The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has suspended Togo national team from participating in the next two Cup of Nations. In addition, CAF also fined the Hawks $50,000 for quitting the competition.

It is indeed the luck of the year for Nigerians and football lovers, and especially coach Amodu Shuaibu who had been vilified many times by critics notably Ayo Akinfe who once said that Amodu did not have what it takes to beat Kenya in Nairobi.

I disagree with Coach Samson Siasia who said that this was the worst team ever. The boys are not that bad. In those matches they lost to Spain and Venezuela, our boys showed some skills but couldn't find the net. Of course I agree that if a team played two games and lost two games, the team should be written off.

 On Monday 21^st January, 2008, Nigeria played its first football game at the ongoing African Cup of Nations' tournament in Sekondi, Ghana against Cote D'ivoire and after 90 minutes, predictably lost 1 – 0 after Salomon Kalou of Chelsea's strike. I said predictably, because I knew it, and most objective Nigerians who have been following the decline, the rise and fall of Nigerian football, knew and are realistic about.

The English premiership has been very popular among football fans in Africa since the seventies. First as a source of betting through the pool agencies and later because of the inroads made by notable African footballers, like Salako, Owubokiri, etc who plied the round leather trade in the Queen’s country. Viewed via these means, one can conclude that the interest then was basically that of money making both for the poor and average Africans who forecast and stake money, and then withdraw to pray for DRAWS in order to win some money, and high foreign exchange earning for Africans who don the colours of English teams in various divisions. 

A few years back, a man was watching an Arsenal – Manchester United match in his sitting room.  His wife had tried for over 45minutes to get him to eat his lunch.  For what she had made up her mind to be the last time, she went to his side and tried to wrestle the remote control from him.  Engrossed with the match, he hit her aside with his hands and continued watching.