Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja
Liberian President, George Weah, on Monday met President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and charged the federal government to give every required support that Super Eagles need to triumph at the World Cup.
Weah who described the Nigerian team as a model, said if Nigeria wins the tournament, it will be the pride of the entire Africa, pointing out that the bane of African football is denying the players their due benefits.
“I think Nigerian team is a model, we all followed them. I had played with great Nigerian players. I played against them. Now, you have a new generation, the fact that they qualified is a good thing for Nigeria.
“But I hope that they will prepare very early because they are going to represent Africa and we will be there to watch them, for them to bring the trophy for the first time if it is possible. But I think the seriousness to go to World Cup is not to pay players to go. I want every African government to know that if you win World Cup, it is pride to Africa, it is not just to Nigeria. So, we must do everything to ensure that the players are not stressed, make sure they concentrate, make sure their incentives are given to them to motivate them.
“Some of the things you see at the World Cup, you will see an entire team go to represent a whole country and you will hear that one minister took the money; they did not pay these players and the players are causing problem. When players are going to camp is to relax and focus and for them to be in camp they must have everything there for them not to worry.
“Remember I played in European setting. When we go to camp, we had nothing to do. The only thing we had to do was to take a shower and prepare for the game. Everything is laid down here and so, you have no excuse. So, let the players not have excuse, support them and let them go and bring that cup,” he said.
Weah, a global sporting superstar in the 1990s remains the only one to have won the Ballon d’Or, European and CAF Player of the Year winner.
