Super Eagles’ need surgical operation, declares Elaho

By Ifeanyi Eduzor

As many Nigerians continue to lament the poor form of the Super Eagles in recent times, one time national team player, Friday Elaho has joined the growing  list of ex- internationals calling for the total overhaul of the team.

In an interview with newstap.com.ng Elahor expressed surprise that a team that was rated as the best fifth team in  the world after the 1994 world cup could not make the first top teams in Africa in the latest FIFA ranking  and questioned the criteria for inviting players to the national team.

“It’s quite unfortunate that Nigerian football has gone down considerably. Instead of the game to progress in the country, it’s retrogessing which shows that something is seriously wrong with  the administration of the game.

“More worrisome is the fact that a country rated as the fifth best team in the world immediately after USA 94 World Cup cannot even occupy the first three positions in the continent which is an indication that something is fundamentally wrong with our football

He was also not happy that grass roots development in the game has been neglected with home based players  not given opportunity to be part of the national team while journey men are always employed as foreign technical advisers which he believes does not augur well for the development of the game.

” I’ve said it severally that we must take the issue of grassroots development of the game serious. Most of us were discovered from the grassroots and we did well for the country.

“It’s also absurd that players plying their trade in the Local League are not given chance to be part of the national team while some foreign coaches who are journey men and out of job in their various countries  are engaged  to handle the Super Eagles’ and that accounted for why football minnows like war torn  Central African Republic and Guinea Bissau would come here and beat us”, he lamented

Elaho believes that the only way to correct the anomaly is for a surgical operation of the national team starting from the coaching crew as well as  ensuring  that only players playing regularly for their clubs and who’re willing to give their best to the country are invited to the Super Eagles even as he advocated giving  home based players opportunity to showcase their talents in the Eagles’ as was done in the past.