Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu has pleaded with football loving Nigerians to stop criticising the senior national team goalkeepers at the ongoing 2019 Nations Cup in Egypt.
He believes the goalkeepers have done their best given the general performance of the team, adding that Daniel Akpeyi, Ikechukwu Ezinwa and Francis Uzoho should be given the desired respect in the team.
Shorunmu declared that continuous criticisms are capable of distracting and demoralising the keepers in the remaining games.
The Shooting Stars of Ibadan goaltender also charged the Super Eagles not to allow the defeat by Madagascar affect their round of 16 game, advising the players to put themselves together and prepare well for the next game.
He also urged the Super Eagles to play as a team to avoid being outshined by their opponents, warning that the knockout stage must be approached with 100 percent commitment.
“Super Eagles goalkeepers in the AFCON are the representatives of the country at the championship. They need to be respected and encouraged to give their best.
“Criticism has a way of demoralizing a keeper. Any goalkeeper that is selected by the team coaches to be in front of the goalpost deserves the shirt because the coaches coordinate their training and know their individual abilities.
“All we need to do is to give them the support to excel,” he said.
The Super Eagles need enough encouragement to succeed in Egypt. Football loving Nigerians should give the Eagles the total support to beat their next opponents at the AFCON,” he said.
