29th October, 2012
Chief Coach of Inne Queens, Kenneth Aigbe has charged the Super Falcons to win the ongoing 8th edition of the African Women Championship, AWC in Equatorial Guinea for retiring member of the team, Perpetua Nkwocha.
Nkwocha is expected to retire from international football at the end of the AWC and Aigbe believes retaining the trophy would serve as a befitting retirement gift for the most decorated African female footballer of all time.
According to the female football coach: “Nkwocha’s teammates are expected to go all out to ensure that she retires from international football on a high and how best would that be if they win the trophy for her”.
The three time African Female Footballer of the year in 2004; 2005 and 2010 has set a 15-goal target for herself and Aigbe is of the view that the target is achievable.
“The 15 goal target is not insurmountable but all she needs is to get the supplies from the midfield, if the midfielders can provide her with good passes I don’t think she would experience any hitch in even scoring more than her set target”.
On the obstacles that the team would encounter in their quest to retain the trophy won two years ago in South Africa, Aigbe said it is necessary for the Falcons to play against the best teams adding that it is after this that they can be crowned eventual champions.
He further advised the team to approach each game as they come and not to underrate any of their opponents because if they do it would be at their own peril.
Commenting on the ability of Coach Kadiri Ikhana to help Nigeria retain the trophy with the AWC being his first test with female football, Aigbe opined that football is the same, and that there is no need for Nigerians to entertain any fears in the ability of the one-time African Coach of the Year award winner.
—ADEBOBOLA ALAWODE