Etim Esin expects improved performance against Tunisia

Former international, Etim Esin, has advised the new boys in Super Eagles camp to raise their game in today’s encounter against the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia and prove they deserve to be in the team

Nigeria will meet Tunisia in their second friendly match of the current FIFA window today in Klagenfurt, Austria.

The Eagles on Friday lost 0-1 to African champions, Algeria. Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Esin said even though the match wasn’t a competitive one, he was disappointed at the below par performance of the Eagles, adding, they could not make three to four straight passes in the friendly game.

“I wasn’t really impressed with what I saw the boys play in that game against the African champions. I appreciate that it was just a friendly game where the coach has the chance to assess the players before the real matches begin.

“The team against Algeria lacked cohesion and there was no creativity in the midfield. I didn’t see any box-to-box switch among the players and I think the new boys will have to rise up to the occasion if they are to wear those jerseys again. Now they have another opportunity in a non-competitive situation to impress the Nigerian fans against Tunisia,” he said.

Esin believes Coach Gernot Rohr would have reviewed the first match to know how to avoid the same mistakes the team made against the Algerians, adding, “If we lose again to Tunisia that will be very bad. This is the time for Rohr to really pick the players that will impress and give us results.

“He definitely cannot afford not to get results in the second friendly against the Tunisians,” he stated.