Some Presidential Inspirations Before WC Play-Offs

This weekend begins the first of the two leg World Cup play-offs in the African zone. The second leg of the play-offs will be played in November, and the aggregate winner after the two legs, will go to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

All the ten teams in contention are putting adequate preparations in place, in order to win the matches. And some of the presidents have tried to inspire their teams before the encounters.

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, paid a surprise visit today, to the training camp of the Super Eagles in Addis Ababa, where they will be taking on the Antelopes of Ethiopia tomorrow, Sunday the 13th of October in the first leg of the World Cup play-offs.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

The President told both the players and their officials that he came to tell them that he will always support the national team. He then urged them to go all out and win the match there and also qualify for the World Cup.

He also told them that Nigerians both at home and the diaspora expects

 them to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He added that they should not only qualify and make up the numbers in Brazil but have to make an impact in the tournament. He believes that they will qualify.

''I am sure that you will not only qualify for the World Cup, but we are going there not to add up the numbers but to make an impact at the championship,'' he added.

Earlier on this week it was reported in the Nigeria media that the President, has a reward package for the Super Eagles, if they qualify for the World Cup 2014.

Read also: melvinsports.blogspot.com

In the middle of this week, the Ghanian President John Mahama, also paid a surprise visit to the Ghanaian team (Black Stars) in their training ground to encourage the team, which will be playing against Egypt in Kumasi on Tuesday, 15th of October.

 After the training he told the players and officials, ''Lets focus on this match. I took time off to see you. I am the chief supporter of your team, the leader of this country and to tell you that the whole country is solidly behind you.''

''Whatever we will do, is to support you to win this match. We will do our bit but all of us can't go on the pitch so those who are going to represent us can expect nothing but our support.''

''I want to thank you very much, I wish you good luck. We count on you, we will pray for you, we know God is on our side. We will pray to the almighty God to give you victory,'' President John Mahama, said.

The Cameroonian President Paul Biya, intervened to bring back the Indormitable Lions captain, Samuel Etoo, who announced to his team-mates after their last match that he was retiring. The President sent a delegation to go and appeal to Etoo to reconsider his decision. After the meeting, he agreed to come back. So he is expected to lead the team in tomorrow's duel against Tunisia.

This was not the first time President Biya has acted to bring back a quality player who retired. In 1990, he brought back Roger Miller, to play in the world Cup. By bringing back the highly decorated Samuel Etoo, the President wants to make sure that the team has a more better chance of winning and qualifying.