Okocha tips Eagles for World Cup semis
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 8:07AM 
Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha, a former captain of the Super Eagles, has tipped the team to reach the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup because of the quality of the players.
Okocha told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that all the team needed was to be confident and focused in South Africa.
"The send-off for the Super Eagles by President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday will go a long way to tell them that more than 150 million Nigerians are behind them.
"They should go out there; do what they know and believe in the strength of Nigeria.
"I hope that with the quality of Coach Lars Lagerback and the experience of the players, they will make Nigeria proud," he said.
"The good thing is that when a team has a new coach, he brings in a lot of challenges for the players."
Okocha said the players on their own would want to show their new boss what they were made of, adding that Africa looked up to the Super Eagles' performance in the World Cup.
"The Eagles are unpredictable; we have always sailed through impossible positions and I am sure the team will defeat Argentina.
"They should see the pressure being put on them as a plus because in football it is better you have the crowd to motivate you," the former sensational midfielder.
He urged the players to believe in themselves and play purposeful football rather than entertaining the crowd.
The World Cup, the first on African soil, is expected to kick off on June 11.
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