LAGOS SEPTEMBER 19TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Former Super Eagles defensive midfielder, Waidi Akanni, has declared that the Super Eagles will not qualify for the for next African Nations Cup scheduled for Gabon saying coach Sunday Oliseh led technical crew has a lot of work to do to transform the team.
Akanni observed that it was apparent that Nigeria did not have quality players again, noting that Oliseh would be deceiving himself if he thinks he could qualify Nigeria for the Nations Cup with these calibre of players.
The former Lagos FA boss stressed that football has gone beyond expressing mere sentiment on the pages of the newspapers adding that the time has come for football authorities to put up their thinking caps; if Nigerian football will rise again.
“Quote me, this team cannot qualify for the Nations Cup except if miracle happens. Egypt is on top at the moment winning their two matches comfortably. I don’t see this crop of players going to Egypt to get a draw or saying they want to beat the Pharaohs in Cairo. This is a huge joke.
“Besides, l don’t see how this team will survive Chad at home; the same team will struggle to beat at home about two months ago. The reality has done on us that we don’t have a team”, he submitted.
“I think the time has come for us to return home and begin to work with the domestic players because they are the future of Nigerian football.
“It is self delusion if we continue to think that we have players abroad while we left the domestic football undeveloped. The local league should be the bedrock of our football renaissance”
Nigerians are still angry over the team’s lackluster show against Tanzania in the Afcon qualifier as he has been given a mandate to ensure Gabon 2017 is a must-do on his checklist.
Member of the Nigeria Football Federation’s Technical Committee member, said that Egypt’s 5-1 win over Chad Yesterday has put Nigeria in a very tight spot.
According to him, the Coach cannot afford to miss out on a place at the Nation’s Cup and must now invite the best legs to ensure the Eagles get at least 4 points in next year’s double header against the Pharaohs.