9th June, 2014
A board member of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Shehu Adamu, on Sunday said Stephen Keshi, Super Eagles head coach has selected the best team for Nigeria ahead of the World Cup in Brazil.
Adamu’s optimism comes after USA defeated Nigeria 2-1 in an international friendly.
“We believe coach Stephen Keshi has selected the best for Nigeria and also for the continent. I have no doubt in my mind that Nigeria will do well at the 2014 World Cup,” he said.
Adamu told NAN in Abuja that what the Eagles had achieved in the last two years was beyond the loss to the United States.
The former Commissioner for Sports in Kaduna State, also applauded the recall of Ejike Uzoenyi to the team, saying he was a good replacement for the injured Elderson Echiejile.
“Keshi has only lost one match out of the friendly matches the team played in preparation for the World Cup, yet people are still criticising him.
“You can’t judge the team by the friendlies, but by how many friendly matches they have won, drawn or lost.
“So, if you go by that statistics, we are in a better place to say that we have a team that is going to do well in Brazil.
“I think we are not going to shame Nigerians,” Adamu said.
He said every other need for the team’s success in Brazil, especially the funds, have been released by the government, assuring that the fund would be disbursed according to requirements.
The NFA board member said the only way to justify government’s support for football was for the Super Eagles to surpass their previous World Cup record.
NAN recalls that the team has played three pre-tournament matches as part of their build-up to the 2014 World Cup.
The team played a 2-2 draw against Scotland in London on May 28, a goalless draw against Greece on June 3, before losing 1-2 to the U.S. on June 7.
The Super Eagles will face their Iranian counterparts in their first Group F match at the World Cup on June 16, before engaging Bosnia-Herzegovina in their second match on June 21.
The team’s final group match will be against Argentina on June 25.
Algeria, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria will represent Africa at the World Cup scheduled to take place between June 12 and July 13.