AFCON 2023: Akanni tasks Eagles handlers on selection of quality players

Ex-International, Waidi Akanni, has urged Super Eagles technical team to ensure they identify and select only efficient players that can deliver at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The tournament is scheduled to hold in Ivory Coast from Jan. 13 to Feb. 11, 2024.

Supreme News reports that Nigeria qualified for the tournament with one game to spare after defeating Sierra-Leone 3-2 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, Liberia on June 18.

Guinea Bissau and Sao Tome and Principe were the other teams with Nigeria and Sierra-Leone in Group A.

Akanni said in an interview in Lagos on Wednesday that selection of players was vital to the execution of the competition and as such must be based on merit.

“The Head Coach Jose Peseiro and the technical committee should work together in identifying quality players for selection; it is of advantage if we have quality selection on the bench.

“The team needs to find more playmakers, the last game showed the lack of quality passes to attackers and more importantly, depth in the back line is also missing.

“All these should be addressed,” he said.

Akanni, a former defender urged the technical crew to focus on building a team, rather than focusing on individuals.