Forget Russia 2018 World Cup, Gombe tells Nigeria •Says Cameroon biggest threat News

Navigation: Home / News / News / Forget Russia 2018 World Cup, Gombe tells Nigeria •Says Cameroon biggest threat

Forget Russia 2018 World Cup, Gombe tells Nigeria •Says Cameroon biggest threat

By Victor Enyinnaya on February 24, 2017

Former Executive Committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Gara Gombe, has restated his fears for Super Eagles qualification for Russia 2018 World Cup, insisting that there are no positive indications that the former African Champs will scale through when the Cameroons Indomitable Lions are in this devastating form of their lives.

He spoke exclusively to Daily Sports, stating that Cameroon has played itself into reckoning again in African football and will prove that such great showing at the recently concluded AFCON in Gabon was no fluke. It would provide the needed impetus for the team to go all out in search of the 2018 World Cup ticket.

“Without much ado, Nigeria has no deep player that one can readily pick out that can drive the entire squad in the crucial game like the double header in August and September against the never say die men from the Central African region. In short, the games will prove to be a determining factor in the group setting. I will advise Eagles to forget Russia 2018 World Cup. It is not out of being unpatriotic as many will interpret it. It is a candid assessment,” he advised.

“We all know Ahmed Musa is not doing well, and Mikel Obi, the captain of the team is in China playing lesser football, which no doubt is a huge minus for the team. There is everything fundamentally wrong with Gernot Rohr’s side. Our people are not looking at the team critically from this angle, rather since they are leading the group with six points and the closest Cameroon two points, the Nigerians are home and dry for sole group ticket, but they have failed to reason that football does not tilt like that,” he observes.

Gombe, who was a Special Adviser on Sports to the Kano State Government, added that though the Eagles are still evolving, there are still yawning gaps in the team that any opponent’s coach that knows his worthy can easily exploit to spot loophole and wreck havoc.

According to the former Chairman of Gombe Football Association, “Eagles are in difficult positions as the current form of the Cameroonians may have sent jitters in the Nigerian camp.

Nigeria cannot readily boast some good number of players that command first team shirt and how many of them are playing top flight football presently. That is a problem on its own and we must not lose sight of that.

“Cameroon will come to Uyo with frustrating formula or match plan. They are more physical and threatening too.

Though, football games involving both countries have been traditionally difficult and tough coupled with the present teething form of the African Champions, then Nigeria will be in for a hell of time to contain them in Uyo in August and Limbe in September 2,” he informs.

The seasoned administrator remarks that the scene is already tensed up due to the way and manner the Hugo Broos’ men, against all odds emerged in Gabon African biannual premier football tournament. They have caused enough scare.

“We don’t have the capacity yet and I have said so earlier and nothing drastic has change in our team. The lame duck leadership of NFF has worsened the situation. The arrogance that is the middle name of Amaju Pinnick leadership helped to compound the chances of the team and Nigerians should develop shock absorber because the Loins are roaring to devour any intruder and no respecter of any ground too. As that is happening, the Desert Foxes from Algeria are plotting as they won’t let go also,” he explained.

The Patron of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) revealed further that there are many weak links in the Eagles set up which are yet to be taken care of. For instance, the goal keeping area lacks, the entire defence is suspect, Mikel and Onazi have not shown enough depth in the midfield. You can go on and on. It’s worrisome and for him, Eagles won’t survive the heated onslaught,” he posits.

•Gara Gombe.

Source Daily Sports

Posted February 24, 2017