Rwanda coach Adel Amrouche believes that a team that has as much quality as the Super Eagles should not be struggling to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, Soccernet.ng reports.
Nigeria is in danger of missing a second-consecutive FIFA World Cup, and in disappointing fashion too.
The Super Eagles are in Group C of the CAF Qualifiers, alongside South Africa, Rwanda, Lesotho, Benin, and Zimbabwe.
In terms of pedigree and quality, all the countries in the group do not touch Nigeria. In fact, apart from South Africa (55), who are ten places below Nigeria in the FIFA rankings, and Benin, who are ranked 93rd, the other three countries are outside the top 120 in the world.
However, the Super Eagles have underperformed. They have struggled badly, picking just three wins from a possible nine so far. They have drawn five games and lost one game.
As it stands with just one game left, coach Eric Chelle and his Super Eagles are third in Group C, three points behind Benin and two behind South Africa.
The Super Eagles play Benin in their final game of the series, but they don’t have their fate in their hands, as they have to win and pray that South Africa drop points at home to Rwanda.
If the Bafana Bafana win their last game against Rwanda, Nigeria will definitely not be able to finish as group leaders.
Meanwhile, in a related development, Rwanda coach Amrouche has expressed disappointment with Nigeria’s performance in the qualifiers.
He believes that if he was in charge of the team, he could take them as far as the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
“If I were coaching a team like the Super Eagles, with the quality of players that they have, my target would be to reach the quarter-finals of the FIFA World.Cup, at the very minimum. Qualifying for the World Cup should not be the issue,” Amrouche told Osasu Obayiuwana.
Amrouche, who was appointed as Rwanda coach in March this year, has spent most of his coaching career on the African continent. However, he hasn’t coached any of the top footballing countries yet.
The Algerian tactician had stints at Tanzania, Burundi, Kenya, Libya, and Botswana before taking up the Amavubi job.
Has Amrouche Taken A Dig At Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle?
Although Adel Amrouche’s comments make it seem like he is throwing jibes at Eric Chelle or the Super Eagles, he is not.
Moreover, just last month, he backed Chelle to lead Nigeria to success after Super Eagles beat his Amavubi side in the qualifiers.
“Eric (Chelle) is a good coach. I know some people may be against him. But he’s starting to do his job. Don’t be negative. You must respect your coach,” the Algerian tactician said.
However, Amrouche would obviously be comparing the Nigerian squad with what he has in Rwanda and smack his lips at what he could achieve with the Super Eagles if he were the coach.