January 7, 2015
Super Eagles stand-in coach Daniel Amokachi has said only five players in his squad of 24 are fit and ready as they prepare for test matches against Sudan and AFCON-bound Cote d’Ivoire.
The Eagles will depart for Abu Dhabi on Thursday where they will take on Cote d’Ivoire on January 12.
They will also tackle Sudan on January 16 in Dubai.
Amokachi made his startling revelation to AfricanFootball.com moments after he saw his team of players from the domestic league come from 2-1 down to beat NYSC FC 5-2 in their first warm-up match on Monday.
“I cannot pick the 19 players when everybody came off season. Even we the coaches came from off season. But we just have to keep working but definitely there are five or six players who have shown that they would make the team but everybody else are on the thin line between going and not going for the two games,” he declared.
“When you have two games to play and you are preparing for ten days name doesn’t count, it’s the player who is fitter who makes the team because you need results.”
He added: “This is a team who have been on off-season. For players you can see them, some of them are still over weight but for the little time that we have been here we are trying our best.
“You cannot be playing football in this level and conceding two goals in the first 10 minutes. When you do that against a tough opposition, you would find it difficult in coming back.”
Source: Vanguard NG