Sports
2010 W/Cup: Analyst Condemns Lagerback’s Choice Of Players
Just two weeks to the commencement of the 2010 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa, a soccer analyst in Rivers State, Mr. Cletus Ashamole, has declared that he has no confidence in Lagerback’s super Eagles team to make appreaciable impact at the mundial.
Speaking with Tide Sports in an interview recently, in Port Harcourt, Ashamole regretted that most of the players invited for the world cup battle have passed their prime and as such do not deserve a place in the team.
According to him, players like Kanu Nwankwo and others who have not been featuring regularly in their various club sides in Europe, ought not to be included in the list. He said that their inclusion would only amount to denying the younger players who are more enterprising and eager to give out their best for the country, the chances to play.
He maintained that it would be miraculous if Super Eagles go beyond the second round in South Africa considering the quality of players invited by lagerback.
“Worst still, the Eagles have not played enough friendly matches to enable the coach and Nigerians assess their current form and fitness.”
He wondered the kind of magic Lagerback would perform with just few days to the world cup.
Speaking on the chances of Eagles ahead of their first game against Argentina on June 11, Ashomole believes that it would be difficult for Nigeria to survive the Lionel Mesi and Carlos Tevez-led attack of the Argentines.
Ashamole, who was one-time chairman of Iwuanyanwu Nationale Supporters Club, Port Harcourt branch now rechristened Heartland FC of Owerri, nevertheless enjoined Nigerians not to give up hope but to continue to support the Eagles till the final curtain is drawn.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.