Former Nigeria international, Duke Udi has implored Super Eagles Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr to second players who fall within the age bracket to Dream Team VII so as to help the Imama Amakpakabo-tutored side beat Libya on Monday.
It will be recalled that Nigeria’s U23 side lost 0-2 to Libya in the first leg of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier played last Wednesday in Tunisia.
Udi, former Sunshine Stars coach reckons the U23 Eagles can bounce back if effectively strengthened with young stars from the main Eagles squad.
“I feel Gernot Rohr can help the U23 team by sending players like Alex Iwobi, Francis Uzoho, Wilfred Ndidi and others who fall within the age bracket to the side.
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“I know such a move will make the Dream Team VII unstoppable. These players have the quality to easily turn the tide in Nigeria’s favour,” Udi told brila.net.
Interestingly, critics in some quarters are also pointing fingers at Amapakabo for relying basically on foreign-based players, to the detriment of several talents in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).
However, Udi still feels the Dream Team require more foreign-based pros.
“I will not criticise Amapakabo or his assistants (Kenedy Boboye and Fidelis Ilechukwu). He is a sound coach, he is also the assistant of Rohr.
“What he needs right now is assistance which I think the Franco-German tactician can easily provide. Give the U23’s these few pros and they will beat the Libyans convincingly!”
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A victory by three unreplied goals on Monday would pave Nigeria’s way to the final round of the AFCON qualifiers which is due in June.
The final tournament in Egypt will determine the three teams that will represent Africa at the 2020 Olympics.
Nigeria is the only African country to have won gold, silver and bronze medals of the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament. Gold was the harvest at the Centennial Games in Atlanta, USA and silver came in Beijing, China in 2008.
The bronze medal won by the Olympic Eagles at the Games in Brazil in 2016 was the only medal won by the entire Team Nigeria at the fiesta.