TOKYO 2020: Amapakabo admits  pressure to deliver  ticket

Head Coach of Nigeria’s U-23 Team Imama Amapakabo has revealed exclusively that he is under serious pressure to deliver the Tokyo 2020 Men’s Olympic Games ticket.

The former international goalkeeper said he was condemned to succeed in Cairo after he failed to qualify the Home-based Super Eagles for the African Nations Championship to be hosted by Cameroon in 2020 and the list-less performance of the U-23 team at the recently concluded WAFU Nations Cup in Cote d’Ivoire.

Speaking exclusively with NationSport before the team’s departure from Abuja aboard Egyptian Air to Cairo on Thursday, Amapakabo said the 21 players selected for the U-23 AFCON are not under pressure, adding it was himself that is under trial in Cairo.

“If I tell you that I am not under pressure, I must be deceiving myself,” he explained.

“My focus is to pick the one the Olympic tickets first to gladden the minds of football fans before moving to the next stage of winning the trophy.

“You know the women’s national team (Super Falcons) lost their ticket to play at the Olympics female football event, so losing our own will be a double blow on Nigeria’s quest to win medal s at the Tokyo games.

“I strongly believe in the players I selected and they have assured me that they will give their all to win the U23 AFCON,” he added.

The former Rangers and El-Kanemi Warriors coach expressed gratitude to his employer  (NFF ) for creating an enabling environment especially camping in Abuja and given him another chance to lead the U-23 team to the AFCON.

Read Also: AFCON U-23: Olympic Eagles to play Zambia, others at El Salam stadium

The Olympic Eagles are drawn in group B alongside Zambia, South Africa, and Cote d’Ivoire while group A  comprises the host Egypt, Ghana, Cameroon, and Mali.