NFF, Rohr must qualify Eagles for Russia 2018—Mustapha
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Abdulakeem Usman Mustapha has charged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles Genort Rohr to do the needful to ensure Nigeria crosses the hurdles of Cameroon and Algeria to hoist her flag in Russia in the 2018 Fifa world cup finals.
Mustapha (SAN) who has been vocal on matters concerning football in Nigeria as a former Chairman of the NFF Electoral Committee for the 2010 NFF Elections that midwifed the Aminu Maigari-led board said the fact that Nigerians including himself believe that Cameroon cannot hinder Nigeria from making it to the finals of 2018 Fifa world cup in Russia, those saddled with the responsibility must not go to sleep.
He noted that discriminating against any player because of the league or country they are plying their trade will not give Nigeria the opportunity to select best legs to represent her in these decisive matches.
“The fact that a player is playing in the Chinese League or any other League than England, Spain, Germany or the so called big leagues should not be a minus for that player. The coach should give every player a chance to prove self. He should not invite players based on the country they are playing,” he said.
Using Skipper Mikel Obi to buttress his points, the erudite lawyer stated that it is better for a player to play regularly in competitive matches in China than to be warming the bench in England arguing that the future of football is Asia and China is the destination.
“If you like it or not, the future of football is Asia and the Chinese League will be the best in the world very soon. They have the resources and capacity to actualise this and the whole world knows, so shutting the Super Eagles doors at these players because they are playing in China or Qatar is not the best for our ambition to qualify,” he added.
Nigeria suffered a humiliation on her soil against South Africa in the first fixture without the likes of Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo, Brown Idehen, Bsbatunde Mikel and other quality Nigerian players who are either in the Chinese or Qatar League but the Senior Advocate of Nigeria insists “that should not be the case if we must come out tops in our group and qualify for the world cup.”
He maintained that the way the Chinese League is growing soon the world will be seeing 300, 000 and 400, 000 capacity stadia as against the 70,000 and 80,000 capacity in England or elsewhere.
It could be recalled that former Super Eagles technical adviser, Belgium based Sunday Oliseh wrote off Aaron Samuel who scored three goals in five competitive matches with the team under late coach Stephen Keshi because he was playing in China.
He also cautioned against unnecessary experimenting with the Super Eagles arguing that quality and experienced players should form the nucleus of the team as it is in the other clime.
It could be recalled that Brazil 2014 world cup star Babatunde Michael has begged Coach Rohr to give him another chance to prove himself under his team.
Ben Nwachukwu, Abuja
