Eagles: We could have won '96 AFCON
Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha was in another class by the 1996 AFCON...
Mikel deal | Keshi house
Several of Nigeria
top stars have now said they would have won the 1996 Nations Cup in South
Africa but for a sensational boycott.
Nigeria won their second AFCON at Tunisia 1994, but failed to defend the title two years later in South Africa after the government of late General Sani Abacha withdrew the Eagles from the tournament, citing security concerns following a political spat with the host government.
Considering the array of the Eagles stars, from Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha to Sunday Oliseh and Daniel Amokachi, many have argued that Nigeria would have successfully defended their title.
Ex-Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amuneke told MTNFootball.com that Nigeria would have won the tournament but for the government that stopped the team from going.
"We would have won the trophy in 1996 because we were a very good team. We were one of the favourites and we had trained well and were ready to go, but we were stopped,” lamented the 1994 CAF African Footballer of the Year.
“It pained us that we didn't go because the government said there were security issues, we thought they would change their mind. But in the end what we got was a ban from the 1998 African Nations Cup.
“A good South African team won it in our absence but we would have given them a good fight to defend the trophy we won in 1994.
“We showed what could have been by winning the Olympic soccer gold in Atlanta. We made history.”
Striker Jonathan Akpoborie also agreed that no team would have stopped the Eagles in South Africa 16 years ago.
"We would have won it easily. We would have won everything available with that squad. It was a team full of qualities. Even our bench then was world-class. It was a pity we didn't go," Akpoborie told
MTNFootball.com
Nigeria won their second AFCON at Tunisia 1994, but failed to defend the title two years later in South Africa after the government of late General Sani Abacha withdrew the Eagles from the tournament, citing security concerns following a political spat with the host government.
Considering the array of the Eagles stars, from Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha to Sunday Oliseh and Daniel Amokachi, many have argued that Nigeria would have successfully defended their title.
Ex-Barcelona winger Emmanuel Amuneke told MTNFootball.com that Nigeria would have won the tournament but for the government that stopped the team from going.
"We would have won the trophy in 1996 because we were a very good team. We were one of the favourites and we had trained well and were ready to go, but we were stopped,” lamented the 1994 CAF African Footballer of the Year.
“It pained us that we didn't go because the government said there were security issues, we thought they would change their mind. But in the end what we got was a ban from the 1998 African Nations Cup.
“A good South African team won it in our absence but we would have given them a good fight to defend the trophy we won in 1994.
“We showed what could have been by winning the Olympic soccer gold in Atlanta. We made history.”
Striker Jonathan Akpoborie also agreed that no team would have stopped the Eagles in South Africa 16 years ago.
"We would have won it easily. We would have won everything available with that squad. It was a team full of qualities. Even our bench then was world-class. It was a pity we didn't go," Akpoborie told
MTNFootball.com
"I don't see any team that would have stopped us from winning, we were a star-studded team. We were perfect,” added Atlanta 1996 gold medalist Tijjani
Babangida.
I guess we will never know.History books says Bafana Bafana are 96 AFCON champs and that is a fact.
With 2013 in SA again Super Eagle can relive their 96 dream and win the tournament.Good luck!
94 eagles were the defending champions then, unlike cotedivoire who are just best team on paper! Indeed the okochas and olisehs could have won it then coz they we're oozing with class in every department, and they will have gone and dominate the way cameroun and later egypt went and dominate african football!
Maybe they would have won, maybe not, who know. Just like Ivory Coast are the fovourites with best squad from the last 4 Africa Cup but they did not lift it. Lets not leave on assuption.
If not 4 d govt then, the super eagles would v defended their trophy in '96. Who knows may be in '98 also.
If not 4 d govt then, the super eagles would v defended their trophy in '96. Who knows may be in '98 also.
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