Ogu: Eagles need more friendlies

Nigeria and Hapoel Be’er Sheva of Israel midfielder, John Ogu, has pleaded with the Nigeria Football Federation to organise more tune-up games for the Super Eagles in the coming months in order to aid the rebuilding process under national team Coach, Sunday Oliseh.
The Super Eagles in a friendly piped Niger by a lone goal on Tuesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
This is coming three days after playing out a goalless draw against Tanzania in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations Group G qualifier in Dar es Salaam, in what was Oliseh’s second game in charge of the national team.
Nigeria’s next official game comes up in November.
It is a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the winner of the two-legged encounter between Djibouti and Swaziland.
But before then, there is a FIFA-approved match day period between October 5 and 13, and Ogu believes the NFF is already looking into the possibility of getting one or more friendly matches for the Super Eagles in the month of October.
“I was happy to see the team playing on Tuesday, but I never expected anything less from the NFF,” Ogu said.
“They (NFF) have been very proactive since they got in there and I am sure they are already looking at arranging a game or two in October because we need those games for the players to understand what the coach expects.”
Last Saturday’s goalless draw against the Tanzanians in Dar es Salaam left the Super Eagles in second spot in Group G on four points, two points behind leaders, Egypt, who thrashed Chad 5-1 in N’Djamena on Sunday.
But with four matches to go in the 2017 AFCON qualifiers, Ogu believes the Super Eagles still have a very good chance of finishing ahead of Egypt in Group G.
He said: “Our chances are very promising. With four points up and a few more games to play, we have a very realistic possibility of breaking out as the top team in our group.
“I am a very optimistic person and I believe that we can try our absolute best to achieve that. We have a strong and willing team of players and also a new and very tactical coach. With the right harmony that is soon to be established, the team is ready to make it happen. With more work and a bit of grace, we can achieve that.”