We don’t have world class strikers in S/Eagles

Ex-international, Benedict Akwuegbu on Saturday spoke in a special with Nigeria Sports Mouthpiece platform on his career and other national issues. Excerpts:

Akwuegbu in club jersey

Question: Nice to have you on this platform, what is your impression about the Super Eagles under Genot Rohr?

Answer: He is doing a good job for now.

Which part of the department of the team will you say needs reinforcement?

We need to get a good playmaker, and a striker that can be scoring goals always and we also need to reinforce the right back and central midfield.

You were the first Nigerian players to play in china, what is your take on the recent trend of our players moving to China?

Yes, I think the Chinese league is good, it is also strong and fast and it will help our players to play fast football.

Talking about strikers, we have Iheanacho, you mean he is not good enough to lead the attack?

We need experienced strikers. Iheanacho is good but we need world class strikers.

Also talking about world class strikers, do you really think we have such players anywhere now? If yes, give us names…

No. We don’t have.

What is your take on the few home based players in the team?

Is good; we need to encourage the home based players.

Going forward, how will you rate the Nigerian league under the League Management Company, LMC?

Yes I think the league is okay, Shehu Dikko has been doing so well; he brought a lot of sponsors. You can see, teams are beating teams away from home, you know it was not like before. And the under 15 tournament is a very good development, Dikko has been doing very well and I wish you all the best.

How about the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, can you it is the same?

In S/Eagles jersey against England's Heskey

I think the NFF is doing well but they have overlooked a lot of ex-internationals that have good leadership. Anyway it is like that, you understand, I expect the NFF to engage people like Taribo West, Benedict Akwuegbu, Finidi George and other ex-internationals; NFF has not carried them along. Some of them have good leadership quality and the country could gain from their wealth of experience. These players have paid their dues and labored for the country, so I expect NFF to give them chance to come and contribute their own quota. They have given some ex-internationals a lot of opportunities, they should also try others but I don’t know why they don’t want to give people like Taribo West, Akwuegbu, Finidi George, Celestine Babayaro chance, I think we have a lot to give to the country that can help our football to develop. NFF belongs to everyone that is qualified and I think we are qualified.

Benny “School Boy” International, you held so much promise at Scotland 89’ U-17 World Cup and Coach Sebastian was preparing to unleash you but Saudi Arabia stopped us. How did that disappointment impact in your young promising career?

I was happy to go to the first world cup from form 2 in St. Mulumba College. It was a good experience. I thank Sebastian Broderick, he was a father figure; he helped me so much?

And then you moved to RC Lens of France as a fresh youngster but it was in Belgium that you really hit it. What really happened at Lens?

I was the youngest. I was the first Nigeria player in history to play in France. I signed in Lens in 1991. Late Stephen Keshi came to Strasbourg later. My French agent told me, “Benny you are the first Nigerian player here in history.”

Benny I think you were not the first Nigerian, Ricky Onwubokiri played at Metz in the mid 80s. He is the first Nigerian to play in France…

Then I am the second. I played in national team from 1988 to 2006. I have never had problem with the NFF, I always come to camp on time, it is a pity that NFF overlook some of us. God will help us.

In what capacity should ex-players be engaged by the NFF aside coaching?

The NFF have a lot, positions like team manager, coordinator, adviser, etc. They have tried Samson Siasia, Daniel Amokachi, Austin Eguavoen and others, they should try new ones too. It is not fair to continue to recycle the same ex-players.

Finally, what assurances can you give fans of Mighty Jets of Jos, will them bounce back to the top flight?

Mighty Jets will be great again, I am confident they will bounce back to the top flight.