Reluctantly, I got up this morning. There was work to be done here in Morocco, and no time to laze around. Last night, I went to bed with the same reluctance. The workload is piling up, and I had the Kieran Maguire piece I published this morning to follow up on.
I rose early and got straight to it. The tricky part about an interview is the transcription. You have to not only get the words down but also polish them into something readable, accurate, and coherent. There are transcription tools everywhere, but none are perfect, and even after using them, small fixes are always required.
Once that was sorted, the whole Elegbete TV Sports team began gathering. Work was officially underway. The crew split into two groups. One headed to the opening ceremony in Rabat, the other to cover the Super Eagles’ training and media engagements with the players.
Edafe Matthew, Hammed Kalejaye, and Emmanuel Etim left for Rabat around 11 a.m., catching a train from Fes. I stayed with Micolo, Jamiu, and Emmanuel Sabastine for the Super Eagles session. Training was scheduled for 5 p.m., and unfamiliar with the city, we decided to leave by 2 p.m. We ordered an InDrive ride. Thankfully, the driver, Larbi, spoke a little English.
Larbi was friendly, and from the start, it was clear Moroccans are warm and welcoming. He dropped us at the training centre shortly after 3 p.m., and then the waiting began. The training ground sits in a heavily wooded area, and security would not let us in until CAF officials arrived. The cold was brutal, but there was work to do. Eventually, the officials arrived, followed by the Super Eagles, and then we got down to business.
We caught up with several players, and you can see it all on our YouTube channel, Elegbete TV Sports. It was the first training session open to the media, and a few things stood out.
Even on day one, it is clear Eric Chelle is likely to stick with a 4-4-2 diamond formation, meaning two strikers will feature. The goalkeeping department seems set for some fierce competition. Stanley Nwabali looked sharp, Francis Uzoho was steady, and Amas Obasogie pulled off some outrageous saves I did not see coming.
In the build-up, players like Alex Iwobi, Fisayo Dele Bashiru, and Ademola Lookman were pivotal. The one area that disappointed me was crossing. Players need to deliver more accurate balls into the box. With two aerially dominant strikers in Victor Osimhen and Paul Onuachu, quality deliveries are essential.
After training, Larbi picked us up again. He is such a character, friendly, talkative, and good company. While chatting about Morocco’s national team, he expressed scepticism about their chances in AFCON. He reckons the team performs better at the World Cup than in the tournament itself. Having reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, Morocco was tipped to shine in the 2023 AFCON but exited in the round of 16. Larbi’s point is understandable.
He had some strong opinions on players too. Amrabat is finished, he said. For him, it is now all about strength. He also prefers Noussair Mazraoui over Achraf Hakimi for the AFCON, citing the competition’s physicality.
A small but memorable moment occurred when Larbi dropped us off. He realised we owed him change from the morning. We gave him a little extra, and he was thrilled, even going out of his way to return the correct change. These small acts of kindness make a big difference.
Another heartwarming moment came while buying face masks. Micolo and I asked a local shop owner for masks, and a young boy without speaking English led us to several stores, finally returning with five masks for us. When I tried to give him money, he refused and ran off laughing. Moments like this put a genuine smile on your face.
Back at base, the work continued. Jamiu and Micolo handled post-production on videos and photos, Emmanuel and I focused on articles, and I even made some food. Tomorrow, the Rabat crew is catching a 12 a.m. train back, and yes, Joy is coming, not the Fido song, but Joy Ojeabulu Euphoria.
Day four awaits.
