Amodu Searches For Alternative Players
By Christian Okpara
Worried by the 'numerous lapses' he has noticed in his team, Super Eagles Coach, Shaibu Amodu, has started looking for new players to beef up the team before the last round of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers begin.
The coach is currently in England on attachment with some of the Premier League clubs, but an NFA official told The Guardian yesterday that Amodu would also use the opportunity to watch some Nigerian players, who have not had the opportunity to represent the country.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source disclosed that Amodu was worried by the weakness in the Super Eagles defence and midfield, adding also that the coach was not satisfied with the standard of some players he injected into the team in the last couple of matches.
"The coach met with the technical committee of the NFF before going to England and one of the issues was how to build a solid team before the last phase of the qualifiers begin.
"Some people may see our group as very easy, but Amodu does not see it that way. He wants to be ready for every game with the best possible players he can get, hence the search for quality players.
"In the absence of Mikel Obi, Skipper Nwankwo Kanu and Obafemi Martins, Amodu would use the match to watch some of the emerging stars of Nigerian football, especially members of the Olympic team, to see how they can benefit his team,'' he said.
_Some of the players Amodu is also thinking of injecting into the Super Eagles are forgotten midfielder, Paul Obiefule, who had not really done anything in the Super Eagles despite getting numerous chances and Romania-based Ifeanyi Emeghara.
Emeghara was part of the Super Eagles team to Ghana 2008, but he has been down with injury for a better part of the year.
_Nigeria is in Group B of the World Cup qualifiers alongside Tunisia, Kenya and Mozambique.
Amodu is expected to join the Super Eagles in Bogota on November 16 for the friendly match against Colombia three days later.
The other members of the technical crew are expected to arrive in the Colombian capital on November 15.
