'I Can Qualify Eagles For 2018 World Cup' - Interim Boss, Yusuf Assures NFF

The qualification rounds for the 2018 World Cup will kick-start by September this year and the Nigerian Football Federation have started scoutingfor foreign coach to handle the Eagles as they are handed a tough group.

But, caretaker manager of the team, Salisu Yusuf has applied for the nation's football  top job because he believes he has what it takes to qualify the country to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Yusuf, who is a former assistant coach, recently led the side to victory in two friendly games against Mali and Luxembourg and he has now declared himself the right man to steer the country to the top of a tough qualifying group that has former African champions Algeria, Cameroon and Zambia.

“If I were not convinced that I can qualify Nigeria to the next World Cup, I would not have applied for the post,” the former Enyimba and Kano Pillars coach maintained.

“I have a good relationship with the players right from when I was the assistant to Stephen Keshi and I believe we can continue to have a good working relationship built on trust and respect with me as head coach.

“No doubt, we have found ourselves in a very tough qualifying group, but I am also positive we can win this group with the right preparation, support and attitude. “We must first and foremost believe in ourselves. If we don’t, we could as well stay out of the qualifiers,” he continued.

“My contacts in Europe have already supplied me recent tapes of matches involving all our group opponents and I have already begun to study them and take down vital notes. “This is a Nigeria project and we must all come together to surmount this challenge.”

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said it would release the shortlist of the candidates for the job on Friday.