YAYA TOURE SHOCKS OVER SUPER EAGLES PERFORMANCE

Reigning African Footballer of The Year, Yaya
Toure, who captained the Elephants of Cote
D’Ivoire has said he was shocked at the display
of the Super Eagles made up of entirely Nigerian
league players against his star studded
teammates last Sunday night in Abu Dhabi.
Speaking to the media and later to Coach Dan
Amokachi, Toure said at a point he believed that
his mates were deceived to believing that Nigeria
was going to parade a wholly home based side
but was convinced that it was not the case.
Amokachi had to tell him that apart from Steve
Ukoh, who plays in Switzerland and had his first
cap for the Eagles all the other players are from
the Nigerian Premier League.
Toure added, “At a point I had to tell my
teammates to slow down the pace of the game
and when we scored we could not wait for the
final whistle, because the boys were all over us.
They must be commended for their confident
display” he declared.
All the way from Germany, Eagles defender Leon
Balogun, has also said kudos to the Eagles for a
good display against the Ivorians. “My heart and
soul has always been with the team and hopefully
I will rejoin the team to recreate those beautiful
moments that we had when I first played with
them”, he said. Balogun presently plies his trade
with German second division side, SV Darmstadt
98.
Also speaking on the match, NFF Technical
Committee Chairman, Chief Felix Anyansi Agwu,
General Secretary, Musa Amadu and HOD
Technical Department, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme
commended the grit with which players of the
Super Eagles approached the game after staying
together for only nine days before the match.
Anyansi said it was a fantastic advertisement for
the Nigerian league, noting that with more time
the team will go places and probably be
champions of the forthcoming CHAN tournament.
Amadu on his part, said he believed that despite
observable lapses, the team was simply in a class
of its own, especially against the fact that they
were playing against a much more experienced
side. Ikpeme on his part said “I am impressed,
very impressed, the players must keep it up and
improve on what we have seen today”.
Others who showered praises on the team are
Executive Committee members of the NFF, Inua
Rabiu Sheriff and Hussein Modibbo, who were
both in Abu Dhabi to cheer the team.