more effectively, than the people I listened to on English radio !!

In the last few years, fights have broken out when the big teams have played each other, and people have been killed. Africans are very passionate people, and sometimes, all we need is a cause to fight for, and we’ll fight it to the end.

Sadly for Suleiman Omondi, it’s too late. What a tragic waste of life. Reading this blog post, apparently, there have been Premier League related brawls in Kenya as well, so it’s not a uniquely Nigerian problem. Sadly, you can still see the Africna passion of the writer :

PS: This is a wake up call to Arsenal. This is how much it hurts all the fans when you play hopelessly. It might just be financials for the Arsenal stakeholders, might just be business for the Arsenal Board of Directors, might be just another job for Arsene Wenger, might just be a career for the players … but this club is the LIFE for all the supporters…! May Suleiman Omondi R.I.P.

Taken from here.

I’m sorry, but I don’t agree.

Arsene Wenger and any one of the Arsenal players probably make more in a week what this guy makes in a years, and that’s assuming he’s either abroad, or has a very, very good job. And the people who can claim to have a real connection to Arsenal, the North Londoners, when the team loses, they drown their sorrows with alcohol, and are back at work with a hangover the next day.

Please. It’s a beautiful game, but it’s just a game.

sitting in the house I grew up, enjoying the lovely warm weather, and looking forward to a great holiday.

Yup, I’m in Nigeria for a well earned rest, haven’t been home for almost 4 years !!

EDIT: In case you saw this post before, it was actually meant to autopublish a few days after I accidentally posted it.

Sunday Oliseh?

Any thoughts?

I remember when he started playing for Nigeria, as soon as I saw him, I thought, he would make a great captain for the team one day. He eventually became captain, but left the role controversially.  He clearly has leadership skills, he has been coaching in Belgium, and will complete his Uefa Badge soon.

Could he be the man to take Nigeria to the promised land?

Ghana 2 Nigeria 1 – Good luck to Ghana in the semis. And please, sack Berti Vogts. NOW.

P.S. Kanu Nwanko’s African Nations Cup record : Five tournaments, 25 matches. 0 goals. Nada. Zilch.

Busy, busy, and more busy !!!

I’ve changed roles at work so I’m a lot busier now, but I have to say, a lot happier. For almost two years, I’ve been sitting down with little or no work to do, so to finally not have to keep myself busy is a massive bonus.

However, I’ve had to take a few days off, I was ill for a while, then Baby O has been ill a couple of times, she is currently suffering from a bout of tonsilitis.

And football? Well, Liverpool has lost 4th place, plus been in the news for the wrong reasons off the pitch. My one shining hope was that Nigeria would win the African Cup of Nations, but that looks next to impossible with this team of overpaid millionaires, I think living in England, they are now like the English National Team !!

Anyway, the one piece of good news was that I became a British Citizen on Wednesday. I had to attend a Citizenship ceremony, to swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, ‘her heirs and successors’, and promise to be a good boy. I have to say, I’m proud to be British, I was speaking to a recruitment agency on Thursday, and when as for my nationality, and I said British, it felt……..STRANGE !!! lol.

Anyway, believe it or not, January is all but gone. 2008 will go almost as fast as 2007. Yikes.

(I’ve had a few requests to shed more light on Baby O’s ‘condition’ will do so soon, just need to get my head around it!)

Politics. It’s always been said to be a dangerous game. A group of human beings who claim to work for the people, but most of the time, have nothing but their own self interests at heart. Give them power, and then it’s a recipe for chaos. And most of the time, it’s the innocent followers/citizens that end up paying for their mishaps.

