The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has said that Nigerians should not be worried by the smooth run of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroun at the on-going Gabon 2017 AFCON.
The Lions and Super Eagles of Nigeria have scores to settle in August this year when hostilities resume for the Russia 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
The Camerounians, who will face the Black Stars of Ghana in the AFCON semifinal tomorrow, will be in Uyo to face the Super Eagles in August with the reverse fixture four days later at the hill top Stadium in Limbe, Cameroun. Nigeria currently leads the World Cup qualifying group with six points against Cameroon’s two.
Speaking with The Guardian yesterday, chairman Technical Committee of NFF, Chris Green said the Lions may be having it all smooth in the AFCON, but they will fall in the two-legged World Cup qualifier against the Eagles.
“This Camerounian team is not doing anything special in Gabon. I agree that the Super Eagles and Lions of Cameroun are perennial rivals, but we want to use this journey to Russia 2018 World Cup to prove a point that we are now ahead of them. The atmosphere in Gabon and the teams they have played so far will be different from the World Cup qualifiers.
“We have our plans, and our decision to allow the Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr, to travel to Gabon to watch the matches will be an added advantage to us. He now has first hand information about the Lions.
“I am not saying that Cameroun is a push over, but I am assuring Nigerians that they won’t prevent the Eagles from flying to Russia. What the result of Cameroun’s smooth run in Gabon means to us is for the NFF to go the extra mile in preparing the Super Eagles for the challenges ahead. But as I said, there is nothing special about this Camerounian team,” Green stated.
