Underrate Super Eagles at Your Peril, Okocha Warns Group D Teams

Femi Solaja

Former Super Eagles Captain, Austin Jay Jay Okocha, has thrown his weight behind Austin Eguavoen’s squad, stressing that the team have all it takes to silence Egypt and her dreaded Mohamed Salah.

Eagles will open their AFCON 2021 Group D campaign against Egypt on January 11 in Garoua.

Since both countries were paired in the group, football circles have been a washed with discussions on how the Liverpool talisman was going to make life miserable for Nigerian defenders. Salah’s current devastating form has compounded problems further.

But Speaking on the sideline of a football programme in Lagos yesterday, Okocha insisted that despite the absence of Victor Osimhen, Odion Ighalo and Leon Balogun, Eagles can still prove deadly even against a Salah inspired Egypt.

“Our chance to stay a-float is very bright even as some of Nigeria’s good players won’t be available to play at the tournament. I laugh when many pundits keep doubting the ability of Super Eagles turning the table against all oppositions at the tournament.

“Salah is a good player no doubt, but we are to play against Egypt national team and not Salah or Liverpool whom we watch every week on television as he does magic with The Reds.”

He insisted further that performance for club is different from playing for ones country.

“Club performance is quite different from when you come down to Africa to play. A lot of factors come into play because our continental football relies more on the strength of play and going to play in the opening match against Nigeria will put more pressure on him to replicate what he does with Liverpool at AFCON.

“The Nigerian coach (Eguavoen) has to be focussed on match plan and not looking out for a player in Mo Salah but if we still have a team and cover all the holes, Salah can be anonymous all through 90 minutes,” Okocha said with confidence.

The former mercurial playmaker however noted that a player in the mould of Salah has the ability to take half a chance and convert it into a goal which could be enough to decide the encounter.

“Our players must stay focus all through the match and knowing fully well that the opening match is always full of tension.

We must stay focussed and cut him off the crucial passes that could make him a match winner,” he explained.

On the non-availability of Victor Osimhen, Emmanuel Dennis and possibly Odion Ighalo, Okocha said the absence of these players should not determine the chances of Nigeria winning the cup.

“We have quality players in the pool. The coach is capable and this explains why he invited many players to give room for plan A, B even C and this explains why it did not take much time before the likes of Henry Onyekuru gets the nod to come into the camp.

“The team, to me, still has the depth to win matches and go all the way to the last match. For those who are in camp now, it is a big opportunity for them to stamp their authority for a permanent shirt.

“I remember in my playing days; I came into the team as a substitute and made use of the opportunity to stamp my authority and the rest is history today.”

Okocha however frowned at how some European clubs were frustrating African countries from representing their countries.

“However, it is most unfortunate that African players are been frustrated from playing for their respective nations. In my own opinion, it is sign of disrespect to the continent and criminal for anyone to be asking if you will like to defend the honour of your country while over there it’s a great accomplishment for anyone to wear the colour of their nations.

“The AFCON calendar has been there for a long time and these clubs are aware of the timing but they will always turn blind eye as if the continent is still a jungle. How come they are holding them back when many of them went on break apart from the English Premier League,” queried Okocha.