World Cup: Fans rate Supers Eagles’ strikers average

Lagos – Football fans in Lagos on Saturday rated the strikers of the Super Eagles selected for the World Cup in Brazil as an average lot.

In separate interviews in Lagos they said that they did not expect the strikers to score a lot of goals at the

World Cup.
The strikers are Osaze Odemwinge, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Babatunde Michael, Ahmed Musa, Obinna Nsofor, Shola Ameobi and Nnamdi Odumadi.

Dan Ikpoyi, a photo journalist, said that he did not expect the strikers to be so proficient in scoring goals because the likes of Ike Uche and Brown Ideye are absent.

“I do not expect a lot of efficiency since we did not go with Ike Uche that has a fighting spirit and Brown Ideye that likes to play behind a main striker for rebounds.

“But again, we cannot rule out the possibilities of a Victor Moses that will work both on the flanks and be in the box for any possible rebounds.
“There is the likelihood that there would be a lot of stress on Emenike,” he said.

A teacher, Collins Ifeaynichukwu, told NAN that he expected 35 per cent effectiveness from the strikers.
“We have an injured Musa in the first eleven, perhaps an Ameobi who was able to score one goal for Newcastle after one and a half season.

“Our most dependable Moses is match-rusty because he has not been playing regularly at Liverpool while Emenike is still an ordinary level striker.
“John Obi Mikel who is expected to initiate our attack from the midfield is more or less a defensive midfielder who is gifted in passing the ball backwards.

“So, tell me how you expect the attack to be proficient, it is only sheer luck that can makes us to scale through,” he said.
Another football fan and a banker, Chiedu Chiadika, said that he did not believe that the Eagles’ strikers would score many goals at the World Cup.

“I do not consider them as strikers talkless of them being a striking force.
“So, I am not expecting them to perform at the World Cup,” Chiadika said.

Nathaniel Adakpo, a consultant, said that most of the strikers did not have regular playing time at their clubs and so he did not see how they would be efficient in Brazil.

A cricketer, Charles Chinedu, said that he expected the forward players would have the desire to prove themselves and would want to be as efficient as possible.

“I believe that they will want to be at their best because it will be a means of selling themselves to the world,” he said.
An undergraduate, Tochi Isichei, said that with the presence of Odemwinge, Emenike and Moses, he expected 75 per cent of goal scoring chances to be utilised by the national team.

For businessman Ndubuisi Obidiegwu, he expects 55 per cent efficiency from the strikers.

The World Cup is scheduled to start on June 12 with Nigeria in Group F alongside Bosnia-Herzgovina, Argentina and Iran. (NAN)