‘Nigeria will struggle to qualify for the Russia 2018,’ Says, Odegbami

FORMER Nigeria international Segun Odegbami says the Super Eagles must navigate a tortuous World Cup qualification process to book their place at Russia 2018.
Sunday Oliseh’s men return to action in March when they face Egypt in a make or break African Cup of Nations qualifier before continuing their qualification process for the World Cup later in the year.

According to the former national team skipper, the country does not have the caliber of players that can make the qualification process a less sweltering one.

“Nigeria does not have the players,” Odegbami told media. “Just a few are emerging that starts to give us hope. I think we might still qualify for Afcon.

“To qualify for the World Cup is going to be extremely difficult this time. And if we do, we will be very lucky. That is my own view.

“I think within the next three to four years then we might have a proper Super Eagles if we do things right. If we look into our domestic league, develop it properly, arrange for our players or support them so that they can go to the right environment, for training.

“Give them all the motivation they need, take care of them and we pray for luck, then we would have a true national team. But for now, we are still not there.”

Commenting on coach Oliseh’s video outburst on YouTube, the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner also advised the tactician to learn how to handle matters maturely rather than engage in ventures that could affect his focus.

“As you know, I’m one of the biggest advocates, supporters of Oliseh to become the coach of the national team,” he continued.

“I have never seen him coach before, but I believed in his intellect. I heard him, I read him and I was a witness to his life as a football player. I was his team manager to Tunisia 1994, I was his manager to the World Cup in 1994, so I know him very well.

“I felt that the years would have tempered him so that with all the qualities that he has he would make a very good national team coach.

“So I supported him and he has started but he has stumbled and I hope that he would steady himself, bring himself up again and justify the confidence that we reposed in him.

“His character that we thought must have been tempered came to the fore again. But I know that he is an older person, he is a matured person and he would have learnt from this last experience and not allow it to repeat itself. Once those words come out of your mouth, you can’t take them back. So you don’t allow anger or frustration to determine words that come out of your mouth,” he added.

“Rather, when you occupy such a position, you have to be very patient, you have to answer critics, you have to answer to Nigerians because they don’t have patience. You have to keep drumming it into their ears that you need time while you are doing your work.

“Otherwise I think Sunday Oliseh is a good guy, a brilliant commentator, analyst, he understands the game of football, he was excellent as a player and when you add all of these ingredients together, he has the possibility of being a great coach. This is his opportunity to become a great coach,” he concluded.

GOAL

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