Nigeria's 'Super Eagles' in unfamiliar flap

England's World Cup foes have not impressed at the African Nations' Cup, but they remain confident

The sincere belief among Africans, especially those from Cameroon and Nigeria, is that Pele was only just wide of the mark when he predicted that a nation from the Dark Continent would win the World Cup by the millennium. If not by 2000, then certainly by 2010, is the way their thinking goes. It is an assumption that gained nothing in credibility, at least so far as 2002 is concerned, with Nigeria's goalless draw against Mali here on Thursday.

As charming and spirited hosts for the 23rd African Cup of Nations, Mali were not expected to embarrass their guests which was why, presumably, Nigeria were almost caught unawares. But for Shorunmu Ike's desperate last-minute save from Bagayoko Mamadou, Nigeria would have delighted a full house by capitulating instead of making their contribution to the paucity of goals in this tournament.

Had Mamadou's header gone in, the "Super Eagles" would have looked not so much super as downright silly with all their World Cup preparations and posturing severely undermined. If you cannot beat Mali, inquisitive Englishmen and Swedes were forgiven for asking, what earthly chance can you have in a World Cup group also containing Argentina, England and Sweden. Nigerians take heart, however, that even the greatest Brazilian teams suffered their share of pre-tournament teething problems.

For all their still ill-concealed bitterness at the controversial manner of their defeat in a penalty shoot-out by Cameroon in the last African final two years ago, Nigeria would settle for similar hardship this time if there was a guarantee of World Cup euphoria to follow. That much was abundantly clear the other morning when Taribo West, the former Derby defender, held court. He brushed aside specific questions on the African Cup. The only two subjects on the mind of the man known as "The Pastor" for his religious beliefs, were his church in Milan, Shelter in the Storm, and the World Cup. West, now with Kaiserslautern in the Bundesliga, is not alone in his conviction that the side that wins the Group of Death in Japan will go all the way to glory. West is certain that team will be Nigeria. Destiny is the word uppermost in his vocabulary. "Sometimes I can sense that feeling in this group,'' he said.

Although West almost doubled up with hysterical laughter, knocking a microphone from a reporter's grasp when asked about Nigeria's favourite formation, he denies suggestions that the team plays its football off the cuff and is far too arrogant for its own good. "All the players feel this discipline and unity,'' he said, "but we never feel under pressure because we are so relaxed.''

Part of the credit for that must be down to the coach, Shaibu Amodu, even though he is entitled to feel anything but relaxed himself. Typical of the shambolic background to Nigerian football is their Football Federation's reluctance to provide security for Amodu and his assistants by giving them a contract, at least until the World Cup. The suspicion is that Amodu, who succeeded one Dutchman, Johannes Bonfrere, last year, may shortly give way to another, Louis Van Gaal. Such a move would not have the players' undivided support. "There is a benefit to having a local coach,'' explained West. "Mostly he knows the culture of the country and he knows the players.

"The relationship with the players can be very difficult. Foreign coaches are always complaining of being back-stabbed by the people who work with them. With local coaches we seem to be free of that environment.''

Yet Nigeria invariably seems to pin its faith in foreign coaches. The much-travelled Yugoslav Bora Milutivonic was in charge of their 1998 World Cup team which overcame Spain in a group game only to be thrashed by Denmark at the next stage.

Whoever has the responsibility of coach thrust upon him this time he will have to decide on the best role for Nwankwo Kanu. The question is, should he be part of the front two, supporting them from behind, or coming off the bench when things go wrong or, as is usually the case here, when the going gets too hot for the starters?

The Arsenal man remains an international enigma. If he has an identity crisis it probably does not help by Nigeria allocating him the No 4 shirt. The image of Kanu snapping at opponents' heels in the manner of Roy Keane or Steffen Freund does not flit easily into mind. Even more incongruous was the sight of Kanu swapping shirts with Mali's Daouda Diakite on Thursday and departing the scene with a No 2 on his back.