Eagles need more friendlies – Kaita

Nigeria international, Sani Kaita, has said the Super Eagles need more friendly matches to beat Tanzania in their forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifier and also to get them back to the previous enviable level they were.

Nigeria will play Tanzania in Dar es Salam in September but have been inactive since their last match against Chad in June.

The IfeanyiUbah midfielder said the Nigeria Football Federation should get the team on a couple of friendly matches before and after the match to help the country return to its place in world football.

He said, “Friendly matches are always helpful in building a good team. The match against Tanzania should not be a difficult one for the Eagles but they should endeavour to get more friendlies against big countries before the match.

“The friendly matches will help the players understand one another and also let them master their positions. Being inactive for a while will not be good for a match of that magnitude.

“If they play more friendly matches, that will task the team and bring out the areas which need to be strengthened and as well help the team to recover well.

“After the Tanzania match too, the NFF need to help them with more matches to improve our standing in the ranking and make us a more formidable side in world football as we had been in the recent past. Friendlies against big teams are good.”

Kaita also believes the Golden Eaglets will do well in Chile.

The Eaglets were on Friday drawn in Group A of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. They are drawn against hosts Chile, Croatia and the USA. Their first match will be against USA.

“The draw was a good one for them,” he said.

“Being defending champions, they will be a team to beat but I believe they will do well against their opponents.”