Photo: Aliyu Adekunle/Vanguard Former captain and first choice goalkeeper of the Super Eagles, Peter Rufai has doused fears raised by Nigerians over a possible upset by Liberia's Lone Star when they come for the second leg of the Nations Cup qualifier in Calabar next month.
He also cautioned national team head coach, Stephen Keshi not to drop his current number one safe hands, Vincent Enyeama whose late error gifted Liberia an equaliser in the first leg of the 2013 AFCON qualifier in Monrovia a fortnight ago.
Speaking in an interview with Sunday Vanguard Sports, the former Nigeria international said "the Liberia mistake is not enough reason to drop Enyeama fom the squad because it could happen to any one."
Rufai who kept for Nigeria in the 1994 and '98 FIFA World Cups dismissed critics of coach Stephen Keshi who had kept faith in Enyeama despite the keeper's season long lack of action at his former club, Lille.
"I have been between the posts before and I know what it means. His lack of action did not mean he had lost touch with goalkeeping. Enyeama remains one of our best and the coaches know what they get from him. There can be a lot of politics in club football.
"If his club decided to put him on the bench did not mean the national team coaches should do same. In fact, we must give him hope and encourage him so that he too can have something to look up to and maintain his standard as the country's number one."
Rufai said it was understandable that some Nigerians were bitter about the first leg draw, pointing out that "in football anything can happen. Even Barcelona and other great teams have had their bad days. When people do not get what they are expecting, they tend to talk in anger. But I will plead that they look at issues holistically."
He doused the fear of an upset in Calabar from the Lone Star against the Super Eagles. "No, no no. Liberia cannot beat the Super Eagles. I can bet with my last kobo that Coach Stephen Keshi will overcome. He has done it before. Liberia cannot stop us."
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