Eagles must play more African

Former Nigeria international Friday Ekpo has said the Super Eagles need to play more African teams as they begin build up to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

The reigning African champions who missed out of the 2015 biannual African football showpiece will face Cote d’Ivoire and Sudan in Abu Dhabi.

According to the former player of the defunct Abiola Babes, playing African teams will help the senior national team in its rebuilding process.

"I believe that for us to succeed ahead of the 2017 AFCON, we need to start a very solid rebuilding process for the Eagles in 2015, because from now till then, there isn’t any tangible competition to take part in, Ekpo told Punch.

"The preparation should begin with playing quality friendly matches. The matches aren’t just against any side; I am talking of friendly matches against African countries.

"The Eagles need to play friendlies against African sides because those are the sides we will meet when the qualifiers for the 2017 AFCON begin.

"We need to get these matches to keep the team busy and together to achieve the cohesion needed.”

He also cautioned that the Nigeria Football Federation should ensure the friendlies against African oppositions are not played on European soil.

"Also, the matches should be played on the continent. The NFF should avoid taking matches against African countries to Europe or getting friendly matches against non-African sides,” he continued.

"The Europeans do play themselves more than they play Africans, which they do mainly in the World Cup preparations.

"If they want to play also, they don’t bring their matches here in Africa. They play against themselves in Europe there. So we should organise our friendlies against African countries and play them here in Africa.

"We can play against Gabon and use Tunisia as the venue. It all will help the team in the long run when the qualifiers will eventually begin for the next AFCON,” he concluded