Flawed contender

Nigerian title ambitions dogged by problems

LAGOS (Reuters) -- Nigeria is a strong contender to win the 2002 African Nations Cup despite a rocky start on the road to the tournament.

But there was a danger its hopes could be hit by a dispute with Europe's top clubs over the release of some of its star players for the tournament.

Only eight players had reported at the start of training camp and coach Shaibu Amodu said he would submit his team list only after the deadline.

Temperamental players refused to play a friendly against Egypt because it had not been paid bonuses promised to it for qualifying for the World Cup.

Egypt demanded Nigeria pay US$15,000 to cover the costs of cancelling the day of the match.

Poor preparation is a major concern. St Germain midfielder Austin "Jay Jay" Okacha said the decision not to play Egypt was a wise one becuse the team was "not fully fit yet."

The Super Eagles have won the tournament twice before in 1980 and 1994 and narrowly lost the last Nations Cup on penalties to Cameroon in 2000.

Amodu has the most at stake in the tournament. A poor showing at Mali could end his eight-month-old spell as coach and open the door for a replacement to take over for the World Cup finals in which Nigeria are grouped with Argentina, England and Sweden.

But the players, most of whom play in Europe, are confident that the Super Eagles will deliver in Mali, although some of their players like first choice goalkeeper Ike Shorunmu and Victor Ikpeba who have largely been on the sub's bench for most of the season could be lacking match fitness.

Amodu though says he is not too concerened by that as his players are fit and should be able to hold their own in the competition.

But many say the team, although made up largely of the same old reliables, today's Super Eagles squad lacks the heart and determination of the 1994 squad.

At the close of the training camp on Sunday, all but a few of the invited players had reported. Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu and Chelsea defender Celestine Babayaro were both involved in English Premier League matches at the weekend, before going to Mali late.

Nigeria is grouped with host Mali, Algeria and Liberia in the opening round and is expected to finish top of that quartet. Players to watch include Nations Cup veterans Okocha and Finidi George, as well as Nwankwo Kanu, Julius Aghahowa and newcomer Victor Agali.

George made his Nations cup debut in Senegal in 1992 and played in the 1994 edition in Tunisia, as well as the 2000 edition.

Okocha played his first Nations cup competition in 1994 and also featured in the 2000 edition. Kanu made his debut in 2000, while Agali is playing his first Nations cup in Mali.

Pressure mounts on coach Amodu

Nigeria's coach Shaibu Amodu is a veteran of the job having handled the Super Eagles on five separate occasions.

But he needs to ensure success in Mali this month in order to keep his fifth spell as coach alive for a while longer.

The Nigerian-born coach has been told he will be replaced for this summer's World Cup finals by a high profile coach if Nigeria is not successful in the African Nations Cup finals.

Amodu has served as coach or acting coach at various times since 1994, when his first match in charge was against England in a friendly at Wembley.

It was at provincial club side BCC Lions that he first came to prominence, talking them to the Nigerian FA Cup in 1989 and then the African Cup Winners' Cup title a year later.

The team was also Nigerian champion in 1994 before Amodu went off to handle the national team, first on his own and then as assistant to the likes of Jo Bonfrere, Thijs Libregts, Philippe Troussier and Bora Milutinovic.

He also had a brief spell as coach of South Africa's Orlando Pirates and says he wants to return to club soccer at the end of the World Cup finals.

Bittersweet memories for 'Jay Jay'

Austin "Jay Jay" Okocha has tasted both the sweet taste of Nations Cup success and bitter disappointment in his two previous appearances at the African championships.

Nigeria's star midfielder, who is a reluctant participant in this year's tournament in Mali, burst onto the African stage with his performances for the Super Eagles when they won the Nations Cup in Tunisia in 1994.

Okocha, along with teammates Sunday Oliseh, Victor Ikpeba and Finidi George, heralded the arrival of a new generation of Nigerian stars, who have since proven the backbone of a Super Eagles side which has qualified for three successive World Cup finals.

But Okocha was on the losing end in the Nations Cup two years ago when Nigeria hosted the tournament, and were beaten after a dramatic post-match penalty shootout by Cameroon.

The 28-year-old Okocha, who hails from Enugu, plays at Paris St Germain, who bought him from Turkey's Fenerbahce after the last World Cup finals.

The 25.0 million pounds (US$36.22 million) deal was a record involving an African player.

Okocha started his career at Eintracht Frankfurt in Germany, where he had initially gone for a holiday but ended up being persuaded to try out for an amateur team and was signed on the spot.

 

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