The ex-international feels Thursday's defeat was due to the face-off between the manager and the former captain and urges focus ahead Cameroon clashEXCLUSIVEBySamuel Ahmadu Follow on TwitterFormer Nigeria international Garba Lawal has blamed the Super Eagles' 2-0 international friendly loss to DR Congo on Thursday to the fallout from Tuesday's fracas between manager Sunday Oliseh and former captain Vincent Enyeama.
In his assessment, Lawal said the team's display against Congo was disappointing, while indicating the Oliseh-Enyeama feud created disunity in the team.
The former Nigeria midfielder expressed disappointment at the trainer's poor show of maturity in the face-off, urging Oliseh to see himself as the father and act like one going forward.
"Actually the game was not good enough and for us to lose the game by 2-0 is disappointing," Lawal toldGoal.
"The rhythm of the game and everything about it just went wrong. If DR Congo could beat us now it means football is changing and there is no small game either.
"Before we think we will meet any small country, we think we could beat them. Now we can see now that there are no small games. Every game for national teams now is like a cup final in Africa.
"It is going to be tough on Sunday and everybody knows our game against Cameroon on Sunday is always kicking and pushing. I believe we all got it wrong, if we lose a game, we should know something is wrong.
"Whether we like it or not, in football there are ups and downs."
He praised retiring record-capped Enyeama, but has decried the Lille goalkeeper's humiliating exit, insisting his 13 years of patriotic services for country was no easy feat.
"Well done to Enyeama, 13 years is not easy and he is been doing wonderfully for the country. But I could have loved to see him retire in a better way and not like this," he continued.
"The whole years since he came in and started very well and had ups and downs with the national team. Nevertheless, Enyeama has been wonderful, but whether we like it or not, he is going to leave the team and the team will continue. Only that I didn't expect him to leave this way.

They will still beat us.

No source?

Enough of this enyeama vs oliseh bullshit.. oliseh needs anger management classes..enyeama should know Nigeria can do without him..he should work more on his manners..a call to the coach to tell him he would be late to camp would have saved a lot of things.. and never argue with your boss in th presence of his wards.

dammytosh:
They will still beat us.

that's for sure nau.who is super chickens?

espn:
Enough of this enyeama vs oliseh bullshit.. oliseh needs anger management classes..enyeama should know Nigeria can do without him..he should work more on his manners..a call to the coach to tell him he would be late to camp would have saved a lot of things.. and never argue with your boss in th presence of his wards.

what are you quoting?is oliseh matured in the way he handled the issue?put yourself in Enyeama's shoe and see if you will be happy.if oliseh wanted to strip enyeama of Captainship he shouldn't have invited him in the first place and why musa is mikel not there?if he had given it to mikel I don't think there will be noise.he should have handled it diplomatically not in a childish way.