By Jude Opara, Abuja

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick says his board will work towards having young and talented players to play for the senior national team, the Super Eagles.

Pinnick who just returned from the the Africa Cup Nations tournament in Equatorial Guinea where he commissioned some matches yesterday told journalists in Abuja that from what he saw at the championship, there is every need for younger players to be given the opportunity to represent the country.

FILE PHOTO: Marcos Rojo of Argentina goes for a header against Emmanuel Emenike of Nigeria during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group F match between Nigeria and Argentina at Estadio Beira-Rio on June 25, 2014 in Porto Alegre, Brazil. (FIFA)

According to him, most of the teams at the championship paraded young players that don’t have any big name in football and that was why they displayed their natural talent which brought out the beauty of the game.

“In Equatorial Guinea I saw young and talented players, I saw zeal, national morale and selflessness as well as the hunger to excel. They were hungry, you could see that there was no Eto, no Drogba, no Muntari and no Michael Essien, may be apart from Yaya Toure and Asamoah Gyan there was no such other big name.

“When you see these players on television you think they are very old but seeing them physically revealed that they are very young. As a match commissioner I went into their dressing rooms with their captains and referees and I asked one about his age and he told me he was 18 and truly he looked it. These are players that are hungry, people between the ages of 18 to 22 and that is what we possibly lack in the Super Eagles.

“Before we won the AFCON in 2013, there was hunger. One could see what Mba did, how he twisted his leg to score that goal, it was very daring, that could have ended his career but I don’t think he may want to do that again because possibly he would want to save his leg”.

The NFF boss further hinted that he used the opportunity of the championship to underscore the fact that Nigeria is a well respected member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), a position he added that the CAF President, Isa Hayatou reaffirmed at the general meeting of the continental body.

Pinnick however appealed to all stakeholders in Nigerian football to give peace a chance by rallying behind his board to move the game forward because it is not about him but the country.