Akpoborie, Howard, Etta Egbe Pump Up Eagles.

As preparations reach fever pitch for the Super Eagles versus Brave Warriors of Namibia World Cup qualifier, the camp of the national team at the Metropolitan Hotel in Calabar, has been playing host to notable ex-internationals.

Three of them Jonathan Akpoborie, Franklin Howard and Etta Egbe stand out of the pack, as they not only monitor events at the team’s camp but also take time off to watch the team train and the trio were there on Monday and Tuesday mornings when the team trained and gave their thoughts about the team.

Akpoborie, who spoke first, said he was delighted at what he has seen in the national team, urging Nigerians to give the Stephen Keshi led technical crew room to excel. 

He said he sympathises with Nigerians’ desperation for victory in all international engagements but warned that it is a new dawn and the crew and players must be given time to blossom. 

His caveat however is that Keshi needs more Euro-based professionals in the team. “I have watched the team keenly and objectively and I think it’s very encouraging but I think we still need more foreign based professionals in the team because of their experience. 

I don’t have any person in mind but I trust that Keshi has the experience to call up those that will add value to the team.

On his part, Howard, who played alongside Keshi in the glory days of NNB of Benin City, said he was in the team’s camp to lend support to his old pal and the players and praised the vision of Keshi to give home based players a chance to fight for shirts in the national team.

The Unicem Rovers of Calabar Coach, said with what he has seen, Calabar will not only bring victory to the team but has the capacity to become the new home of the national team, because of the maturity and support base that football enjoys in Cross River.

 “If you bring Under 5 or Under 10 national team here, they will excel, because the people are simply crazy about soccer.

Famed former Calabar Rovers and NNB goalie, Etta Egbe, a son of the soil here in Cross River, says citizens of the state have been praying daily for the national team to excel on Sunday and he was sure that the team will not only win but win very well. 

“In churches, mosques and even traditional places, Cross Riverians have been praying for the Super Eagles and the much I have seen of Keshi’s team, gives me hope that the team will conquer on Sunday”, he said.