I Know Super Eagles Inside Out, Says South Africa Coach

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Stuart Baxter, the coach of South Africa believes he has sufficient information to pull out favourable result when his squad faces the Super Eagles on June 10 in an Africa Cup qualifying match.

Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana have met 12 times in both competitive and friendly clashes. Nigeria won seven times, drew four and lost just a friendly match.

Incidentally, www.sportsvillagesquare.com recalls that Stuart Baxter holds the record of being the only coach of South Africa to have led a squad to beat Nigeria.

That was in the November 17, 2004 duel at Ellis Park. It was also the first time that South Africa scored against Nigeria. The match in honour of Nelson Mandela ended 2-1 in favour of the hosts.

Baxter told the South African Football Association official website that he has perfected his strategies.

“We have also looked at aerial strength and tried to spread that well throughout the team, it means if we can have good preparation before we go, then we have a squad that is capable of giving Nigeria a good game.”

The coach who is holding on to two jobs till the end of May sees the Super Eagles as paper tiger – just a collection of big names with little compatibility.

“When you look at Nigeria it’s like the who’s who of African football as most of their players play across the top leagues of the world, that doesn’t always mean it’s a good team but Nigeria has had a run of games that suggests that they are finding their feet,” he remarked.