Nigeria Will Struggle to Qualify for W’Cup, Says Odegbami

Former Nigeria international Segun Odegbami has said that the Super Eagles must navigate a tortuous World Cup qualification process to book their place at Russia 2018.

Sunday Oliseh’s men return to action next month when they face Egypt in a make or break African Cup of Nations qualifier before continuing their qualification process for the World Cup later in the year.

According to the former national team skipper, the country does not have the caliber of players that can make the qualification process a less sweltering one.

“Nigeria does not have the players,” Odegbami told media. “Just a few are emerging that starts to give us hope. I think we might still qualify for AFCON.

“To qualify for the World Cup is going to be extremely difficult this time. And if we do, we will be very lucky. That is my own view.

“I think within the next three to four years then we might have a proper Super Eagles if we do things right. If we look into our domestic league, develop it properly, arrange for our players or support them so that they can go to the right environment, for training.

“Give them all the motivation they need, take care of them and we pray for luck, then we would have a true national team. But for now, we are still not there.”

Commenting on coach Oliseh’s video outburst on YouTube, the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner also advised the tactician to learn how to handle matters maturely rather than engage in ventures that could affect his focus.

“As you know, I’m one of the biggest advocates, supporters of Oliseh to become the coach of the national team,” he continued.

“I have never seen him coach before, but I believed in his intellect. I heard him, I read him and I was a witness to his life as a football player. I was his team manager to Tunisia 1994, I was his manager to the World Cup in 1994, so I know him very well.

“I felt that the years would have tempered him so that with all the qualities that he has he would make a very good national team coach.

“So I supported him and he has started but he has stumbled and I hope that he would steady himself, bring himself up again and justify the confidence that we reposed in him.