…Describes Kano CHAN tie do-or-die for home based Eagles
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Ex- international, Mutiu Adepoju has warned that the Work Permit denied of Super Eagles vice captain, Eddy Ogeni Onazi, recently should serve as a bitter lesson to his teammates and soccer administrations to do everything possible to pick tickets for continental and international competitions.
Reacting to the circumstance in a telephone chat in Abuja, the former Eagles winger lamented that such move would have helped boost his career, especially in making regular appearances in competitive English league.
In his words: “I don’t really know what to say about it because that is the rule in England. It is really a pity that such should happen to Onazi especially when you think that it would have been a very good avenue for him to play regularly in a competitive platform.
“It is a pity that we have seen the negative aspect of our not participating in the two Africa Nations Cup. The situation should be a sad lesson to the players and administrators and everyone to try not to leave anything to chance in doing everything possible to pick all the available tickets for continental and international competitions.
Headmaster as friends and admirers call him also warned the home-based Super Eagles that the CHAN qualifier encounter against the Squirrels of Benin Republic is a must win one.
“Like every other Nigerian, I was disappointed with the defeat in Benin Republic. I believe that the players were equally disappointed themselves. The players have learnt in a hard way that no country is a minor. The biggest thing they should know is that they are facing a situation of do-or-die battle in Kano if they must qualify for CHAN,” he warned.
Asked if Nigerians should allow Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr to carry his cross in recalling retired goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, Adepoju said: “I have said it severally that he is the one in charge and should decide who he wants to be in the team. The option left for all of us is to leave him to go ahead with what he want to do. He knows what will give him result.”