Let’s take a look at some stories from the last few days:

1. Pakistan: Sadly, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated yesterday, and has been laid to rest in the last few hours. Her killing has left her country, Pakistan in political turmoil, and as I type this, the country is erupting in violence. The military dictator, Pervez Musharraf is now in a difficult situation. Some accuse him of having her killed, as she was set to become prime minister after next month’s elections. The obvious suspects are the Muslim extremists, who disliked her liberal stance. However, what happens now? Who will clamp down on the extremists?  Pakistan is crucial in the West’s ‘war on terror’, and the stability of that country is essential. The next few days will be interesting. What will the West do, sit back and hope things work out, or interfere? Sadly, the Bhutto’s have seen this before, her father was executed after a military coup, and both her brothers died violently.

2. Nigeria: The EFCC has been doing a stellar job in tackling corruption. While some might say that they have been a tool in the hand of the government, oppressing the opposition, what cannot be denied is that Nigerians believe that you can no longer steal money when you are in power, and get away with in. At the moment, seven ex-governors whose terms ended this year are being prosecuted, and three of them are in jail, including the ‘all-powerful’ James Ibori. So what does the government do? Sideline the head of the organization by sending him on study leave. Nuhu Ribadu has done a wonderful job heading the EFCC, but has stepped on several toes. Now, it seems that politicians have had their way, and this will be a major blow to Nigerian president, Umaru Yar’adua’s credibility. Again, what happens over the next few days will be very interesting…….

3. UK: The government has been talking about immigration for a while now, as British citizens believed that it is out of control. Sadly, immigrants like myself are those that suffer the backlash, as the government squeezes out out of existence. I currently have the right to apply for British citizenship, but let me add up how much it has cost for me to get there:

• £500 – Priority application for 2 years resident’s permit in 2005
• £35 – Life in the UK test (Does not include cost of study materials and a day off work to take the test)
• £950 – Priority application for indefinite leave to remain November 2007
• £710 – Citizenship application + Nationality checking service

Total : £2160 in the last 2 years. That’s a lot of money, and that’s only because I’m the only person in my household applying. I met a man at the Home Office applying for indefinite leave to remain for his family of five.

If it costs so much to be a legal migrant, no wonder people are going down the illegal immigrant route.

The government has been talking about ‘the biggest shake up of the immigration system ever’ which is about to happen, and at the heart of this is a points based system for non-EU migrants. But this my friends, is just politics. The UK has had a points based system for migrants since 2002 called the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme. And for all the government’s huffing and puffing, the ‘new’ points based system is identical to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme. So nothing new there, just a massive announcement about nothing. They are also talking about banning non-skilled non-EU people from coming to the UK. Again, nothing new there. There is currently no visa or scheme for a non-skilled migrant to settle in the UK. What programme are they canceling? Which visa have they announced they will get rid of? None. Because again, it’s just a massive announcement about….nothing. A new clampdown on forced/sham marriages? These measures have been in place for a few years, a foreigner cannot get married without applying for permission to marry from the home office, despite the high court saying this was illegal and a breach of human rights. Another announcement without substance.

The only new things in all the proposals? Shortening standard visitor visas to 3 months from 6, which to be honest is not a bad idea, but for family visas, the government is ‘considering’ making UK based people pay a cash bond of up to £1000 when they invite people to visit the UK, and this will be forfeited if the visitor does not return home. What? this year alone, my wife and I have invited almost 10 people to visit, all of whom have returned home, but this measure would mean that we might have to think twice about it. And a lot of people agree that this is just a bad idea and that innocent people would be the victims.

So what do the conservatives come up with. Well, for them, a £1000 bond is not even good enough. No sir. Under a conservative government, if you invite someone to the UK, and they don’t go back home, you could go to jail. So the government lies through it’s teeth, and the opposition gives us a completely senseless alternative. Nothing new there then.

This is what happens when you put politicians in charge. You get a whole lot of hot air, no real decisions made, and a bunch of men in suits, just looking after themselves, ready to do anything to prolong their tenure. Or in the case of Benazior Bhutto, senseless, unnecessary death.

May her soul rest in peace.

