Albert Andinam, Chairman, Cross River Chapter, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), on Monday said the Super Eagles needed a ball winner in the midfield to make the team stronger.
Andiman, who spoke against the backdrop of the Super Eagles 1-1 draw with the Selecaos of Brazil on Sunday in Singapore, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that the team played well.
He added that the team still needed someone who could keep control of the ball, and to also provide additional support for the defense and attack to make the team more organised.
The SWAN chairman, who described the friendly match as a high profile encounter, told NAN that Coach Gernot Rohr had also used the match to impart his style on the new boys in the team.
According to him, credit must be given to Rohr for combing all the nooks and cranny of the globe to get talented and previously unknown Nigerian players willing to don the Green, White and Green jersey of Nigeria.
“The midfield is the engine room of any team, it is like the nucleus of a cell, it coordinates the defence and the attack.
“The Super Eagles still need someone who can get hold of the ball, look up and know what to do with it viz-a-viz the position of his attackers and equally absorb counter attacks from the opponents.
“Nigeria paraded a very talented and determined team and what we saw in the match against Brazil proved that our players can rise to the occasion.
“Even though I think our attack was not persistent enough because we were repelled at some point, I am quite impressed with the team and players like Joe Aribo and Victor Osihmen,’’ he said. (NAN)
