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| Tunisia '94 Super Eagles Squad |
......Just Four Of Brazil 2014 Eagles Are Relevant
.......Four Of S/Africa 2013 Eagles Are On Rohr's Books
...... Rio 2016 Olympics Squad Has Just Troost Ekong
When Super Eagles won the AFCON title in Tunisia and went ahead to dazzle the world at the USA '94 World Cup, 22 players represented the country in the land of the Yankees. Four years after, precisely at the next edition of the World Cup hosted by France, 12 members of the previous World Cup squad were available to prosecute the championship. It shows the depth and strength in the '94 class of Eagles. The 12 from USA '94 to France '98 include
●Peter Rufai
●Austin Eguavoen
●Ben Iroha
●Uche Okafor
●Uche Okechukwu
●Austin Okocha
●Mutiu Adepoju
●Sunday Oliseh
●Finidi George
●Daniel Amokachi
●Victor Ikpeba
●Rashidi Yekini
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Recall that two years after USA '94 World Cup, Nigeria won the Olympic Games football gold in Atlanta....Six members of the '94 World Cup squad were part of the Olympics historic squad. They are Emmanuel Amuneke, Austin Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Daniel Amokachi, Victor Ikpeba and Uche Okechukwu (one of the over aged players).
Three years ago, Super Eagles were in Brazil for the FIFA World Cup. As you read this post just four players from that squad are attractive to Gernot Rohr at the moment. They are Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses, Ogenyi Onazi and Kenneth Omeruo. The fifth would have been John Obi Mikel but his Chinese move has not helped his national team course.
Just four years ago, in South Africa, the Super Eagles won the AFCON tourney but hardly can we count five players from that squad as regulars or very important to Gernot Rohr's team at the moment. Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa, Ogenyi Onazi, Elderson Echiejile and Kenneth Omeruo are those readily available for selection from the triumphant 2013 squad. It shows the drop in the standard and quality of our players and football generally.
Only Troost Ekong from Rio Olympics squad is favoured to pick a first team shirt in Rohr's team as it stands if he is in top form. Any other player from that squad handled by Samson Siasia is arguably a fringe player in present Super Eagles. John Obi Mikel has not been fully integrated into Rohr's team since he helped U-23 Eagles grab bronze medal in Rio.
By the time Super Eagles qualify either for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup or 2019 AFCON tourney or both, perhaps the number of South Africa 2013 AFCON squad members may have reduced to just two. We must also appreciate the fact that our football administrators have not found ways of creating the right environment for continuity among our players. We all witnessed with anger how Vincent Enyeama and Emmanuel Emenike left Super Eagles unceremoniously and acrimoniously at their prime.
So why do we expect results from tournament and qualifiers when we destroy our teams each time another tourney approaches. Why do we expect magic when there is no continuity. Why do we expect result when our teams lately lack experience. Why do we expect result, when the younger and newer players have no one to understudy. We are miles away from what our football used to be in the 90s. God help Super Eagles.....God save Nigeria Football Development.
Written By: Desmond Ekwueme
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