By Solomon Nwoke

Rufai

Former Super Eagles, skipper and goalkeeper, Peter Rufai has urged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to have an in-depth look at the various variables affecting the performance of the Senior national team as it prepares for the next Afcon 2017 qualification to be hosted in Gabon.

Dodomayana as he is fondly called by his fans said the Eagles can pick the Afcon 2017 ticket if these variables are put in check including the administration of the game itself.

He said if the Eagles must qualify for the next African Cup of Nations in Gabon, the preparation must start immediately as there are no minors in African football any more.

‘’We can qualify from that group if we put our acts together. We need to go to the grassroots and get players from different cadres to make up the senior national team. With good invitation of players and good administration, we should pick the ticket in that group’’, Rufai said as he insisted that administration should play its part to ensure that there is no vacuum in the preparation for the Eagles.

“The crop of footballers that we have today are not up to the standard of the likes of players we had in the 1994 and ’98 squads.’’

“The present board of NFF should look at what the previous administrations did. The baton is in their hands to continue the race. So they should do a good race for Nigerians. Meaning that every area should be looked into”.