LAGOS, JUNE 26, 2016 – The Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) has urged fans to offer necessary support to the Super Eagles to excel in their group matches of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The club’s Secretary, Samuel Ikpea, made call while reacting to the draws for the Africa Zone of the qualifiers in an interview on Saturday in Lagos.
In the draws on Friday at the African Football Confederation (CAF) headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, Nigeria was drawn against Zambia, Algeria and Cameroon in Group B of the 2018 mundial in Russia.
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions has appeared seven times in the World Cup, while Nigeria Super Eagles have featured five times and Algeria’s Fennecs four times.
Ikpea said there was need for Nigerian football administrators and footballers to come together and bring their experiences to bear for the country to excel in the competition.
“We have a big task ahead and it calls for collective effort, encouragement and prayers for our national team to excel in the group matches,’’ he said.
He described Grouped B of the competition as dangerous and one that required serious commitment by the coaching crew and the players.
He added that they must be objective and endeavour to make the nation proud.
“The countries in the group are strong but I believe that with hard work, and good team spirit, our country will subdue them and emerge winners from the group,’’ he said.
The NFSC Secretary advised the members of the Nigeria Football Federation to shun politics and remain focused on the team’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
For ex-international, Mutiu Adepoju, “It’s pointless trying to deceive ourselves, our group is tough, we have the best of African football in that group, and it’s not going to be a walk in the park.
“This draw is perhaps the toughest one that Nigeria has ever been paired in recently, without utmost focus, it won’t be easy for us to qualify from this pairing,’’ he said.
On how the tussle for the Super Eagles’ Head Coach could affect the team’s performance, he said: “I want to believe that they would have sorted this before the qualifiers kick off.
“If not, there is a certainty that it will affect us in a negative way.
“The earlier this is sorted the better for us, I believe the administrators will look into it,’’ the former Super Eagles defender added.
