By Jude Atupulazi
A Nigerian Football icon and former Chairman of Gombe United Football Club, Hon. Ahmed Shuaibu Gara Gombe, has expressed doubts over the ability of the country’s men’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, to achieve success at the 2024 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) which kicks off in Ivory Coast next week.
Mr Gombe, who spoke on Channels Television interview on Thursday, said the national team under the current coach, Jose Peseiro, had not done enough to adequately prepare Super Eagles for a big tournament like the AFCON, noting that football fans in Nigeria would be turned to prayer warriors once more.
‘Contracting Coach Jose Peseiro was a huge mistake. Since he arrived, nothing positive has been achieved in the team. Under Peseiro, Eagles lack tactics and technical ability to play convincing football. Therefore, in Cote D’Ivoire, if anything positive happens, it would be a special act of God,’ he said.
He alluded to the fact that the Nigeria Football Federal (NFF) had been off colour in showing direction, both to Super Eagles preparation for the Nations Cup in Cote D’Ivoire and the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL)
According to the Chairman, Gombe State Athletics Academy, Super Eagles players may have a galaxy of talented stars, but putting them together to play as a team would be Peseiro’s major problem.
‘This coach did not see any good player from the Nigerian league for selection, it is crazy. Only God’s intervention will make Eagles win to meet the huge expectations of Nigerians,’ he predicted.
