Okocha mulls Nations Cup appearance

LAGOS – Nigeria skipper Austin Okocha has said he will need time to decide on his participation at next year’s African Nations Cup in Egypt.

Last week the Bolton Wanderers star hinted he will quit international football after the 2006 World Cup in Germany. However, following the failure of the country to reach the global soccer finals, Okocha’s future with the Super Eagles is even more unclear.”I will need some time to decide on whether or not I will be in Egypt for the Nations Cup,” the 32-year-old Okocha said.”Whatever I decide, I will make it public.”Okocha first announced his retirement from international football after Nigeria failed to go beyond the first round of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.He was later persuaded to return to the team.The midfielder, who made his senior international debut in 1993, missed out on Nigeria’s final qualifying match against Zimbabwe at the weekend in Abuja due to injury.He insisted that all those involved in the team be blamed for the Eagles failure to reach Germany 2006.”We are all disappointed that we won’t be in Germany.We are all to blame because we made a couple of mistakes along the way and this eventually cost us the ticket to the World Cup,” he said.Surprise team Angola at the weekend pipped star-studded Nigeria to the World Cup ticket in Group Four on a superior head-to-head record having beaten the Eagles 1-0 in Luanda last year before forcing a 1-1 draw in Nigeria in June.Angola, Tunisia, Togo, Ivory Coast and Ghana qualified for the World Cup.- Nampa-AFPHowever, following the failure of the country to reach the global soccer finals, Okocha’s future with the Super Eagles is even more unclear.”I will need some time to decide on whether or not I will be in Egypt for the Nations Cup,” the 32-year-old Okocha said.”Whatever I decide, I will make it public.”Okocha first announced his retirement from international football after Nigeria failed to go beyond the first round of the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan.He was later persuaded to return to the team.The midfielder, who made his senior international debut in 1993, missed out on Nigeria’s final qualifying match against Zimbabwe at the weekend in Abuja due to injury.He insisted that all those involved in the team be blamed for the Eagles failure to reach Germany 2006.”We are all disappointed that we won’t be in Germany.We are all to blame because we made a couple of mistakes along the way and this eventually cost us the ticket to the World Cup,” he said.Surprise team Angola at the weekend pipped star-studded Nigeria to the World Cup ticket in Group Four on a superior head-to-head record having beaten the Eagles 1-0 in Luanda last year before forcing a 1-1 draw in Nigeria in June.Angola, Tunisia, Togo, Ivory Coast and Ghana qualified for the World Cup.- Nampa-AFP