New Super Eagles coach, Lars Lagerback may have identified the
defence as his main concern ahead of the World Cup, but two former members of
the national team, Samson Siasia and Nduka Ugbade believe the current form of
our players for their respective European clubs is not adequate ahead of South
Africa.
Nigeria’s first group opponents at the World Cup, Argentina,
would fancy their chances of assembling players who are not only enjoying
regular competitive action but also making waves in Europe with goal-scoring
performances. The quartet of Lionel Messi, Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez and
Sergio Aguero have hauled in more than 70 goals at the club level this season.
It appears an intimidating scorecard considering the fact that
our Eagles trio of Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Obinna Nsofor and Obafemi Martins have
only managed a combined total 15 league goals albeit with some injury problems
in the course of the campaign. Osaze, who has just begun a new season with his
Russian Premier League side, Lokomotiv Moscow netted only seven goals in 23
appearances for his team last season.
Siasia, who himself scored for the Eagles in their 2-1 against
Argentina in Nigeria’s maiden appearance at the 1994 World Cup held in the
United States admits he is worried about the current performance of our
strikers with just about two months to the beginning of the global competition.
It is discouraging
“You have to be worried as a coach when you look at the
performance of our strikers just like you will naturally be happy if the goals
are flowing ahead of the World Cup. It is better when the players are showing
good form and we are hoping to see that from them as the World Cup gets
closer,” said the former Flying Eagles coach.
Ugbade, who also played alongside Siasia in the Eagles squad
that won the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia, insists the players must
improve their form for the Eagles to have any chance of qualifying for the
second round of the Mundial.
“We would have just about three weeks to prepare as a team for the World Cup
and currently things are not at the level you expect from the players. I hope
they would attain the high level of fitness as they would be moving to the
national camp for the World Cup preparation immediately after the end of the
season,” Ugbade said.
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