Former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh has warned the coach Stephen Keshi led-side not to treat the game against Ethiopia with levity stressing that against the thinking of many, the East African side has improved tremendously from the last time the Super Eagles handed them a 2-0 defeat at the AFCON 2013.
Oliseh, while x-raying the match, stated that Ethiopia’s head coach, Sewnet Bishaw and his boys had proven to be a more determined side than ever in their effort to make history.
According to Oliseh, it would be the greatest error of the decade Nigeria would make, as we face the final play-off phase to the 2014 FIFA world cup in Brazil if they go easy on the match in Addis Ababa.
“Prior to the draws being made out on Monday 16th of September In Cairo, there were nations I dreaded Nigeria playing against, not because we cannot beat them, but because of the delicacies that these nations carry along with them for the Super Eagles. These nations were Ivory Coast(Revenge factor) Ghana and Cameroon (Past history factor) and Last but not least Ethiopia! Many will ask why Fear Ethiopia, are they not minnows in the hierarchy of African Football; did we not beat them at the just concluded AFCON as we rode to the Title?
Oliseh believes Ethiopia’s Head Coach, Sewnet Bishaw is one of the best coaches in Africa (if not the best) based on what he has been able to achieve with this team and the materials available at his disposal. Very thoughtful in his remarks which even when seeming lose have a well thought objective behind every word. For example : “ It is a good draw for both teams and we will be looking forward to playing Nigeria again after meeting them at AFCON 2013. At that time we were just happy to get back into top level competition and were inexperienced but now we have had many more matches at this level so we will give it a good go against Nigeria.”
He therefore warned that Nigeria should expect surprises from the Ethiopians. “The team in my opinion was at the group stages of the AFCON 2013 the best African Team. They were collective, physical, entreprising and one could see in the team that they had so many prepared schemes that they put up on display at all times and had they had a better striker would have qualified to the next round at the detriment of either Nigeria or Burkina Faso, the two teams who eventually got to the finals.
“To get to this stage they eliminated South Africa quite comfortably and did not lose a game on the pitch, the only game they lost was at the board room due to fielding of an ineligible player. Tactically against South Africa they were quite sound and played like they needed to qualify.”
He revealed that, recently the Ethiopian football got a major sponsorship deal of over 1.3 Million US Dollars with Heinekens, MTN also has come on board to sponsor them not to talk of the huge private financial aid they have from the world’s 43rd richest person, Mohammed Hussein Ali Al Amoudi of Ethiopia
“Nigeria has to take them “Red Light” serious! this is the moment where no stone needs to be left unturned. Scouting in detail of the Ethiopian team is paramount, tactics here will be a deciding factor and the early preparation of travelling logistics will be key.”
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