Nigeria’s glory days in football coincided with a fostering in some of its brightest stars of the Dutch way, the ethos of Total Football. Nwankwo Kanu, Finidi George, Tijani Babangida, Gbenga Okunowo and Emmanuel Amuneke all had a dab of the Oranje brush, all passed through the hands of present Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal.
Nigerian soccer: A wonderful week
There is of course a huge difference in methodology between the 64-year-old’s obdurately baroque conception and the footloose expressionism of Johan Cruyff’s 70s Ajax. This schism has almost achieved the sort of polarization that the Menotti and Bilardo schools have managed in Argentine football; an eternal battle, not just to prove their own ways, but for the very soul of a nation’s football.
Watching Amuneke’s Golden Eaglets at the U17 World Cup in Chile, there is the unmistakable imprint of Van Gaal: the pedantic emphasis on structure and shape, both in and out of possession, as well as the patient build-up and pragmatic, angular passing. Victor Osimhen’s leggy, tireless running would be a delight for the former Netherlands boss to work with, and he possesses a unique blend of pace and power that no team has successfully stood against.
His four goals are a tournament-high so far, and his efforts have been supported keenly by winger Samuel Chukwueze, who has confessed he models his game on Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben.
If the pair have been stand-outs, captain Kelechi Nwakali has yet to hit similar heights. Younger brother of Chidiebere, who was part of the triumphant 2013 side, he was expected to shoulder much of the side’s creative burden in central areas. So far, he has been rather underwhelming, aside stroking home a penalty against Chile in the 5-1 trouncing of the hosts.
If Amuneke’s side are to win a record fifth title though, they will make history in another way. Never before have Nigeria gone on to win the U17 World Cup after losing a group game. The loss against Croatia in the final group game, albeit cosmetic, reinforced the notion that the first two games, which the Golden Eaglets won by an aggregate score of 7-1, perhaps flattered them.
Were the Eaglets flattered by their opening two performances in Chile?
They comfortably dispatched USA in the opening game 2-0, but for the first 15 minutes, the Americans were in the ascendancy. They exploited the lack of support for the full-backs (especially John Lazarus) from their wingers, as well as a tendency to drop too deep when facing long spells of pressure, leading to vulnerability agaisnt cut-backs.
Both goals came as results of defensive lapses, rather than outright creativity. This is perhaps tied to Nwakali’s underwhelming contribution; in the second game against the hosts, the creativity came down the flanks, with Chukwueze in particular winning three penalties and scoring twice from open play.
Croatia displayed the optimum approach to defending against dangerous wingers: forcing them back, away from threatening zones. Amuneke’s charges never threatened to create anything having given up their lead, instead lumping the ball in the general direction of Osimhen.
The young striker is more than just a goal-getter in this team.
His endeavour serves to knit the team together upfront; as a reference point, and as an out-ball, serially chasing lost causes and keeping defenders honest. Starved of the ball and even passable service against Croatia, the team’s lack of a proper attacking strategy was exposed. Unsurprisingly, for a team with such a direct front three, there are major issues with ball retention in the final third of the pitch.
These are all issues one imagines Amuneke is aware of, though just how much of it he can amend is up for conjecture.
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