Former Nigeria international and Atlanta ’96 soccer gold medalist, Garba Lawal, said it was up to the Super Eagles to justify their capacity at the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles have been drawn in a tricky preliminary Group A along with hosts Cote d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau yet Lawal said the coach Jose Peseiro-led side have a lot of questions to answer at the continental showpiece.
“Nigerians both in the county and outside are bitter and they are complaining why the Super Eagles are not playing well,” Lawal, the midfield Trojan that featured in four AFCON between 2000 and 2006, said on Brila Fm. “ But it’s the players that can only answer this question especially in Cote d’Ivoire.
“There are no push over at the AFCON and it is going to be a tough challenge for them especially those players who were not born here in Africa.
“African football is tough and they must be ready to face the challenge at the AFCON.”
Amid huge expectations from Nigerians, the Super Eagles have reportedly been far from happy over unpaid bonuses and allowances running into millions of dollars and are now “ready for a big fight” with the NFF on this.
According to SCORENigeria, the Super Eagles are owed bonuses and allowances for as many as 26 matches including matches of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers as well as friendlies dating back to as far as 2021.
One of the players said: “We have had only promises on the bonuses, but nothing has happened. This cannot continue and many of us now want these monies paid.”
A source further informed: “One of the players wondered how others have coped with the situation for such a long time.
“They are far from happy even though they have kept their cool so far.
“Could that explain why some of these players no longer put their bodies on the line when they play for the country?”
It was further gathered that several meetings between the NFF leadership and the team have yet to find a solution to this lingering problem.
Officials are now exploring the possibilities how the Federal Government could be convinced to pay off these debts.
It is against this uneasy background that the team will be expected to win a fourth AFCON crown in Cote d’Ivoire.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
