Super Eagles have appealed to Nigerians to constructively criticize the team members in future matches, urging fans to consider the mental health of the players.
The captain of the Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa, appealed on Tuesday, February 13, while speaking to journalists at the State House, Abuja, where the entire national team was honoured by President Bola Tinubu, for their performance at the just concluded CAF’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
Musa, who regretted the inability of the team to win the cup at the final, however, assured Nigerians that the Super Eagles would be better prepared for the World Cup qualifiers.
He, however, explained that the team was able to achieve as much as it did at the tournament because of the solidarity of the team and the huge support from Nigerians
He said: “We know that we are very disappointed with the result, but there’s nothing we can do about this. That’s what happens in football. So now we have to go back and work ahead for the next AFCON, and we have a couple more games for the World Cup qualifiers, so that is more important.
“We appreciate all Nigerians for the massive support that they gave to us. It’s not that easy. We know everyone wants the cup but that is what Allah decided was going to happen. Yeah, for our colleagues.”
Speaking on the cyberbullying against the Super Eagles midfield player, Alex Iwobi, the Eagles captain said that the internet trolls were not fair to the player and that he did not deserve the internet bullying.
“I don’t think he deserves what he is getting now because I think we have done our nation proud. So we think everyone has to be proud of every one of us. But we saw on social media, that if you want to attack this, just attack the team, not individual players.”
Also reacting to the bullying against Iwobi, Serie A side Napoli and the Nigeria national team star, Victor Osimhen condemned the actions of the trolls, saying that they should have considered the mental health of the player.
He said: “I think, to be fair, what they have done to Alex is out of this world and is not good. They should also look at his mental health, because some of us can take this to heart and then keep on grinding.
“There are some of us that he still gets to go ahead with, and they will lose focus, and we will lose form. So I think we are rallying around him, we have spoken to him individually and collectively. So I think he’s a strong dude and is ready to continue to give his all for his nation.”
Speaking on the Super Eagles’ readiness for World Cup qualifiers, Osimhen said the goal of the Super Eagles is to secure the World Cup ticket, expressing confidence that Nigeria has the team and the best squad to achieve the target.
“We are ready. I think we just finished a tournament that is one of the hardest we have played in since I started my career. Now we have to go back to our clubs to keep up the good work, and hopefully, we get called up by our national team and give our all too. But of course, the goal is to get a ticket to the World Cup, and I think we have the team and the squad to achieve this,” he said.
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ibrahim Gusua, has said the Federation would explore the FIFA window to provide the opportunity for qualifiers for the Super Eagles in June.
He further pledged the support of the NFF to the Super Eagles coach, hinting that the NFF will
“Ahead of the World Cup qualifiers, and the next qualifier for the World Cup in June, we have a FIFA window where we are trying to organize high-quality matches for the team for them to prepare for the match in June.
“We will give the coach all the necessary support needed for us to ensure that our team is fit in the next round of qualifiers to ensure the team stays fit for the matches ahead.
“This is a great day for all of us. You can see how the President received the team, and we are highly elated to say that we have been honoured with MON, To our entire team, including me and my general secretary, that is a great thing that has happened to this country.
“That shows that Nigeria is really happy, especially the president. We thank God for the support given to this team, and by the grace of God, we will continue to do our best to ensure that we make Nigerians happy through football,” he said.
