19th December, 2015
Taiwo Adelu
Former Nigerian international, Tijani Babangida has said that home-based Super Eagles preparing for the 4th African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Abuja are not feeling the absence of Chief Coach Sunday Oliseh who is recuperating from a sickness that has put him out of circulation in the last few weeks.
Oliseh called 26 players drawn from the local league to the Super Eagles B Team for the first phase of Nigeria’s preparation ahead of the CHAN which will hold in Rwanda in January, 2016.
But the coach who was to handle the players’ training at the Abuja camp has been told by doctors to have some weeks rest before resuming duty.
The team camped at the Bolton White Apartments, Wuse Zone 7, Abuja since Monday, 14 December.
“I want to assure Nigerians that the players are coping very well in camp. The absence of the Chief Coach has not, in anyway, affected the training and other preparation for CHAN.
“Nothing much is missing. In fact, we are just going about the business in camp as if Oliseh is here with us. On a regular basis, Oliseh himself has been talking with the players. I want to say that we are not missing him at all,” said Babangida, who is Personal Assistant to Oliseh.
One of the goalkeepers in camp, who also Enyimba of Aba keeper, Femi Thomas also corroborated Babangida’s claims, saying that the spirit in Abuja camp was high.
He added that the players are working very hard to make the trip to Rwanda.
“We are here to make Nigeria proud and make our people happy,” he said.
Meanwhile, scribe of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi has said that the preparation of the Eagles B Team will be concluded after the second phase of camping in South Africa.
He disclosed that the NFF has planned some friendly matches for the team in South Africa before they will leave for Rwanda.
Sanusi assured that Coach Oliseh will definitely join the Eagles in South Africa.
Nigeria won the bronze medal at the last African Nations Championship held in South Africa in early 2014. The 4th edition runs between 16 January and 7 February, 2016.