Home-based Super Eagles assistant Coach Salisu Yusuf believes the team will not miss the services of Warri Wolves striker Gbolahan Salami who opted out of the 2016 Championship For African Nations (CHAN) in Rwanda.
Salami opted out of the tournament because of his plans to travel to Norway where he is expected to sign a new deal with a club.
Speaking before the team departed to South Africa on Saturday morning, Yusuf told Completesportsnigeria.com that despite Salami’s withdrawal, the technical crew led by Coach Sunday Oliseh has done enough work to put the team in perfect shape and will not in any way miss the services of the former Shooting Stars striker.
“There is no doubt about it that Salami is a quality player and experienced one but since we knew he was not going to be part of the team to Rwanda, we went into action by working on the players we have to make sure that the team is in perfect shape and from what we have done so far, I can tell you that we are not going to miss Salami in Rwanda,” Salisu stated.
“Salami says he is pursuing a career abroad and we are not going to stop him from achieving that. We have confidence in the players we have and I am sure that they are not going to disappoint."
The former Enyimba coach who is confident of achieving positive result in Rwanda, says the Home Eagles are ready to return with the trophy.
Salish added, “We have a mission going to Rwanda and that is to win the trophy. The players have shown enough readiness while we are in Abuja and I am sure that going to South Africa for camping will help the team more."
The Home Eagles will play Niger, Angola and Guinea in the first round of the tournament in Rwanda.