New Telegraph

Rohr’s Eagles must lift AFCON title in Cameroon

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon was shifted twice due to weather concerns and COVID-19. In addition, the draw, originally set for June, was also delayed by the pandemic. Eventually, the draw ceremony took place in Yaoundé last week and after evaluating it, one has to concede that it was a fair draw for the top teams. But as usual, we cannot rule out the element of surprise in a competition of this magnitude.

The Super Eagles will file out for their opening game against the Pharaohs of Egypt, the most decorated team in the tournament. Sudan and Guinea Bissau are the other teams in the group but no doubt the result of the first game will be very vital to Nigeria. Let us warn that the two other teams largely regarded as tournament outsiders are capable of creating upsets against the Eagles in Group D, just as there are some ‘lowlyranked’ teams in other groups that could upset tournament favourites. At the 2019 Nations Cup, Madagascar defeated Nigeria 2-0. Nobody saw that coming, so we expect Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr, to beware of Sudan and Guinea Bissau.

Sudan as a former AFCON winner, deserve some respect and they could prove to be spoilers, especially if underestimated. Rohr admitted the draw was tricky and the need to avoid a defeat in the encounter against Egypt was paramount. We agree with him but the onus is on him to make the right decisions.

The coach must come up with the right selection for his final squad for the competition, and he must equally adopt a good tactical formation in each of the games. Based on the players’ current form, Nigeria should go to Cameroon full of confidence in their ability to win the trophy. But how the coach deploys these players determines the results after 90 minutes while the substitutions to be made during each game are equally as important as the starting line-up. Rohr is yet to convince many that he is actually the right man for the job, because of the way his Eagles crumble when it matters most.

The forthcoming event is another big test of his tactical competence. Consequently, the team’s anticipated tune-up games must be against sides that play the same pattern with Egypt or any of the other two group teams – preferably African countries. The World Cup qualifiers coming up in September will also serve as a good prelude to the 2021 AFCON showpiece. The era of experimentation should be over as there is a need for better teamwork and cohesion in the Eagles. A former international, Nduka Ugbade, was apt in his reaction to the draw. He said Nigerians should not be talking about the Eagles qualifying from Group D but should be aspiring to the title.

We share his vision and optimism because the country is blessed with players good enough to deliver the prestigious continental title if all necessary things are done both technically by the coach and administratively by his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Eagles are a good global brand but efforts must be made to make these players get the expected results for the country at continental and global levels if the right steps are taken to prepare and motivate the players. The Africa Cup of Nations is the number one football competition on the continent. Every country strives to make an impact in the tournament, but the overall bragging rights are about winning the trophy. Egypt are the most decorated team on the continent with seven trophies in the cabinet of the Pharaohs. Cameroon have won five times, hoping to make it six while Ghana have won the coveted trophy four times. At the draw ceremony last week, Cup holders Algeria were drawn to play against Cote d’Ivoire in the group stage of the delayed 2021 AFCON billed for January.

Algeria were drawn in Group E where they will also face Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea. The tournament, which features 24 teams, runs from January 9 to February 6 with winners and runners-up in each of the six groups moving to the next stage, plus the best four third-placed teams. The other tournament debutants, Gambia, will play in Group F alongside Tunisia, Mali and Mauritania. Nigeria – three-time winners of the competition – have a tough test in Group D where they will face Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau while Sadio Mane’s Senegal, who suffered the heartbreak of losing the 2019 final to Algeria, will take on Zimbabwe, Guinea and Malawi in Group B. Hosts Cameroon are in Group A with Ethiopia, Cape Verde and Burkina Faso, who they will face in the opening match in Yaoundé.

Two stadiums in Yaoundé plus newly-built/refurbished venues in Bafoussam, Douala, Garoua and Limbe will be used for the tournament. At this stage, we expect a proper monitoring of these players and the scouts should get the recent tapes of all the teams in Group D for a good evaluation of their strengths and weaknesses. A lot of effort goes into the preparations of a team for a big tournament such that there should be alternate plans and options for the team when things are tough during a game.

Read Previous

NASFAT launches N500m appeal fund for school project in Kwara

Read Next

The defender cannot defend himself

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *