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PREPARING SOUTH AFRICA FOR THE WORLD |
Joseph Yobo currently plays for Everton and the Nigerian national team. He is the younger brother of former Nigeria international Albert Yobo. He played in the Super Eagles' three matches[8] in Japan and South Korea, for the 2002 World Cup, and even provided the assist for his side's only goal of the tournament.[9] He spoke to CNN about the upcoming World Cup in South Africa...  Even though the World Cup is in Africa, it's actually in the country of Nigeria's bitter rivals, South Africa. Tell us a bit about the rivalry for those of us that don't know. Yeah I don't think its much because we've played them a couple of times. Because we have loads of Nigeria living in South Africa, I think that's where the problem is. Its not Nigerian, South Africa, it's the egos of Nigerians staying in South Africa- they always say that Nigerians are the best and then they get into arguments with the South Africans who know we're not. So they have their own ego thing going on there but I think its very friendly- we've played South Africa a few times and we haven't had any issues. We get on very well, they're a good side but I think Nigeria is supposed to be one of the best because of what all the other have done before and the standard they have set. We've played them a few times, we've done very well against them, now we're playing in their country. They're not in our group so we hope we don't meet them because that's where the problem is going to start again. Nigeria, South Africa- I don't think that many of the South Africans would want to support Nigeria for one or two reasons but at the same time, they'll be behind the African teams. Joseph, tell us about the opponents in Group B. It's a tricky group but one that you may be confident of qualifying from. Yeah you know we have Argentina, South Korea and Greece. Its going to be very difficult everyone I focusing on Argentina but South Korea and Greece, I think they're going to cause us troubles as well. I think if we've got the game against Argentina, we'll hopefully get a good result and take the same attitude into the game against South Korea and Greece and hopefully we'll be ok to go to the next stage. It's going to be very very difficult because they struggled to qualify as well, the same as Nigeria and they have world class individual players. Nigeria, we are a bit short of that but we know that on the day, if we can play as a team, we can match them up. But apart from that, as I said, we have South Korea, we have Greece, which is going to be very tough openers because we don't really know much about them, and all the focus is on Argentina. But I believe that what the coach is going to do will work and as players, I take the same attitude because Argentina looks like the biggest game for us and it's the first game. We have something to prove so if we take the same attitude and character to the rest of the games, hopefully we'll be fine. You've been a successful player for many years, but Nigeria last won the African Cup of Nations back in the mid-1990s. You've got to an FA Cup Final with Everton but didn't quite win it and you weren't in the Nigeria squad that won a silver medal at Beijing- I guess you'd love to have a trophy of something at the end of it- have you allowed yourself to dream of lifting that World Cup trophy? No, I haven't actually because as you said earlier, I've played for my country for quite a while and you know I'm a big-time player for my country which for me, every time I go on the pitch, I've seen different errors coming and going and I haven't really lifted any trophies and so my dream is always there and I hope one day that every tournament I go into I want to win; I want to get to the finals and I've been very unlucky- especially in the African Nations Cup, three times bronze and I've been itching to get to the finals, at least get close. The World Cup is something special. You know, 2002 we didn't do very well, 2006, we didn't qualify- I just think its going to be very very difficult to say "Oh, Nigeria is going to win the World Cup." But I think if we get out of the group, because you know, a team like Nigeria will get better with more games that we play and if we get out the group, we can take each game as it comes. But you know, it would be a lifetime dream to get close to lifting that trophy. Joseph, you're right obviously to highlight Argentina as a dangerous opponent in Group B, everyone has been talking about Lionel Messi this season- how do you rate Lionel Messi, what are his strengths and weaknesses as you see it? I think he is unbelievable. He seems to get better and better. He is one player that you can't really see his strengths and his weaknesses. Every time he is on the ball, you know something is going to happen. I haven't really watched him playing that much for Argentina but I've watched him with Barcelona and he is unbelievable. He deserves to be the world's best and he can win a game on his own. But football is not just about one player- they still have Tevez, Aguero, other players in the team- they have a big strong team. How do you defend against somebody like that? Its going to be very very difficult. I thin it's the same if you ask any defender how to defend against him. I just think we have to do it as a team than doing it as an individual because he moves everywhere on the pitch and you cant just pick someone to go with him because the way he plays, he finds his freedom on the pitch which makes him very exceptional and hard to play against. But if we defend as a team, and keep out possession and be strong, and keep the concentration for ninety minutes, hopefully we can do it. more interviews...
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