Ex-Everton star reveals real reasons behind Super Eagles’ World Cup elimination

The three-time African champions ended their World Cup dreams with a lackadaisical score draw against the Black Stars on Tuesday

Former Nigerian international Daniel Amokachi has aimed digs at the Super Eagles players and coaching crew after the team failed to pick up a qualifying ticket for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.

Nigeria were favourites to make it a fourth consecutive appearance at the Mundial when paired with West African neighbours Ghana last year.

But the Black Stars eliminated the 2013 Afcon winners on away goal rule after drawing 0-0 in Kumasi and 1-1 in Abuja.

Amokachi was particularly unimpressed with the in-play decisions of the Super Eagles coaching crew led by Augustine Eguavoen.

The former Everton ace noted that Rangers’ Calvin Bassey was visibly tired during the opening half, but Eguavoen kept the young fullback on the pitch until the closing stages. With the Eagles needing a goal, Almeria’s Umar Sadiq only replaced Bassey with two minutes left on the clock.

“Calvin Bassey was exhausted after the first half, and you could see that he always had his hand on his waist each time,” Amokachi told the Scottish Sun.

“I don’t know why he stayed on for that long.

Eguavoen has since stepped down as the Super Eagles caretaker coach, while the Nigeria Football Federation has sacked his assistants Emmanuel Amuneke, Joseph Yobo, and Alloy Agu.

Nigeria agonisingly missed out on the Mundial after featuring in the 2010, 2014, and 2018 editions.

And Amuneke insists that, judging by their dull display against Ghana, the Super Eagles did not deserve to join the world’s best teams in Qatar.

Many of the players paraded against the Black Stars were born abroad, including Joe Aribo, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, and Bassey.

And Amuneke maintains that they are to share in the blame for their lack of a winning attitude.

“The Super Eagles didn’t play at all,” the Club Brugge icon added.

“The players did not show how important it was for them to play at the World Cup. They were playing as if they didn’t know that there was an away goal rule.

“The urgency was zero from our players.

“They didn’t deserve to qualify for the World Cup from the way they played. The Ghanaians showed they wanted it more than our boys. Their attitude was not the best at all and they were nonchalant in their play.

“And this is what you get when you have 99 percent of your players born overseas,” the ‘Bull’ concluded.