Amodu warns Eagles

June 16, 2014

Former Super Eagles coach, Shuaibu Amodu

Former Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu has warned the Super Eagles they must not leave their defence exposed to counter-attacks in Monday’s Brazil 2014 World Cup Group F game against Iran in Curitiba.

The former BBC Lions coach believes today’s match will determine the Eagles’ fate in the tournament.

“Many teams now know that we are an attacking team, so they lie in wait for us to come at them,” Amodu was quoted as saying in a statement by spokesman for the Nigeria Football Federation Ademola Olajire on Sunday.

“And teams who have fast midfielders and forwards come at us hard on the counter when we lose the ball.

“I think that, sometimes, we should also lie in wait for other teams and then try to win the ball and shock them with fast runs. We have fast forwards like Ahmed Musa and Victor Moses who can make this work.”

He added, “The match against Iran is very important. Not only is it our first match, which will give a good idea of our readiness to do well in the tournament, it will also present us the opportunity to quickly pocket three points and look to add to that in our second match against Bosnia.

“I have not had the opportunity of being very close to the team recently but I know Stephen Keshi has been working very hard and he knows the boys very well and knows the combination that will give him victory. I am optimistic.”