Play Ethiopia hard, Hamilton tells Eagles

Former Super Eagles coach, Paul Hamilton

Former Nigeria coach, Paul Hamilton, has advised the Super Eagles to play the East Africans hard in their first leg fixture of the World Cup qualifying playoff in Addis Ababa on October 13.

Hamilton, who backed Nigeria’s plan to arrive in Ethiopia on the eve of the match, told our correspondent on the telephone on Sunday that the Eagles were not likely to suffer from altitude problem in the game.

He said, “The Ethiopians are not the team we used to know; they have got over their problems and are now a team to be reckoned with. We must play them hard and not underrate them.

“It is important to win the World Cup ticket in Addis Ababa so that our players will not be under pressure in the return leg fixture in Calabar (on November 16).”

The last time Nigeria played in Addis Ababa, they forced the Ethiopians to a 2-2 in the qualifier for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations. The Eagles beat the Walya Wolves 2-0 in their group game at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. Hamilton said the Walya Antelopes’ resurgence was based on the development of their domestic league and good home support.

“They always try to make Addis Ababa a fortress when they host other teams. We’ve known this fact for a long time. And we also know that to beat them, you must overwhelm them from the start,” he said.

“I appreciate the Nigeria Football Federation’s decision to convey our team to Ethiopia a day before the game on a chattered flight. This will eliminate the fears of altitude among our players.

“I don’t think there’s a need for a friendly game before going to Ethiopia. Our players have club engagements in Europe and in Nigeria. By now, Stephen Keshi must have adopted his tactics ahead of the game.”

The ex-Super Falcons coach urged Nigerians to respect Keshi’s decision regarding the players he has invited for the encounter.

“Whether Joseph Yobo, or any other player, is coming back or not should be a decision left for the coach. Nobody should influence him in that aspect,” Hamilton said.