Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been heavily criticised by football pundits after last Saturday’s 0-2 deficit against South Africa in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. Some of them have also called on Coach Gernot Rohr to make a change and mix the new team with the blend of experienced players.
Nigeria crumbled like a pack of cards in front of their supporters and gifted the South Africans a heart-warming victory for the first time over the Super Eagles in the AFCON 2019 group F pairing.
Former international and a member of the NFF technical committee, Garba Lawal, Edema Fuludu, and Friday Ekpo criticised the team’s playing pattern and the lack of commitment of the Super Eagles against the Bafana Bafana.
Nigeria has another serious match in August against Cameroon in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier and pundits believe the West African nation has no team yet to compete in such highly competitive match.
“We have no team yet. We are not ready for any team. This present squad can’t beat Cameroon. Nigeria is in big trouble. They did not take South Africa serious. They thought they had arrived, that no team could beat them again. They thought South Africa will be a pushover. They have forgotten that football is not like that. The team would have learnt from this match and prepare themselves for Cameroon,” Lawal said while reacting to the match against South Africa.
Another ex-star, Fuludu said he was surprised to see Eagles in such terrible situation.
“That match shocked me. Experience and youthfulness are very important. They need to inject the team with more quality players. I thought we would win the match. I could not believe it at all. The South Africans were better. They were quick with the ball. Their passes were accurate and our players did not play as a team. We did not have a good team in place. Our boys were easily tired. Our defence was also bad and uncoordinated,” Fuludu stressed.
Former Abiola Babes midfielder, Ekpo also condemned Gernot Rohr’s newly formed team, describing it as a ‘very young’ side without experience.
“This team is not good for Nigeria. We need to develop our local league and produce players that will fit into the national team. We need experienced players. Let the younger players continue to learn from the experienced players,” he said.
Nigeria is in group F with South Africa, Libya and Seychelles. Eagles’ next game in the qualifier is billed for next year March 23 in Seychelles. They would then play home to Libya on September 5 before a return leg against South Africa on October 12.
Both Nigeria and South Africa failed to reach the 2017 Cup of Nations tournament. Nigeria lost out to Egypt after taking only one point from the two matches between both countries.
South Africa held eventual group winners Cameroon twice, but finished an embarrassing third after losing and drawing against minnows Mauritania.
There will be three two-leg preliminary ties during March involving the six lowest ranked sides with the overall winners securing places in the group phase.
One round of mini-league fixtures are scheduled for 2017 and five for next year with the 12 group winners and the best three runners-up joining host, Cameroon, in the finals.
