There has been widespread bitterness in Nigeria over the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. However one of the leading football aficionados in Nigeria, Dudu Orumen, actually believes his countrymen have been spared the embarrassment of seeing their team walloped at the continental showpiece given the quality of competition on display.

Writing on Godwindudu-orumen.com, the outspoken and hard-hitting lawyer, journalist and football administrator observed:

"Proceedings at the 2015 African Cup of Nations opened in Equatorial Guinea on January 17 without Nigeria, the 2013 Winners, whose exit at the qualifying stage shocked unsuspecting supporters of the Super Eagles. Weep not fans because the Eagles would have been roundly trounced had they gone to the competition.

"Group matches live on TV showed there are no more minnows in African football. All the contestants have so far put on show top quality football and competitiveness that would have embarrassed the Super Eagles famed for slow motion football, poor positional play, naive defending and a toothless attack.

"It is sad that history keeps repeating itself in Nigeria's football. The Super Eagles won the tournament in 1980 but were shambolic in the 1982 edition in Libya. Winners again in 2013, Super Eagles sit at home courtesy of dreadful coaching, poor choice of personnel, tactics and game plan by its coaching crew.

"Consolatory however is that we did not go to Equatorial Guinea to enter the record books with scandalous and humiliating score lines from defeats from well prepared and battle-ready oppositions out there at the AFCON.

"Thank you Congo and South Africa for throwing the Eagles out and saving Nigeria monies that would have been wasted on estacodes and match allowances."

So what do you think? Would the Super Eagles have survived in Equatorial Guinea or are we better off without the possible heartbreak?

Africaplays.com

Football is fast developing in Africa , and no more minnows in Africa , but the fact is ,experience matters a lot in the round leather game ...nothing big has happened in this nations cup , nothing spectacular so far , the eagles would have stood their ground as usual....but I will be of the opinion that you should wait till each of the team completes their 3matches .

Nigeria knows how to win matches when ever it comes to Nations cup. I believe we would've made it to Semi - finals of this tournament had it been we qualified.