Coach Stephen Keshi managed Super Eagles needs a playmaker to over run some of the Eagles in South Africa, AFCON, if Nigerians expect good result from the Keshi tutored lads.
In the days of J.J. Okocha, the Super Eagles won some of her matches through the effective prowess of J.J. Okocha’s creative ability to attract two to three players on him, while mesmerizing opponents with his dribbling skills to achieve this result.
J.J. Okocha was a darling in the deep midfield as he combined skills, experience, shot and fair play to blend with other players like Amunike in the left out wing and Finidi George in right out wing. Mikel Obi, the player supposedly taken over from J.J. Okocha could not reenact the Okocha magic in the Eagles striking force yet.
As the team goes to South Africa, it needs more than a midfielder to create goal scoring opportunities for the Super Eagles attackers but could not effect scoring. The midfield is believed to be the engine room of both the attack and the defence.
The moment the midfield collapses, the entire defence line is in serious disarray. This will mean the Eagles playing under pressure that will definitely disorganize the plan of Keshi for that match.
For now, Mikel Obi seems to be the only experienced player Nigeria could parade in the midfield at the Nations Cup. But does Mikel Obi have the desired ability to attract two or more players to himself in case the Eagles are playing a fast swinging team on a bad day?
The Eagles might be asking for trouble, peradventure they meet a swing fast playing opponent at South Africa Nations Cup. Time alone will tell. ###
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