Stories by Kate Obodo
Nigeria can boast of players who can take them to the final of the Nations Cup. If they don’t, it means that they have not worked hard enough. And from the coach to the players, everybody will share in the blame, the football federation inclusive.

This is the position of one time NFA chairman, Ibrahim Galadima while commenting on the Nations Cup that kicks off today in Angola.

The Kano-state-based sport administrator believes for any team to have qualified for the Nation’s Cup  finals, the team must be good and will be competitive.  He believed that the quality in the Nigerian players could turn them winners.
The question, he said, remained “who will turn them champions?

That is where he said the coaches have huge responsibility.
“The players know that they need to work hard. Nigerians have high expectation and I am confident they will not want to let Nigeria down. But it is not about what they want but how to get it it. Will they be guided well to get the results?

I am convinced that the coaches know what they are doing because they know the expectation of Nigeria is very high. So we expect nothing but the best from the team because we know that the quality is there but how to make best use of it is another thing. Let’s just be hopeful.

“If we are able to overcome Egypt in the opening game, then other team will be easy for us. What I think Nigerians should do is to pray for them because at this point the only thing is to call on God so that things will be okay for us”, he said.