Ex-soccer star and Chairman Crystal All Stars International FC of Port Harcourt, Amb. Joe Cole, has said that the chances of Super Eagles to qualifying for 2026 World Cup are very slim but not an impossible task.
He said the task can be accomplished “if the boys can approach their remaining few games with serious determination.”
Speaking in an interview in Port Harcourt, Cole reiterated that the possibility of Super Eagles’ qualification would depends mainly on the ability and capability of the players in winning her remaining two qualifying games against Amuvibu of Rwanda and Bafana Bafana of South Africa on 6th September and 19th respectively and then wait for the final outcome of the other African countries results.
Reacting to the 23 man Eagles squad invited ahead of Rwanda and South Africa crucial game, the self-confident Cole said he is okay with the names of players enlisted by Coach Eric Chelle for the game except that he would have loved to see the inclusion of the Spain based Umar Sadiq in the roaster which according to him will add more bite upfront.
“Indeed it is good that we have the likes of Victor Osihmen, Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman in Super Eagles attacking line but I’m of the view that the inclusion of Umar Sadiq would have made the attacking department of the team more competitive but all the same, it is okay with all the invited players”.
The ebullient astute football administrator however prayed that Coach Eric Chelle as a matter of fact, should adopt a total football pattern, which is the current trend in modern football, where every player will be attacking and at the same coming back home to defend when loses possession of the ball.
“Therefore, I will advise Eagles players to go for attacking football in other to get goals, having seen that the formation of defensive football has been outdated. In fact, a team can only resort to apply defensive approach in a match when it is sure of leading with a comfortable good margin of goals scored”, he remarked.
The amiable Cole whose philosophy in football lies in attacking style football formation still maintained that he is yet to see the magic the visiting Rwandans will perform this weekend to escape unbeaten in Nigeria, if the Eagles players will go for an early goal to weaken their morale in the game.
Meanwhile, Amb. Cole has expressed satisfaction with the results of matches recorded at the kickoff of this year’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matches in different match venues even though that the league had just started.
Commenting on the non-inclusion of the home based league players in the main stream of Super Eagles team, the outspoken Cole retorted that he is not disturbed with the selection, since he is yet to see any of the home based league player capable to displace any foreign based player invited by Coach Eric Chelle.
“I think that with the unpleasant remarks of the non-inclusion of home based league players, it’s now behooves on the football administrators to rise up to the challenge to improve Nigeria League standard holistically so that our home based players would be given the desired attention in other to get invitation to Senior National team camp when the need arises.
“It is not a hyperbolical statement to say that Nigeria has many outstanding players in our local league in the then 80s and 90s, citing example with the likes of Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Finidi George, Taribo West etc, but now wondered who should be mentioned in our local league that is very outstanding to attract the attention of scouts or soccer fans coming to the stadium to watch.
“Truly, for now, we cannot make boast to say that we are truly running professional football in Nigeria, or glorified amateur professional type, when compared with what is obtainable in other African countries, not talking of even outside the country.
“To be honest, clubs like T.P Mazembe and others in Africa are far better off than us in terms of superb organization and taking care of their player’s welfares very well.
“Regrettably, we don’t have any insurance covering our players in this country and therefore, I minced no words to say that so many things have wrong and need to be properly streamlined before we can make bold to say that we are practicing professional football else we will be crying woes of poor outings in International Sports meets”, the well-informed Cole frankly stated.