Early this month, after a corruption scandal , the leader of the House of Representatives in Nigeria, Patricia Etteh, resigned after several weeks of pressure. She was replaced by Dimeji Bankole, a graduate with Masters degrees from both Oxford University and Havard. Patricia was a ‘professional Hairdresser and beautician’ .

The Representatives were keen to choose an educated person to lead them. A look at the following quotes below will explain why.

1. On the day the National Assembly was inaugurated, Mrs Etteh reminded House of Representatives members of the need to register their names, warning that any person who failed to do so would have their name “striking out“. Slip of tongue?
   Perish the thought. The following day she repeated the phrase “striking out” several times.
2. When a motion was tabled, she asked the member who was speaking,”are you in support of favour?”
   
3. Any time the ayes have carried the day on the floor, she wastes no time in announcing, “the hayes has it“.
4. Giving her defence before the David Idoko panel, Etteh informed the nation that she spoke to the management of the national assembly if due process was followed and each person “answered in the affirmation action”.
5. When the German ambassador in Abuja visited her, the speaker enthusiastically announced that the first place “I visited as a young parliamentarian was a German“
6. When the Spanish ambassador paid her a courtesy visit with a fairly large delegation, an impressed Etteh spared no effort to “welcome the strangers“.
7. When officials of FERMA visited the House, speaker Etteh urged them to urgently “make our roads habitable“.
8. To demonstrate the urgency of fixing major roads nationwide, she did not fail to make the point of the”deploration state of our roads“
9. When a House member tabled a motion on the unenviable condition of Kaduna Airport, Etteh called attention to the “two run-aways of our airport“.
10. Concerned about the increasing wave of vices, such as occultism on university campuses, excessive drinking, smoking and womanising by our youth, she has set for herself the task of reducing, if not, eradicating these social vices, which she colourfully calls “social devices“.
11. In far-away South Africa, at a meeting of the African Parliamentary Union, speaker Etteh stated that Nigeria has vast land where agriculture could thrive so much, that it could serve as an alternative source of foreign exchange, or in her own words, ” Nigeria has fast land where agriculture is alternate“
12. To Etteh, the community of nations can sometimes be referred to as “international countries“.
13. The office of the speaker has regained its aura as, not just an exalted place, but an “exotic office“.
14. The House has become respected as”a hollow chamber“,rather than just a hallowed chamber.

Let’s just say that I’m glad she’s no longer the fourth most powerful person in the country.

Tonight, I haven’t been myself. I’ve been subdued, a shadow…

The nation of Scotland was ready for the match of their lives. To qualify for Euro 2008, it was simple. Beat the World Champions.

Sadly, it was not to be.

But the Scots can be proud that they came this far, although it will be little comfort. It would have been the mother of all parties if they had done it though.

Nigeria also lost to Australia in a friendly today, in a match played in London.  I’m starting to think Berti Vogts is not the right coach for Nigeria, but let’s see how things shape up at the African Nations Cup next year.

Oh, and by the way, Israel did England a favour and beat Russia, meaning that England only need a draw with Croatia on Wednesday to qualify for Euro 2008. Lucky Buggers.

But for all the Scots out there, my heart bleeds with yours tonight.

Back in 2003, my hatred for the England football team was at its height. Nigeria and England had been drawn in the same group in the World Cup in 2002, and the English press said all sorts of terrible things about my Nigeria, and how the English would tear us apart. I was forced to listen to this babble from The more they talked up their team, the more they talked down mine. Sadly, we lost our two previous matches to Argentina and Sweden, and England needed to beat us 2-0 to guarantee top spot in the group. I was so happy when they couldn’t break us down, and the match ended 0-0. We had only our pride at stake, and we stood firm and resolute, with what was a reserve team at the time.

But what turned me, and why I will never forgive the English press was a quote in the newspapers the next day. It was from a Coca-Cola advert. “Goodbye Nigeria. At least, you dazzled the world with your luminous shirts“. Still smarting from our first world cup exit from the group stages, this incensed me. And from that day, I have hated the England football team, and have quietly rejoiced whenever a result doesn’t go their way.

