Fire brigade approach will mar Sand Eagles’ World Cup performance, says coach

Super Sand Eagles coach Audu Adamu says Nigeria’s “fire brigade” approach to preparing for international tournaments will make it difficult for his team to perform well at the World Cup.

Adamu said that the Beach Soccer Eagles, billed to participate at the World Cup in Bahamas, will be at the US embassy on Wednesday for their visas.

“Arrangement has been concluded by the NFF for the Beach Eagles to appear at the US embassy for the transit visa for the tournament on Wednesday,” he told TheCable.

He urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to make everything available for his team to do well at the World Cup.

“Saying fire brigade approach for the World Cup will work for us? It is going to be difficult or hard,” he said.

“We went to Portugal with adequate preparation and we got to quarter finals. Early preparation can take us to places.”

Despite the lack of adequate preparation, Adamu believes his team can perform well.

“Please don’t write us off yet. You know that Nigeria and especially the Beach Sands Eagles have this die hard attitude,” he said.

“By the time we train two or three days and I know the language which I speak to my players that they will listen and give their all.

“We will fight and go beyond the group stage.

Speaking on the possible funding challenges, he said: “If Nigeria does not participate in the World Cup, we will be sanctioned for four years not be able to play Beach soccer, and might as well pay like fifty thousand dollars fine.”

“I believe that with twenty thousand dollars, the team can have a good outing in the Bahamas.”

Team captain, Isiaka Olawale, speaking in the same vein as his coach, said financial motivation and adequate preparation were surefire factors that will guarantee success at the tournament.

“We are a small family with little number compared to the Super Eagles, we need to be motivated very well for us to do well,” he said.

“For this particular World Cup, they need to let us know what plans they have for the team. I also want to beg the NFF to let us know what we are entitled to as match allowances and bonuses.

“Beach soccer is not like the normal football played on a regular pitch. They should remember that we do not have a league. The more reason we need long camping for preparation the World Cup.

“And we have some new players who need to blend with the old ones. We had our preparation in Faro, Portugal before going to our last world cup in Ravenna in Italy in 2011 that made us perform well and we got to the quarter finals.

“We don’t even know when camp for preparation will be called for. I must tell you this is going to affect us a great deal because we have not been training together.”