Ifeanyi Eduzor
As more Nigerians continue to lament the poor display of the Super Eagles in their back- to back international friendlies against Cameroon in Austria, former Eagles’ keeper, Uche Akubuike has urged Coach Gernot Rohr not to take anything for granted when the World Cup qualifiers resume in September.
It would be recalled that the Super Eagles, narrowly lost their first encounter 0-1 to the Indomitable Lions and four days later played out a goalless draw with the five time African champions in a game which many soccer fans believe that Nigeria would have won if there has being proper coordination.
Akubuike believes that both games should be an eye opener when Nigeria begins its Qatar 2002 World Cup qualifiers against Cape Verde and Liberia in September.
“I want to believe that Gernot Rohr has learnt some lessons from the friendlies against Cameroon. He should by now be mapping out strategies on how to approach the World Cup qualifiers in September because Nigerians will not accept any excuses for failure,” began the former NITEL Vasco Dagama of Enugu and Jasper United of Nnewi save hands.
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“This is the time for him to know the caliber of players he will invite to the team and stop experimenting with the national team which he has been doing for the past five years he has been in charge,” he stressed.
According to the one time Julius Berger goalkeeper, for Nigeria to be in Qatar, the Franco- German tactician must get his acts together and work on his strikers who are too wasteful in front of goal and also ensure that quality midfielders are included in the team.
“Part of the reason why the Super Eagles failed to click against Cameroon was because of poor judgment of our strikers in front of goal. It’s high time the former Burkina Faso and Gabon gaffer look inwards and know the type of strikers he’s inviting to the national team.
“He should also realize that a country like Cape Verde though with a small population has shown that they are no more minnows in African football and playing them requires all seriousness coupled with your best players,” concluded the former FK Hajduk of Serbia keeper.
