Eagles not a team yet – Akanni

BY JACOB AJOM

Former Nigeria international, Waidi Akanni was not impressed by the Super Eagles in their warm up match against Cape Verde and he did not hide his feelings when he chatted with our correspondent in a telephone interview on Thursday.

“Technically speaking, I believe we have a squad but not a team yet,” Akanni said, when asked of his impression on the 23-man squad named by the chief coach, Stephen Keshi, Wednesday.

Nigeria’s players listen to their national anthem before the Nigeria vs Cape Verde friendly  in Faro Portugal. AFP PHOTO

Akanni, a former chairman of the Lagos State Football Association said the match against Cape Verde was an anti climax, coming on the day the coach released the names of his final squad for the Nations Cup.

“The performance of the team against Cape Verde only justified the belief by some of us that Nigeria was not going to be represented by her best players. Personally, I was not comfortable with the exclusion of players like Osaze, Martins, Obinna Nsofor among others when he announced the preliminary list. He should have given them the chance to prove their worth. Even Niyi Adeleye whom everybody is saying would take over from Yobo was ignored.”

Akanni however believes the Super Eagles was made up of “very good players. But I don’t see them winning the trophy. May be, in a future edition, definitely, not this.”