The Super Eagles have the ability to achieve victory over Korea Republic on Tuesday night once they have self –belief, so says Tunde Adelakun, the UK –based Consultant of the Nigeria Football Federation.

Adelakun said in Richards Bay on Sunday evening that the players must do all they can to forget the unfavourable results of their first two matches.

"You can understand that they will have crisis of confidence because they are mostly in their twenties and they have put in all their efforts in the first two matches and the results have not been what they expected. So, naturally, they will be wondering in their minds what else they need to do, and if they get a goal against Korea, they will be wondering whether they should push ahead and hunt for more, or sit back and soak up the pressure.

"In view of this, they need a leader or leaders on the field who will determine what should be done. Once that is done, and they have self –belief that they can do it, they will".

Adelakun traced the Super Eagles’ journey through qualification and posited that it will not be worth the team’s while and the NFF’s efforts for Nigeria to crash out in the group phase.

"It was very rough to get here, very intense. There were lots of pressure from our own fans back home, the expectation of the international football community and the challenge posed by Tunisia, Mozambique and Kenya. The African Cup of Nations was to serve as a preparatory tournament but we didn’t quite pull our weight the way we should have, and the only match we played well (against Ghana in the semi finals) was the one we lost.

"The preparation was also hampered, of course, by the appointment of a new Technical Adviser, who had to meet with a lot of people but not his players until the month of May, as a result of a lack of FIFA –free days. He first met with his players only about three weeks to the championship.

"We must praise the work the Technical Adviser and his crew have been able to do within such a short time. We all came here believing that it is in this kind of situation that Nigeria usually excel. But the first two matches have not gone according to plan. Yet, we have hope that we will make it to the Round of 16; we may probably be the only team in the tournament to make it there with only three points", stated Adelakun.

Adelakun spoke glowingly of the situation in the team camp at the Protea Hotel Waterfront, Richards Bay. "The set –up has been marvelous, good for concentration and also the training sessions have been good. The Nigeria Football Federation and the Super Eagles’ technical team deserve praise for what has been happening here.

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