Former Super Eagles skipper, Kanu Nwankwo, has challenged the home-based Eagles to repay coach Stephen Keshi’s faith in them with a resounding victory over Rwanda in Kigali next week when the two sides meet in the first leg , first round of the 2013 Africa Nations Cup qualifier.

Kanu was a surprise guest at the team’s training session at the FIFA Goal Project ground and his arrival turned the ground into a carnival-like atmosphere.

 ‘Papilo’ as he is fondly called  by admirers stormed the arena with three of his aides and he immediately caught the fancy of both the media, the technical crew and players who were sweating it out under the hot Abuja sun  which then stood at 35 degrees Celsius.

Kanu took a brief time off  Keshi’s hectic training schedule to whisper salutations into the ears of his former captain and waited patiently for training to end in order to address the players. At the end of the training session, the horde of pen pushers engaged him in all aspects of the game and he obliged them, after which he went straight with Keshi to address the players.

Addressing the team, Kanu  started by saying jokingly that he has come to battle for a shirt in the squad, to which Keshi replied that he was welcome, since he still features  for Portsmouth FC  in the English championship.

Afterwards, the former Arsenal forward said he has come to identify with  the players and to build the much needed confidence in them, as every Nigerian has the belief that the national team can go to Kigali in Rwanda next week to pick the three points at stake.

“You need to have confidence in yourself and  be determined  because some of your brothers are coming from Europe to join the team. They all started from here like you and you should show them that you can play as well as they can and demonstrate it when you engage Rwanda in Kigali ,” he said.

He also  praised the courage and belief of Keshi in the players and urged the players to repay Keshi with wins in all their qualifying games for the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup and the Brazil 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

Team skipper, Chigozie Agbim, who spoke on behalf of the players, thanked the two-time African Footballer of the Year,  for finding time to visit them in training and assured that the team will not let him and the Nigerian public down when they confront Rwanda in eight days time.