Beware...experts Warn Eagles' Coaches Against Ghana

Two of Nigeria's prolific players of the past and now coaches on the domestic scene, Henry Nwosu (Mon) and Lawrence Akpokona, have warned that the last World Cup qualifier against Ghana on July 15 must be approached with care.

They warned both the coaches and players that unless the game is approached with care, Ghana could prove the main obstacle to Nigerian making third World Cup appearance than hitherto envisaged.

Akpokona told Weekend Sports Special in Lagos "I think the main obstacle or hurdle in this World Cup for Nigeria is the match against the Black Stars of Ghana. I say this because Ghana at a stage in the qualifiers looked like a hopeless case. Even Nigerians here thought so that Ghana has no hope of making it. Suddenly, Ghana have rediscovered themselves, have found themselves up again.

They beat Liberia at away and they have a game against Sudan at home, which will propel them to about 11 points".

To Akpokona, "Nigeria versus Ghana is a do or die thing to the Ghanaians. We should watch it because we have never found Ghana easy at anytime whether at friendlies or whatever.

I say so because I remember that in the qualifier for the 1974 World Cup in Germany, the last qualifying game for Nigeria was against Ghana at the National Stadium here in Lagos. Ghana came here to beat us 3-2 and denied us that opportunity of going to the World Cup. Though, they didn't qualify themselves, still it was painful that they stopped Nigeria."

"Well, I don't pray for a repeat. I will only pray that at worst, lets play a draw and pick the ticket. I'm not envisaging a win now because I know how difficult Ghana is. The most important thing is to qualify by picking just one point here," he stated.

Henry Nwosu, a former captain of the Green Eagles said the turn of events in the African group two qualifiers were an eye-opener going by the rate teams have won games surprisingly at away.

"Ghana has always been our problem in the past. We know this time again they will try to prove tough this time, but it won't work. This is a match that Nigeria cannot afford to play a draw. We must play to win and play to beat Ghana but, the team must not take things for granted. It's a match that will either make us be in the World Cup or we are out of the World Cup."

As an advice, Nwosu urged the Nigeria Football Association, NFA and the technical crew of the Eagles to do two things . First, is the need to play a friendly match before the crucial tie against the Black Stars as a means to get the team ready.

Second, he said, is his utmost wish that Amodu, Keshi and Joe Erico work on discipline in the team and enforce compliance with orders and tactical plan for that match.

"We must play a friendly game before we meet Ghana. We should not go to sleep. No. A week before that match, the Eagles must take a friendly game against a top country or a crack team. This is to get the boys match-fit. It will help a lot."

"I will also advice Amodu, Keshi and Erico to work on discipline. They should also enforce compliance with orders and tactical plan. If any player is seen to go off-course, then, they should drop such a player. These are good ways to win that game," he added.

Akpokona, himself an immediate past assistant coach of the Super Eagles told both the players and coaches not to celebrate yet until after Ghana is dealt with and we have the World Cup ticket in our hands.

"Players should note that it is not time yet to celebrate. People on the street can celebrate but if you are an insider like I know it to be, and you know what football is, anything can happen. By that I mean if Liberia can go to Accra to beat Ghana 3-1, and then for Ghana to go to Monrovia to beat Liberia 2-1. If Nigeria too can go to Sudan and thrash them 4-0 when hopes were at very low ebb among Nigerians, then we must admit that anything can happen in football."

"I will advice that everybody should be on guard and play that game like they have never done before. The Ghana match is the most crucial we have right now. The Black Stars will play to die. If they present school boys, they will still not want to lose to Nigeria," he concluded.