By KATE OBODO
Former Super Ea gles player, Baldwin Bazuaye has called on  the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF to continue to support the Under-23 team despite crashing out of the All Africa Games (AAG) so that they could clinch the  London 2012 Olympic ticket .

Ghana’s Black Meteors a fortnight ago ended the Dream Team V’s race for the AAG but Bazuaye, former Insurance of Benin attacker, said there is still hope for the team, despite their exit, stressing that criticism of the coach and his wards will not do the country any good in their bid to qualify for the Olympic Games next year.

He urged the NFF to task the team, who will play in a mini tournament to decide the continent’s flag bearers later in the year, to work harder to get one of the three Olympics tickets  reserved for the continent.

“I want to urge the NFF not to give up on the Under-23 team. They should  continue in their support for them and put the All Africa Games loss  behind. They should do their best to ensure we qualify for  the Olympics despite losing out of the All Africa Games.

Sometimes football may not be favourable the way we want  it, but that is not to say they should give-up on the team. In my opinion, I  think the Under-23 team are great. In  a situation like this, what  we need do is  to continue to support  them to succeed.

“Most people don’t know what  really happened to the team. After their 3-1 victory in Benin City, we were made to understand that most of the  players that featured in the first leg of the All Africa Games qualifier later went back to their various clubs  for pre-season match, this they could not come only a few featured in the game.

He said further, “Ghana did every thing to make sure they beat us coupled with their  home advantage, and other aspects,”. All the same, the deed has been done, what am saying is that  we should not sell out our team nor criticize them.

If we continue to criticize them because of their exit from the All Africa Game we will be dragging  them back on the Olympic mission, that will not be good for us. Therefore all hands should  be on deck to achieve the remaining goal not by criticising them,” he said.