Sentiments will not qualify Lone Star


By Wleh Bedell
bedellblessing@yahoo.com
 +2316106293

With the Lone Star being drawn against the Super Eagles for a place in the AFCON finals 2013, there have since been a host of views or opinions on the issue. In such issues like these where the debate will continue to rage till the both ties end in September and October, sentiments will never go away with some believing that putting aside objectivity will mean being unpatriotic and that being subjective in being blind to the reality will make one patriotic.

In recent time there has being statements like “we can beat Nigeria, they are not extra. If Guinea stopped them from going to the last nations’ cup we too can stop them”. There is as well a believe by some that the Lone Star is better than the Super Eagles and because the Lone Star beat them in the 2002 qualifier it can also do it again.

The sentiments are high though and why one cannot rule out an upset there is a need to point out that the Super Eagles may not be convincing or vintage nowadays but still have the edge and are slightly better than the Lone Star. With the second leg being in Nigeria and judging from the fact that the Lone Star is a poor traveler as they have managed to draw just one game in their last 19 away matches in the qualifiers coupled with their lack of invincibility at home where they rarely win and if they do manage to win on home soil is not more than a goal margin, followers of the Lone Star need to think on such poor records.

One basic formula in qualifying in a two-leg contest is to win with a very comprehensive margin at home like 3-0, 4-0, 5-0, etc. which would make the return leg a mere formality, the Lone Star seems very far from such level as they don’t have the history of profligacy which would make faithful of the team worry against the two times African champions.

As one analyst put it,” even during the Weah XI era, Nigeria technically qualified against them as they topped the group that also involved Sudan, Ghana and Sierra Leone, and if both legs between the two teams were to be looked at, Nigeria still qualified because they defeated Liberia 2-0 in the return leg at home after losing the first leg in Monrovia 2-1 which was like they won on a 3-2 goal aggregate.

Instead of focusing or putting forth constructive suggestions relative to preparation we are busy “making big mouth” and are spending more time talking than working. By now, the LFA should have either completed or almost completed arrangement for a top notched friendly on the FIFA approved date for matches in August. Also, the local players should have being on camp by now and a detailed program of mobilization where everyone will get actively involved which would serve as a major tool for motivation and organization as the Lone Star get set for a desperate Nigeria Super Eagles.

With the Jamaica planned friendly since becoming a fluke the LFA must step up the pace in making the proper contacts to have a match and as well begin to religiously monitor the country’s players plying their trade overseas.

There is also a need to start getting some scouting information from the Nigerian camp as there is a need to know more about the opponent we are going to face.

“We may have all the time on the airwaves or in the papers to discuss the game, if we however fail to put forth the necessary recommendations we will be doing no good to our team”, one fan of the Lone Star stressed. “It is not how much one screams or shouts on the radio or how long one writes in the paper, once we are not fully cognizant of all of the problems and put forth the suggestions to curb them, we will remain in the doldrums”, another keen follower of the red, white and blue outfit indicated to a score of journalist recently