AFormer Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu, has added his voice to the growing calls for the national team to play its home matches in Lagos. Chukwu told our correspondent that it was imperative for the Eagles to play their home matches at a permanent venue instead of the current arrangement whereby the national team is taken from one state to another.
He said having the Eagles face boisterous Lagos fans could propel them to better performances especially in crucial matches. Although the former Green Eagles captain admitted that logistics could be a challenge especially infrastructures, he urged the Federal Government to urgently refurbish the decaying National Stadium Lagos to ease the problem. “Eagles normally play their matches at a permanent venue and that was Lagos in the past and I am worried that this is no longer the case. I understand we have challenges with the National Stadium in Lagos but if we are serious we can get it back to shape.
“There are a lot of advantages for the team to play in Lagos, the fans will come and they can also help the team win matches. Eagles rarely lose at home when they were playing in Lagos and we can bring all of these memories back,” he said. On the rift between the NFF, national team coach, Stephen Keshi, and captain Vincent Enyeama, Chukwu said the federation should not have allowed the matter degenerate to a crisis. “I think the issue is overhyped.
The NFF has not handled the matter very well and I will advise them to sort this issue out now and allow peace to reign. The time and energy we would have dispensed in investigating the matter should be channeled towards the preparation for the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers. “What is going on can affect the team’s chances and we cannot afford to miss the AFCON ticket this time,” he said
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