Former Super Eagles manager, Christian Chukwu has described the team’s elimination at the ongoing African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Rwanda as bad news.

Eagles lost 0-1 to their Guinean counterparts, Syli Nationale in yesterday’s last group match at the Umuganda Stadium in Rubavu. Syli Nationale dangerman, Ibrahim Sankhon’s lone strike in the 45th minute proved adequate to hand his side the vital win that cemented a quarterfinals berth for the West Africans.

Chukwu, however, will want the CHAN Eagles to be kept together to form the basis of the mainstream side, Super Eagles. “I consider the result as bad and terrible for Eagles to lose 0-1 to Guinea. That’s a bad way to end a championship campaign that started quite well.

Chukwu

“Well, that’s football there is nothing any of us can do to change the result, it’s just unfortunate.

“However, I will like this CHAN squad to be kept together to form the bulk of Super Eagles so that in the next competition we will be certain we have a team already on ground,” said the former Nigeria international.

Chukwu said the CHAN championship lesson is for us to always consider the domestic players in all our football programmes.

“The sure lesson from the CHAN is for us not to neglect the home-based players in our football programme and to always keep them busy with competitions. “I will still insist that the home players be made the basis of the main Super Eagles a trend in most progressive countries,” said the former Kenyan manager.

Guinea and Tunisia progressed to the quarter finals in Group C while Nigeria and Niger were eliminated from the biennial football showpiece.