Okocha Questions Super Eagles' Passion For Playing

The former Super Eagles star Jay-Jay Okocha, has told Goal.com that the current national players need to persuade the public that they care about playing for their national team.



Okocha says that questions will be asked about the passion of Nigeria’s players following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations.

The reigning champions failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations 2015 finals after drawing 2-2 with South Africa in Uyo on Wednesday, marking a second exit before the tournament proper in three editions.

While Stephen Keshi’s future has already been called into question, Okocha believes the players have to take some of the responsibility.

“I think, to be honest, we will always produce talented players. But perhaps the question is whether they have the same passion that they used to have,” Okocha told Goal. “People are pressuring them about that, you know, because sometimes it seems as if they don’t really care much about the result.”

Wednesday’s result combined with Congo’s 1-0 win in Sudan to extinguish Nigeria’s final hopes, but Okocha said they had made it hard for themselves earlier in the campaign.