Sand Eagles seek preparation time for Copa Lagos

Sand Eagles

The coach of the Nigeria national beach soccer team, Sand Eagles, Adamu Ejoor is optimistic that his team would do very well in the 2013 Copa Lagos tournament. He is also hopeful that that he will have enough time with his players ahead of the competition despite the original plans for their camping adjusted.

Copa Lagos  is scheduled for the Eko Atlantic from December 13 to the 15th with Germany, Senegal and Lebanon having confirmed their participation in Africa’s biggest beach soccer event. Senegal beat Nigeria in the Africa qualifiers for the World Cup 9-8 and Ejoor said his team did not have enough time to train for that encounter.

He said, “We could have made the World Cup but we did not prepare well. Senegal are physically strong though we are tactically better but good preparation would have helped us but we just had eight days to train before going for the qualifiers.

 “Our players are on their break right now. We need at least three weeks to get them in shape for the tournament.”

 Ejoor also said that Lebanon are going to be real challengers as it took World Cup experience of the Eagles to beat them last year at the Copa Lagos event.

 “They are physical okay and are also good technically but we believe we still have a slight edge and also the home advantage,” he added.

The coach added that though Germany is quite unknown to him and his players, they would treat them like Portugal and Brazil – countries that they beat last year to retain the Copa Lagos trophy.

Copa Lagos season 2013 which is already enjoying the support of FCMB will also have some of Nigeria’s hottest musical acts on the beach for three days with fashion shows also on the bill.