BEACH SOCCER: LACK OF PROPER PREPARATION AFFECTED US – SAND EAGLES COACH

By Oluwole Francis

 

Super Sand Eagles’ coach, Audu Adamu (Ejo) has blamed the team’s inability to go beyond the group stage at FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Paraguay on late preparations and poor motivation from the Nigeria Football Federation NFF.

Speaking in the wake of Tuesday’s 12-2 mauling by title favourites Brazil, which followed a 10-1 loss to Portugal and 6-5 defeat by Oman, Ejo NFF said the team did not enjoy enough support and motivation before the commencement of the competition.

Mauricinho and Lucao put Brazil ahead before Egan-Osi Ekujumi gave the Eagles a glimmer of hope with his tidy finish, but Rodrigo added a third with a driven left-footed finish into the far corner, after which Nigeria’s Captain Azeez Abu carved out a one-on-one chance and finished confidently past Mao.

However, Lucao got his second on the night with a precise volley, and Brazil pulled away in the third period, as Rodrigo completed his hat-trick, highlighted by an impressive bicycle kick, while Bokinha scored a brace and Rafinha, Bruno Xavier, Catarino and Filipe all got on the scoresheet.

He also said that his team were unable to make their mark at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup this year simply because they lack the same level of exposure their opponents in other teams get regularly, especially as Nigeria does not have a specialized domestic league for the event.

The embattled gaffer add that, for Nigeria to make an appreciable impact in future editions of the Beach Soccer World Cup and even the African championship, the NFF must embark upon a process for the introduction of an annual league in the country adding that the countries that do well in the sport have beach soccer domestic leagues, from which specialized players are selected for international competitions, which is the reverse situation at present in Nigeria.

He however shower praises on his players for holding their own to the best of their abilities and giving each match spirited efforts, only that their best was not good enough, but he posited with a view that they will get better results in subsequent outings, globally and continentally, if they get better support from the NFF.

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