A former goalkeeper in the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL), Akpan Bassey has commenced a line of permutations to analyse how the Super Eagles can still qualify for next year’s FIFA World Cup, Sports247 reports.
While analysing the Eagles’ current dicey position in the qualifiers, Bassey, who shot to limelight in the Golden Eaglets’ squad of 2001, pointed out that, apart from winning all their four remaining matches, Nigeria must also pray that South Africa don’t win any of theirs again.
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He, however, went on to declare that Nigerians have to remain hopeful till the last whistle in the qualifiers, especially considering that the Eagles have a tradition of storming back when all appears to be lost.
Bassey declared, “For the Super Eagles in particular, when you think all hope is lost, they try to make things happen. So, I still believe anything can happen if they put in their best efforts.”
The former shot-stopper, who is now in the technical crew of Akwa United of Uyo, then urged Eagles’ coach, Eric Sekou Chelle to ensure he works closely with his assistants, while also charging the players into top form for their forthcoming games versus Rwanda and South Africa.
Bassey added, “The coach should bring out the best in his players. He should be able to tell them what he wants and use them as machines to get the result he needs.
“He should tell them what he wants, give them instructions, tell them, ‘This is the way I want you to play. This is what we are going to do.’
“He should get people who will analyse the game and analyse the opponents; to know their weaknesses and their strong points. You then work towards it to achieve your desired three points for every game.”
He concluded by pointing out that it is not enough for the Eagles to win all their remaining matches, one of which is versus South Africa on September 9th in Bloemfontein, they should also pray that Bafana Bafana do not win another game.
“I must say, we don’t need to drop any point again. We need to win all the remaining games for us to be at the World Cup. We must also pray that South Africa will not win another game.
“This is where plus and minus come in. Where we start pressing calculators for ourselves. We pray to pick our points and for South Africa to lose.
“But, I still believe something good can happen, and we must never give up. It’s a fact that Nigeria has never shown that mentality of giving up. We’ll fight to finish,” Bassey concluded.
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