Deportivo La Coruna star, Francis Uzoho is one of the goalkeepers in the Super Eagles’ set up.
Former Super Eagles Goalkeeper, Joseph Dosu has appealed to Nigerians to stop attacking the country’s current shot stoppers, saying such harsh criticism could dampen the morale of the stars even before the World Cup kicks off in Russia.
Following Super Eagles’ recent friendly matches, especially the 0-2 loss to Serbia last week, many football followers have been clamouring for the return of former captain, Vincent Enyeama to the fold to save the country from embarrassment at the World Cup.
Speaking to The Guardian yesterday at the inaugural edition of the LEG Challenge Cup Soccer Tournament holding at the Main Bowl of the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, where his team, Westerlo FC, is also involved, Dosu said help the coaches to build the confidence of the three goalkeepers in camp. He believes that since they are the best materials available to the country, condemning them would only help in putting them under undue pressure, which could work against the team in Russia.
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“Some years back when Peter Rufai was leaving the scene, people said we did not have a goalkeeper, but Ike Shorunmu came in and did very well. And when Shorunmu too was leaving in 2002, Vincent Enyeama came in and also did the same thing and he was in goal for the nation for almost 14 years. He was even adjudged as one of the best in Africa.
“And when Enyeama left, the same question still came up, but Carl Ikeme then came on board and became the nation’s number one goalkeeper. But unfortunately, he could not go on because of what happened to him,” he said.
The 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medalist added, “Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who took the advantage of Ikeme’s absence, however, helped qualify the nation for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
“I have the belief that whoever that is picked among these three goalkeepers in Daniel Akpeyi, Ezenwa and the new boy from Spanish club, Deportivo de La Coruña, Francis Uzuho, will do well and make the nation proud,” he said.
He urged Super Eagles’ fans and journalists to put their sentiments aside and support the team to success in Russia.
“We cannot continue to criticize them because we are inadvertently killing them psychologically.
“These guys also read the dailies and it might put them into unnecessary pressure and eventually bring their morale down. My advice is for us to keep praising them and see how far they will go,” he stated.
Source: G Sport
