2010 W/Cup Qualifiers ’ll Be Tough - Nwaneri

10.05.2008

Obinna Nwaneri (right) tackles a Ghanaian
player at the last Africa Nations Cup held
in Ghana.FC Sion of Switzerland defender, Obinna Nwaneri, has revealed that he is excited with his recent appointment as captain of the club, and admitted that a lot of fresh challenges come along with it.

Nwaneri declared on Wednesday morning in a live interview on Brila FM that being captain of the club is a big responsibility, but recalls having initial experience as skipper while still playing with Enyimba International of Aba.

“It is not easy to be appointed as captain of the team, it is a big responsibility. They know that I can handle it, because I did it before when I was with Enyimba.

”That is why they gave me the responsibility to handle the team. It is an honour to me to captain a team here in Switzerland; and I thank God that I am coping with it,” Nwaneri stated.

He, however, noted that Sion is currently not doing well in the Swiss top flight, putting them in seventh position on the league table, which he says is a sharp drop in comparison to last season, when they finished third on the log.

“We didn’t perform too well this season, which is why they changed the captain and the coaches, they changed everything.

“We didn’t perform very well like last year, when we finished third. This time around, it means we have no UEFA Cup ticket. All the same, we didn’t perform too badly,” he said.

Nwaneri talked on his aspirations to play in one of the big clubs in the world, saying he already had some offers from various clubs coming his way and hopes to move by June or July.

“In fact, I have some offers from different clubs, so I hope I’ ll move by June and July. I cannot disclose the details yet until it is fully sorted out.

“Like I always do, I like to keep everything secret until the deal is done so that nobody can know what is happening.

“It is not good to be broadcasting, so that if the deal does not come through people don’t start asking why. I will like it when the deal is done, and everybody will know,” he expatiated.

Obinna also talked on the Eagles’ chances for the Nations and World Cup qualifiers, saying he is looking forward to working with the new coach, Shaibu Amodu.

“I am looking forward to serving with the new coach. It is good we have a Nigerian as the coach because I always say we can do it.

“We have good coaches in Nigeria that can do it, but we just need to give them the opportunity and the necessary support they need. They can do it and I am looking forward to working with the new coach,” the former Esperance of Tunisia defender declared.

He also bared his mind on the issue of foreign coaches saying it is always better to work with indigenous coaches because they know the players better and the style of play.

“It is not that I don’t believe in foreign coaches, but it is good to have a coach that knows the players very well and knows what the players can do at any given time.

“We need a coach who knows the system of our playing, that we Nigerians have our own style of play. It is better to have somebody that knows how we play and who can understand the players,” Nwaneri noted.

He tried to allay the fears of Nigerians considering the Eagles’ chances in the 2010 qualifiers following the poor performance in the last African Cup of Nations in Ghana.

“It is going to be tough in a way, because no team is a push over now. I just hope we qualify. I believe we will qualify,” Nwaneri enthused.

On allegations that players do not play for the Eagles with the same passion they give their various clubs, Nwaneri said it was true, but blamed it on football administrators’ attitude towards players’ welfare.

“It is true, I quite agree with that, most of us don’t play with commitment and it is the problem of the old management as when you play for your country and get injured and they will just leave you like that.

“Most of the players have had that experience and we don’t want to get any kind of injury because you don’t want to leave your club as the club will forget you also.

“But I think the new management is doing a good job, they have been trying to work out things and it is now up to the players to change their mentality and play with commitment.”

He, nonetheless, finished off by assuring Nigerians that the Eagles would give their best in the 2010 Cup qualifiers.

“Nigerians should believe in us that we can deliver no matter what happened in the past,” Nwaneri projected.