TheCable

Former Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo, has expressed his disappointment at the team’s failure to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.

Yobo, who hung his international boot after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, is shocked that the Nigeria will not be at the AFCON to defend the title he helped the country win in 2013 in South Africa.

“It is quite disappointing that the team will not be at the Nations Cup. It is disappointing for the country as a whole. But we have to recover from this quickly,” he told journalists in Abuja while watching the training session of the Under-23 team.

However, the former Everton defender does not believe that his calling time on his international football played a part in Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the competition.

“I spent about 13 years with the national team and I don’t think it is a matter of if I was there that this could have happened or it couldn’t have happened. But I left the scene for younger players to have the chance to play at the biggest level because I also started while I was a young player.

“I also had to take into consideration that I had to spend more time with my family in quitting the national team. But the memories will be there with me, and I am thankful for being able to serve my country,” he said.

Yobo used the opportunity to address the Nigeria U23 team urging them to believe in themselves and their coach, Samson Siasia.

“I am like one of you guys, it was nice coming to watch you play, though this is a training, the coach is like a brother, good friend, when he saw me and he asked me to come I just can’t say no. I started just like you, if not even lower, though this is the under 23,” he said.

“I just want to encourage you, I am happy with what am seeing, there is still room for improvement, just believe in yourself, believe in your coach, believe in your team mate, it’s not a do or die affair, it has to be team work, even if I know there is competition among you, you have to keep it friendly, but most importantly you have to believe in God.”

Yobo is the first Super Eagles player to reach the 100-game milestone after an international career that spanned through 2001 to 2014.