Commentators on the forthcoming World Cup have commented on the chances the Super Eagles have in the tournament, and while most of these commentators express a low expectation, some others have given reasons why they believe in the ability of the Super Eagles team to win the World Cup scheduled to hold in Russia in June. More prominent amongst these is the fact that the team is made up of a bunch of new generation players who are from the diaspora and started in academies from very early.
One of the points the Super Eagles have going for them is confidence and team spirit. Being considered as underdogs by most of the commentators in the sport, the Nigerian team exhibits a high level of team spirit and confidence which is one of the marks that distinguishes newbies from professionals.
Beginning from their qualification for the tournament from a tough group which had African champions Cameroon and Algeria with a game to spare, the team’s confidence has increased expectations from the ever zealous fans of the team.
Kenneth Omeruo, who won the 2013 AFCON in South Africa, described the team thus:
“The present team have a strong winning mentality and are willing to work for themselves. This is what has carried this team so far that we have only lost a game under the coach (Gernot Rohr).”
Another point the team has going for them is the fact that there is high competition for team spaces by the eligible players. The desire to make the first team and squad places have been most competitive and this has translated into improved performance by everyone on the team.
Given that some spaces on the team have already been occupied, the other available spaces are hot products that everyone seeks to occupy and this has motivated the players to give everything for the tournament.
The latest modifications and improvement made on the defence of the team is another given point to their success. In the past, the Nigerian team was known for its superfluity of attacking football due to the abundance of attacking talent over the years – Rashidi Yekini, Finidi George, Emmanuel Amuneke, Julius Aghahowa, Emmanuel Emenike and Yakubu Aiyegbeni – but with the arrival of Franco-German coach, Gernot Rohr, there is efficiency and organisation in the Eagles defence now and it is now a lot more difficult to score against the team. This new defence boasts of having shut down some of the top forwards in the World – Sergio Aguero, Robert Lewandoski, and Riyad Mahrez.
Also, the Nigerian team is considered the youngest team to qualify for the World Cup and, as is generally agreed, the young ones are hungrier for glory and they dare for the prize. What they may lack in experience, they make up for with the fire that burns with intensity inside of them. On this team, currently, the only survivors from the last championship in Brazil four years ago are skipper, Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi and Kenneth Omeruo.
One important factor to take note of is the fact that the Nigerian Football Federation President, Amaju Pinnick, has promised the Super Eagles will be well motivated to win the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
On his part, former Super Eagles player and coach, Samson Siasia, has expressed pessimism at the prospect of the Eagles winning the World Cup stating, among other reasons, that the Eagles will not get enough time to prepare for the tournament due to the fact that most of them are based abroad and this may result in distortions in the communication of the teammates.
This has, however, been questioned inaccurate considering the performance of the Super Eagles team in their previous matches, under the same condition.
