Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Nigeria former international, Mutiu Adepoju, has pleaded with Nigerians not to put the Super Eagles under pressure by comparing the team with others in same group at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Reacting to the recent statement by the Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, that the Super Eagles are not the favourite among the teams in the group, Adepoju urged the German and Nigerians to allow the team to take the matches as they come. “We all know the history of Super Eagles’ participation at the World Cup. So, we should try as much as possible not to put the team under any form of pressure.
“It is even good if they participate as underdogs in the qualifiers.
“This is World Cup not just any tournament. Even the smallest team is capable of springing surprises. But the only thing is to ensure that they did not just go to participate like any other teams. Saying that the Eagles are favorite would mean drawing attention towards the team. We all know that Argentina is the favorite based on their history at the World Cup. However, I believe that with good preparations, the Super Eagles will go far,” he said.
Asked about his impression on the build up to the World Cup, the former Eagles star said: “I am impressed with the build up especially with the arrangements the football federation has put in place. The friendly matches and other pre-tournament preparations have been encouraging.”