We’ve Intensified Training On Penalties, Says Eguavoen

In this interview with Jonny Edward’s of The Punch, Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen, says his team will work more on penalties during training sessions ahead of their round of 16 match on Sunday. He also spoke on his team’s performance so far at the continental showpiece.

You equaled your record at the 2006 African Cup of Nations, where you won all your group games as coach of the Eagles. How far do you think these Eagles can go in Cameroon?

I’m delighted at the feat no doubt because it has given us more confidence going into the round of 16. But we have to be wary of our next opponents because teams step their game up when they want to face Nigeria. We will play the next games with all seriousness and commitment. I believe we are still a work in progress. The tournament is just starting for us and we hope to keep a profile that works for us. When we play, we do it to our strength. It’s the knockout stage, we will try to win again as we move closer to our target in Cameroon, otherwise, we go back home, which will be a big disappointment for us all considering the hard work in the short space of time, enthusiasm and rededication to the team’s success.

You made eight changes in the 2-0 win over against Guinea-Bissau and the team lost its shape a bit despite the victory. What is your impression about the players who came in, particularly striker Sadiq Umar?

Like I said earlier, every player in this squad for this tournament is here to play and they all deserve their chance. We needed to win and they got it with a clean sheet. The harmony in the team is key for me. We struggled at the start of the game but later on took control towards the end of the first half. It was expected, considering the void they were expected to fill. It was a collective effort because all the players put in their best for the result. Tyronne Ebuehi and Jamilu Collins came in for Ola Aina and Zaidu Sanusi respectively and they did well doing their primary job, which is to defend, and joined the attack when it was needed. Kelechi Nwakali is adjusting to playing alongside Wilfred Ndidi, which is good for the team to have options. For Umar, I’m pleased with his performance and the fact that he is adapting but he must understand that this is African football. Umar was nervous in the first two games he came on as a substitute, but we gave him the confidence to do better to start the game and he scored a goal.

But you replaced him immediately he scored…

Yes, I did but it was a tactical switch because we needed more pressure on their defence at that time.

We decided to start him against Guinea-Bissau to see how he will react from not coming from the bench and I must confess he did a good job on the pitch. There is always room for improvement. I believe he will get better with more games.

What are your thoughts ahead of the knockout stage?

To be a champion you need to play any team that comes your way. I would have loved to choose a team to play but we don’t have that luxury, so whichever team that comes our way, we will take it, prepare well for it and try to win the game. We all know what football is all about and how passionate Nigerians can be. Trust me, the Eagles will not disappoint. They should have faith in the team ahead of the next game, we will play to our full strength. Every game has a different approach, so we won’t drop our guards on Sunday. We are going to use the same strength and we are going to train more on penalties.

The Eagles seem to have settled in well in Garoua following their three group wins. Have the players acclimatised to the harsh weather here?

I think so, but you know it was difficult at the start and that’s why our substitutes must be ready to feel in the void when the team needs them. We have been enjoying a lot of support and prayers from Nigerians and we want it to continue to make them happy.

There have been talks of you staying on as coach of the team despite the recent appointment of Jose Peseiro…

(Cuts in) Let’s leave the Nigeria Football Federation to decide that. I have a job to do here, which is to lead the team to a successful outing in Cameroon.

How were you able to manage to turn this team around before coming for the AFCON?

Nobody gave this team a chance before the Nations Cup, but we have proved doubters wrong with the way we have played here. We will keep doing the talking on the pitch irrespective of what people have said or are still saying. The group stage is now behind us and we look forward to the knockout round, which is very important. This is not the time to rest, but the time to work very hard. We hope things will keep going in our favour.

The Eagles scored six goals and conceded one after three games but there are still worries over your team’s goals conversion rate. Are you worried about this too?

Of course, I am, but we are working on that to ensure that we take those chances that come our way. Most games don’t go as smoothly as we expect them to be. We are working hard in that aspect and we hope to see improvements as we proceed in the tournament.