Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi believes the Organised Labour’s strike on Monday has negatively affected the Super Eagles’ preparations for tomorrow’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo.
Ndidi in an interview with NFF TV, decried the situation that hindered the full complements of the team to arrive on time at their Uyo camp with only 15 out of the 23 invited players training on Monday.
“To be honest it(labour strike)has affected preparation because normally we ought to have started training on Saturday but few days have gone but we are yet to achieve that and I think it has affected the team in some way,” the 27-year-old said.“ By now, we supposed to know what we are doing regarding how to approach the game but we haven’t been able to do that.
“ But with more players in camp it would be great addition for us to prepare better,” he noted.
The Labour strike notwithstanding, the former Genk Midfielder remains optimistic that the Super Eagles will give a good account of themselves on Friday since would be up against South Africa who would be eager to avenge their semi –final loss to Nigeria at the 2023 AFCON held in Cote d’Ivoire.
He continued: “The way we performed at the AFCON has raised our standards and the expectations are now really high. I think we still have most of the players that played at the AFCON and the new head coach was there with the team as well. We just need Nigerians support and we will do our best. We know that the two games are very important but we must focus on the South African game first. It is that outcome of that game that will give us the confidence to go for the game.
“Playing the South Africans again after facing them at the AFCON makes it more difficult for us. They will come for revenge. We are expecting that,” he noted.
“It is not going to be an easy game because the Bafana Bafana when they looked back at the outcome of the game in February, where we knocked them out in the semi-final, it will be a difficult game and an interesting game,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ndidi has called for the support of Nigerians on Friday to ensure that they are able to navigate their ways against a tough South African side.
