Nigeria Ministerfor Sports and Social Development/ Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Abdulrahman Hassan Gimba has canceled his return flight reservation back to Nigeria in order to remain with the Super Eagles at the African Cup of Nations.
The Nigeria Sports Minister was scheduled to leave Accra for Lagos and onwards to Abuja on Tuesday morning but he felt it would send a wrong signal to players and officials.
“It would appear like just because they lost their first match, everyone lost hope and were abandoning them. That’s why I have decided to cancel my flight and stay back”, said Gimba.
Defeat by Cote d’Ivoire at the Essipon Stadium Monday evening means the Super Eagles, hitherto favourites for the trophy, must beat Mali and Benin Republic in subsequent games to reach the tournament quarter finals.
Nigeria has not failed to qualify for the Nations Cup quarter finals since they were battered as defending champions at the 1982 finals in Libya.
Mali game is must-win – Lulu
Chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, Sani Lulu Abdullahi was categorical on Monday evening after the limp performance by the Super Eagles that ended in 0-1 defeat by the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.
“We just have to go out and win. I am having a meeting with the coach and that will be clearly spelt out. Nigeria is the number one football-playing nation in Africa and it is a terrible start that we have had there.
“I am not saying the boys did not put in their best effort but it was clearly not good enough and we have to see how we can work at 100 percent.
“The NFA has done its best to provide the things that the team needs and we also realize that the players themselves want the best for Nigeria and are genuinely ambitious to win the Nations Cup. But more effort is needed on all sides for us to achieve our goal”.
Lulu is set to meet the players and members of the technical crew on Wednesday as part of the motivational devices ahead of the Mali cracker.
“The whole of Nigeria is in mourning. Cote d’Ivoire is a good team but we have strong and excellent players and I had hope we would beat them. Against Mali, we must play with determination, sense of purpose and mission and thorough diligence”, said Abdullahi.
You won't be able to add comments, unless you are logged in
Not Registered yet ? Click here to Register.
