TheCable

Super Eagles coach to Korea/Japan 2002 World Cup, Adegboye Onigbinde, has said that the Super Eagles are capable of putting up a World Cup performance that could surprise the world, if the team performs well in its pre-tournament matches.

The CAF and FIFA technical instructor said that the players needed to show a high level of commitment to be able to excel at the tournament.

“Well I don’t think there is anything impossible; it depends on what level of preparation you put into your team,” he told NAN.

“I have always quoted this example. In 2002, France came to Japan as the current champions, [and] their first match was against Senegal.

“Senegal beat them and even in our own humble way, nobody, not many people expected that Argentina wouldn’t have whitewashed us with goals. We lost 1-0.

For one reason or the other and at the end of the day in our third match we played a draw against England. So, anything is possible in football and I don’t think we should rule any impossibility out. But it should depend, as I said, on how the team is prepared.”

The Super Eagles start their World Cup preparation with a game against Scotland at Craven Cottage in London on Wednesday.