OK, so back to the title of this post. Back then, the press were all waxing lyrical, in the way only English journalists can, about how England’s ‘golden generation’ was coming off age, and how they were going to win the world cup in 2006. A lot of stuff was written, but I remember one article very distinctly. A chap called ‘Dan Warren’ felt that maybe 2006 was too soon, but that England would definitely win Euro 2008. At the time, he would have been labelled a ‘pessimist’ such was the height of belief at the time. He felt that Alan Shearer would be England Manager, and he would have a wealth of talent at his arsenal. Looking back at the article now, I can only laugh at his ‘foresight’, but it’s interesting how time has changed what was actually a very realistic outlook. I mean today, all you hear is how English talent is not coming through because of all the foreign players, and how it is affecting the national team, back then is it was:

The recent steady flow of talented young stars has turned into an veritable torrent, with a new teenage hero seemingly unearthed every week.

A brace by 19-year-old Michael Tonge against Liverpool on Wednesday, while 20-year-old Neil Mellor was scoring at the other end, added two more names to this term’s astounding production line of promise.

So let’s look at Shearer’s team of 2008, shall we? Remember, this was written way back in 2003. It is surprisingly accurate, and a lot of these players made it through to the big time, while a few faded into relative obscurity.

And where are they now?

Goalkeepers: Kirkland, so much promise, but an injury ravaged career meant he has never really had his chance at international level. Robinson however, is England’s number one, and not on the bench as projected, although a few recent gaffes means that he may not be there for much longer. And who would have imagined that David James would still be contesting for the keeper’s spot ??

Defenders: Rio Ferdinand is still going strong. His younger brother Anton Ferdinand is still a rising star though, and not quite international standard. Martin Taylor is now with Birmingham city, and now 27, he had a lot of promise back then, but never made it to the top. Ashley Cole has made the left back position his own, and Shaun Wright-Phillips eventually moved forward and is now regularly playing as a right midfielder for England. John Terry, far from being on the bench is now England captain, and one of the world’s top defenders. Wayne Bridge is slowly fading from international reckoning, with the emergence of Joleon Lescott and Nicky Shorey.

Midfielders: Liverpool’s Gerrard is now is his prime and is doing very well for England, although his form has dipped in recent weeks. Joe Cole plays on the left now, and is doing ok in what was England’s problem position for years. David Dunn is now back with Blackburn Rovers after a spell with Birmingham. Once tagged “the new Gazza”, today, he has just one England cap to his name, and his time has come….and gone. And from the bench, Carrick still makes the squad, but Micheal Tonge had his best season in 2002/2003, and never really reached the dizzying heights that were expected of him.

Strikers: Owen and Rooney are still what many regard to be England’s best strike partnership. However, a certain Emile Heskey is trying to change that reality, although at 29, he can’t really do that for long. Defoe, Defoe. So much talent. Eriksson left him behind for the 2006 world cup, opting to take an untested Theo Walcott, that was the day I confirmed that the man was insane. And as for Neil Mellor, he now plys his trade with Preston North End, never made it to the top, he was king of the reserves at Liverpool then, but injury and bad luck have meant his career never really took off, which is a shame really.

And of course, manager Alan Shearer is now a football pundit with the BBC !!

And as for the ‘all conquering England team’ they are all hoping that Israel does them a favour against Russia on November 17th, otherwise the match with Croatia a few days later will be largely an academic affair. And all the players listed in this post will have one thing in common, they’ll all be home watching someone else win the tournament.

And my hatred of the England team? It’s still there, but now that this place is my adopted home, I have to admit that I have come to admire the sense of national pride be it Rugby, football or even curling !! I have to admit, it’s infectious, and I only wish Nigerians had the same sense of patriotism and national identity. And sometimes, I get carried away along with them. I’m still not an England fan, but I can see myself rooting for them one day in the near future.