By Tony Ubani
THE calls came in torrents! Not even when the Eagles were leading did Nigerians have faith that they would maintain the lead. At a stage, Onochie Anibeze, our Group Sports Editor told me to put off my cell phone to allow them concentrate on the match. But Nigerians did not give me a breather.

A fan sent me an sms when the ‘rejected stone’, Chinedu Ogbuike Obasi fired Nigeria into the lead. “Tony, we have touched the Tiger’s tail. The Egyptians are going to swallow us”. anised their game and piled pressure on the “Dollard Eagles”. It was a counter-attack, like Onochie Anibeze predicted in his write-up on ‘How the Eagles will play’ that exposed the weakness of the Eagles.

Editorial Board Chairman of Vanguard, Ikeddy Isiguzo, a guru in sports warned that we should not be carried away by the early lead of the Eagles. “Hassan Shehata, coach of Egypt will come up with a better strategy based on his reading of the match”.

And true to prediction, the heavily moustached Egyptian stood up and gave instructions to his Pharaoh’s Army. Saturday Vanguard Editor, Eze Anaba known for his love of relegated Newcastle called and said; “Get rid of Amodu now”. He was so livid and said that Nigeria had no business of losing to Egypt. “We have the players but it’s crystal clear that Amodu does not have what it takes to lead the Eagles”.

Barrister Dudu Orumen was sarcastic when he spoke. “If we don’t cross the group stage, Nigerians will wake up from their slumber. They labeled us unpatriotic when we said that Amodu does not have what it takes to coach the Eagles. If Mozambique beat us, everybody will rest”.

Ex-international, Charles Bassey(MON) called and disagreed with Amodu for substituting Mikel Obi who many believed was anonymous in the match. He said “the Eagles are not organised”. When my phone buzzed again, it was Sunday Editor, Dapo Olufade, an encyclopedia of Nigerian football.

“Amodu is the best thing to happen to Nigerian football. I’m ashamed. It is better to enjoy my Guinness stout than to worry about the Eagles”, he said reaching for the bottle for solace. Nkem Osu was angry when he called. “Let Amodu go from Angola.

Let Stephen Keshi be brought back to take the Eagles to South Africa for the World Cup. The NFF President, Sani Lulu and Scribe Ojo-Oba should also join Amodu in exile. Let them bring Sani Toro to sanitize Nigerian football”, Osu a veteran Journalist said. “Sack Amodu, save Nigeria.

Super Eagles are a fallen idol. Benin Republic will help to bury Nigeria.Amodu is a disaster if he cannot manage those skillful players”, one of the fans wrote in an sms from his 08066300409. The Eagles stand out as the only team that offered to pay their players $30,000 dollars as winning bonus(courtesy of NFF and PTF).

Malawi team that caused a major upset by beating Algeria 3-0 did not get $500 as bonus for their feat. The Burkina Faso team that held almighty Ivorian team to a goalless draw did not get any bonus as the players said that they were fired up by patrotism to give their best. How do we know if the Nigeria football federation did not pay the Eagles their winning bonus ahead of the match? It is a matter of too much money!.