Former Super Eagles goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu, has charged CHAN Eagles first choice goal tender, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, to use the Africa Nations championship slated to kick off on Friday in Morocco as another platform to prove himself as a capable hand to be the Super Eagles number one shot stopper at the 2018 Cup in Russia.
Shorunmu noted that it is too late for the Eagles coaches to start seeking for new goalkeepers that would be used for the Cup, owing to the fact that Ezinwa who has been with the team in the qualifiers has been able to build enough confidence and good communication with the defenders over time.
The former Super Eagles goalkeeper noted that Ezinwa and other keepers in the Super Eagles needed to be encouraged to raise the standard of their game to overcome the task ahead.
He added that Vincent Enyeama could still be relevant in the Cup if he accept to return to the Eagles. Shorunmu also said the Eagles coaches should not write off any keeper in the team as they were able to go through the Cup qualifiers without conceding many goals, adding that the feat can also be repeated in Russia if the keepers are exposed to top quality friendlies before the mundial.
“Ezinwa should use CHAN as another forum to make Eagles coaches believe in him. I don’t understand why some people are still yearning that the Super Eagles are lacking credible goalkeepers. Are the goalkeepers that qualified Nigeria for the Cup not capable enough? For me, the Eagles coaches should focus on Ezinwa, Daniel Akpeyi and others. Some people have already started canvassing for Francis Uzoho to lead the Eagles to Russia. A keeper who spent just 45 minutes on the pitch in an international friendly against Argentina. This is not the best way to go.
“If Rohr wants to groom another goalkeeper, he should be after the Cup. The ones on ground should be encouraged and exposed to more quality grade A games before the Cup. Enyeama can still be among the team to Russia, if he wants to return. But at this point, Ezinwa and others should work hard to build more confidence on Nigerians ahead of the Cup.”
