By FPO
September 1, 2021.
As the sun sets gently, Coach Okechuku watches on. He observes closely over 18 players who form the Lion Tears FC of Kenneth Mellanby Hall. He shakes his head; he checks his wristwatch. When he says he sees his team in the finals of the UISU Interhall Football Competition, he does not know that those who fail to prepare, prepare to fail.
But does he have the blame?
When the University of Ibadan Students’ Union (UISU) announced the fixtures for Interhall Football Competition, what followed was intense preparations from various halls, especially the male halls, to clinch the much-coveted trophy. But there was one hall that didn’t look like a serious contender: Kenneth Mellanby Hall.
Mellanby players training under the Coach’s supervision
Before the match on Friday, September 3, Mellanby’s Football team only had one training session on Wednesday, September 1, which didn’t last for up to two hours. While they were undecided on the tactics and players to use despite Coach Okechukwu’s boast of having “quality players”, their opponents from the Post-Graduate Hall were having a friendly soccer match with the University of Ibadan’ Football Team.
The Lion’s Tears FC was to play a friendly match with an unknown opponent on Thursday, September 2, but it fell through. This may mean unseriousness, but it was a harbinger of a looming disaster.
After the training on Wednesday, Mellanby’s player, Oluwakayode Oluwafimimhan Ishola (Kante), said there was no coherent support from the Hall Executives as regards the competition.
“I really don’t feel anything except for the fact that our Vice Hall chairman who’s a player too, the Hall Chair wasn’t around, the PRO (Information Minister) wasn’t around. As a matter of fact, the PRO has been lagging behind in relating information about sports in this hall, I heard that some people, let me say “senior men,” were not aware of Mellanby playing Inter Hall.
“Has the PRO himself related the information publicly through our speakers in the hall that we are playing Inter Hall on Friday? It’s only our Sports Minister that’s doing this on the social platforms and it’s not everyone that has an Android or a Browsing Phone. Normally, he (Information Minister) should be able to use the speaker (Public Address system) to relate the information publicly so as to gather support from Mellanbites who are not even footballers but love to watch (football).
“And now tomorrow is Thursday, I am not sure he (Information Minister) is going to announce it but let’s see, it’s not too late. That’s all I can say on that. The thing is the cooperation of the excos concerning sport, I don’t really see that unity, except for the fact that the Hall Chair and the Sport Minister do work hand in hand.”
“Kante” also traces the lack of water, glucose, and first aid materials during the training to the disunity among the executives.
“That’s bad; that also shows how dis-united the excos are (referring to the lack of adequate materials). At the training, the Health Minister wasn’t available. It’s not that I’m attacking anybody, even if he’s busy he could have sent a representative on the pitch. Mellanby has a First Aid kit. There should be a representative on the field with it. About the refreshments (water and glucose), I can’t say anything about that because the Vice Hall Chair got us pure water, but regarding the first aid kit, I think the health minister should be questioned because he wasn’t there and there was no representative.”
If there is anything the scenarios above point to, it is the embarrassment that would come on Friday.
Thrashed on Pitch
Before the match on Friday, the Lion Tears FC was to have a friendly match on Thursday to finalize tactics and select the Starting XI, but this didn’t hold. It was in the early hours of Friday that the Coach selected who would play and who would start from the bench. According to a source, the Coach who claimed to have played at the international level did not discuss any serious tactics to prosecute the game.
“Papiloski”, Mellanby Information Minister’s voice came croaky, inaudible as he uttered what he thought was vital information regarding the match played that day. Not everyone heard.
Mellanby Football Team
One defensive error led to a penalty. One goal against Mellanby Hall. Another long shot, a screamer into the net. Two goals against Mellanby Hall. Missed chances from Mellanby players. And it was over. Mellanby’s Football Team was knocked out dishonourably from the competition with two goals to nothing by the tactical Post Graduate Hall players.
The inadequate preparation started before the match to the day of the match and showed on the pitch. The Sports Minister who didn’t train at all with the team started the match and captained them to defeat. The footballers bowed their heads in apparent shock. They know the fault wasn’t theirs. The power button of the blame game became switched on.
A player blamed the utter loss on the Sports Minister, ‘Sola Peter.
“The main fault is from the Sports Minister. We told him not to hire any coach because it will be hard for him to select within two days of meeting him. Besides, we know ourselves and our individual abilities, and the best position to play and that would have worked for us if we played without a coach. So, in conclusion, the architect of our misfortune is the Sports Minister.”
Banji Olaniran, another player did not think there was a major tactical flaw from the Coach’s end.
“It was a very difficult defeat, it was just two basic errors that cost us the game, but we thank God, and we move, we thank God for no injury and no casualty… I wouldn’t say that (Coach Selection was the cause of the loss). The timeline for training was very small, it was the mixture of the Coach’s selection and inability to train very well that cost us this game.”
This reporter was unable to speak with the coach after the loss.
As the players trod in a group to Premier Hall, the lions’ tears were heard in arguments, whispers, and side talks, leaving a question hanging in the air. Who really has the blame for Mellanby’s defeat?
Additional reporting by Karshams
