Former Leeds United defender Dylan Kerr has said Nigeria’s Super Eagles impressive performance in the group stage at this year’s AFCON will put them under pressure heading into the knockout rounds.
The Super Eagles breezed through the group stage with a 100 percent record.
Eric Chelle’s side defeated Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda to emerge as one of the favourites for the title.
But Kerr, who was part of the Leeds United side that won the English topflight title in the 1991-1992 season, believes the impressive group stage display results mask weaknesses inside the side that will be exposed in the knockout rounds.
“Nigeria should have a good team but they didn’t qualify outright for the World Cup, so something must not be good on the side of their game,” Kerr told Flashscore.
Also Read: AFCON 2025: Work On Your Substitutions –Ex-Super Eagles Star Advices Chelle
Asked why the Super Eagles, with a 100 percent record in the preliminary round, cannot win the AFCON, the 58-year-old replied: “Not really, the good run in the group stage puts them under pressure because they have won all of them. Usually, the teams that struggle end up making the semi-finals and final.”
Commenting on Monday’s round of 16 clash with Mozambique, Kerr predicted a tough encounter.
“You never know. It will be a tough game, and can go either way. I fancy Mozambique to give Nigeria a good game.”
3 Comments
I don’t agree with your postulations. There were many reasons that let Nigeria not qualify outright which you are not aware.
From the first match to the fourth there were three different couches who were sampling different players . This let to Nigeria having 3 draws and 1 defeat..
Beside that there were injuries experimentation of new players. With the coming of the new couch he brought in players that still play now.
The couch’s tactics are second to none in this tournament. Please wait and see the end
Do your analysis based on facts please.
This is true.
He is not speaking from a place of reason or logic. He is just saying what he would prefer to happen. He is south African. They naturally want Nigeria to fall. Since when did winning all your group matches means you won’t likely win the title? Does it also occur to him that whatever stopped the eagles from qualifying for the world cup might have been rectified? He choosed to ignore that possibility because it does not suit his narrative.
Anyway…the onus is on super eagles to prove him wrong