A former ex-international,
Bright Omokaro, yesterday  expressed optimism that the country would qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) despite recent developments in the game.
Omokaro spoke against the backdrop of Sunday Oliseh’s resignation as the coach of the Super Eagles and the appointment of Samson Siasia as the new coach.
Omokaro told newsmen in Lagos that the newly appointed technical crew possessed the quality needed to qualify the team for the nation’s cup.
He said, “Honestly, I was not expecting Oliseh to resign soon but he knows what is best for him and where the shoe pinches him.
“When Oliseh signed his contract, nobody was there and the terms of the contract were not made public for Nigerians to know its details.
“His resignation will not affect our qualifying for the tournament because we will be using the same set of players; what matters most is the coach’s relationship with the players.
“The new technical crew is competent and I believe strongly that it will be equal to the task ahead.’’
Omokaro, however, urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to do the needful in order to enhance the development of the sport.
“Subsequently, the NFF should make the terms and conditions for appointing coaches public; but if you do some things in secret you will get embarrassing results.
“‘For now, nobody knows whether Oliseh or the NFF is at fault.
“If the conditions and terms have been made public, Nigerians will by now know who is at fault,’’ Omokaro said.
NAN reports that Oliseh resigned his appointment as the coach of the Super Eagles on February 26.
He had cited the violation of his contract, unpaid salaries and other grievances as reasons for his resignation.
The NFF , same day, re-appointed Samson Siasia as the head coach and Emmanuel Amuneke as his assistant.
Siasia had earlier coached the Eagles between December 2010 and October 2011
Nigeria is expected to battle Egypt in a crucial 2017 AFCON qualifying match on March 25 in Kaduna.