Super Eagles team at the Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, Onikan, Lagos.
George Owus Abbey a former Super Eagles professional has opened up on the possibility of Nigeria winning a fourth AFCON title in Ivory Coast npflupdates.com reports.
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Abbey was part of the Super Eagles team that won bronze at the 2004 edition of the AFCON; and he is optimistic that the current crop of players can’t win the 34th edition of the AFCON.
Nigeria has won the African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) title, on three different occasions, first was on home soil in 1980; secondly was in Tunisia in 1994, and finally a decade ago in South Africa 2013. The Super Eagles are gunning for a fourth title, and according to coach Jose Peseiro, his players had suggested he stay and win the title with them.
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“The players pushed me to stay because they believe we can win (the AFCON),” Peseiro told Sky Sports on reason why he took a pay-cut to remain as Super Eagles head coach.
“We can win it. The players know it. They come with the same energy, the same belief, to fight for the Super Eagles.”
But Abbey who was capped eighteen times by the Super Eagles sees beyond the goalkeeping crisis as the reason why Nigeria can’t win the AFCON.
The Super Eagles have suffered inconsistency of goalkeepers since the retirment of its longest serving goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.
According to the former Crewe Alexandra defender, the current team isn’t strong as the 2013 team that last won the AFCON for Nigeria.
George Abbey talks about the Super Eagles AFCON outing
“We are patriotic as a country, we forget to check the present weather forecast,” Abbey said and was quoted by The PUNCH Nigeria.
“This current team is not as strong as our 2013 squad and in my opinion that team overachieved based on the team they were up against.
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“Even if we magically produce a prime Vincent Enyeama and put him behind this team, I still wouldn’t back us to win the AFCON. I hope they prove me wrong but I doubt they will.”
The three-time African champions are drawn against hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in the first round the tournament.
