Former Super Eagles striker, Julius Aghahowa, has urged the current Nigerian national team to demonstrate unwavering commitment and passion if they are to succeed at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Aghahowa, who scored 14 international goals for Nigeria, expressed optimism about the team’s potential, but streases that talent alone is not enough.
“The main issue I am having is the willpower; that’s enthusiasm and passion to deliver 120 per cent,” he stated in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He pointed out that wearing the national jersey carries a significant weight, and players must rise to the occasion.
“The players are talented, and they have the capacity to deliver,” he acknowledged.
“But that commitment and resilience the game is a must win should be added to their mentality.”
Aghahowa also highlighted the challenges of competing in Africa, where home-based players bring a strong sense of national pride and determination.
“The other African countries will come out with their home-based players, and when a country has a full home-based team, what do we expect?” he remarked.
He urged the Super Eagles to prepare accordingly for these tough matches.
“Our players need to have it at the back of their minds that it will be difficult to match and be well prepared. Once they sort that out, the rest will be history.”
LEADERSHIP reports that Nigeria Super Eagles will play the Biennial AFCON starting from January 13 to February 11 and are in Group A that has the host, Cote D’Ivoire, and Guinea-Bissau as well as Equatorial Guinea.
Nigeria is to play the first match against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, playing host Côte D’Ivoire January 18, and square up against Guinea-Bissau in the last match of the group on January 22, 2024.
Aghahowa, a member of 2,000 Summer Olympics, expressed his belief in the abilities of the Super Eagles, highlighting their potential to succeed.
He, however, reiterated that the players must combine their talent with a strong commitment to winning, particularly in matches where the outcome might not go as planned.
He encouraged the players to give their all in every game, knowing that they had done everything possible to achieve success.
“The players are in Europe which is easier, because everybody is playing same style, but coming to Africa to play and vie for major tournament like World Cup qualifiers or AFCON, we are not going to have it easy.
“The other African countries will come win their home-based players, and when a country has a full home-based team, what do we expect?
“Our players need to have it at the back of their minds that it will be difficult to match and be well prepared. Once every they sort that out, the rest will bean history.
“The players can do it, and I believe in them, but that commitment and resilience the game is a must win should be added to their mentality,” he said.
Aghahowa also admitted that it might not be realistic to win all matches, yet adequate preparations and commitment must be shown in case the results didn’t go as planned.
“Our players should be able to beat their chest that they did all they could in case the match did not go as planned.
“The fans themselves will see the outcome that they tried but didn’t get the result. But in another scenario, when they play without sweat and lose the game, that is not what we want.
`Playing with commitment is for their good as well and for the country. If we miss the World Cup, many things are at stake for the economy, media, tour, sm and othe and s, companies won’t bring their money.
“Losing the World Cup ticket is not a win win situation, because I can see that other smaller countries are beginning to have gutt to come to Nigeria and hope to win us here, we don’t want that,” he said.
NAN)