Former Barcelona star, Emmanuel Amuneke, believes Nigeria have enough quality players in their ranks to win the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Amuneke, a former Tanzania handler, pointed out that Victor Osimhen, Kelechi Iheanacho and Samuel Chukwueze have what it takes to lead the Super Eagles to glory at Cameroon 2021.
“We have the players, there is no doubt about it and the good thing is that most of those players who came from the youth level to the senior level are doing very well in their respective clubs,” Amuneke who coached the Golden Eaglets to win the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup said.
“As I said, club football is different from national football. In national football, you don’t have enough time like club level to prepare these players but it all depends on where you’re coming on board as a coach.
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“We have to believe in our players, players in question they need to believe in themselves, they need to tell themselves they want to win the AFCON.
“The coach wants to win the AFCON, no coach goes to any tournament and doesn’t want to win it, everybody wants to win the tournament even the least team that comes to the AFCON want to win but it all depends on the preparations of the team, the readiness of the team from individual point of view.”
The 1994 AFCON winner however, indicated that only injury worry can affect the Super Eagles from showing class at AFCON 2021.
“My prayer is that our key players (are fit), we have seen Osimhen unfortunately, the injury and I am reading some other player Paul Onuachu sustained an injury but we just pray that our key players will be in a good shape.
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“When you have all your key players that will afford you the possibility to be in a position to compete,” the Atlanta ’96 Olympics gold medalist said.
Three-time African champions, Nigeria The Pharaohs of Egypt on January 11 in the group opener, Sudan on January 15 and Guinea-Bissau on January 19.