2013 Africa Cup of Nations winner with Nigeria, Ogenyi Onazi, is backing the Super Eagles to go ahead and beat Gabon in their World Cup play-offs semi-final clash despite the recent strike action due to unpaid bonuses, Footynaija.com reports.
Nigeria’s preparation for the must-win clash suffered a huge setback after players and officials of the national team went on strike, demanding the settlement of outstanding bonuses before stepping onto the pitch against Gabon.
The timing of the strike action, which saw players boycott training on Tuesday, understandably raised concerns about the repercussions a lack of proper preparation could have on the upcoming game but Onazi is confident the Super Eagles will come out on top.
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“No one is happy how things are at the moment, but it will not stop the players from qualifying, in my opinion. I do not want to go into the issue because I believe the team and the NFF are currently talking,” he told Footy-Africa.
“However, with the zeal I saw in the last game and my discussion with some of the team members, they still have that same passion. For a lot, going to the World Cup is still a priority despite the issues at hand.
“For the game proper, the players are fired up and ready, which gives me a lot of confidence that they will not only beat Gabon, they will go ahead to qualify for the final qualifying competition. I believe they will do.”
The Super Eagles returned to training on Wednesday after a series of negotiations with president of the Nigeria Football Federation Ibrahim Gusau.
With the bonus crises behind them for now, Eric Chelle’s men must now focus on dispatching Gabon, who they lock horns with at the Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan Sports Complex later today.
