’84 Nations Cup: Peters denies match-fixing allegation

From RAMSAY UGELE, Abuja –
Coach James Peters who was Assistant Coach to the Eagles class of  1984 has rubbished claims by former Algerian player Mohammed Shuoaib that Nigeria and Algeria played an accord game to ease out the Black Stars of Ghana in the Nations Cup that was hosted by Cote d’Ivoire.
Peters who was assisting Chief Adegboye Onigbinde who was the chief coach then told newsmen at the Glass House yesterday that both teams, Nigeria and Algeria knew what was at stake so they had to charge the players to brace up.
“It was a tournament, the current Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi was the captain and one of our defence stalwarts and playing  against a highly mobile and attacking Algerian national team marshalled by the great Rabah Madjer, so we tactically resolved to play for a draw as a worse result, but if the winning goal comes why not,’’ adding that they on the bench never asked the players to play accord game.
“If they the players did that on the pitch we would not know, but for us on the bench the instruction we gave was to lock out the likes of  Belloumi, Madjer and Benkhallidi  who were so swift from entering our defence.’’
He recalled that one of the strengths of the Eagles then was the defence.
“The instruction Baba and I gave was that Keshi, Sunday Eboigbe, Kingsley Paul, Yisa Shofoluwe and I think one Amos Edosogbe… I can’t really remember   now… shut out the Algerians because  a draw was enough for us.’’
He said the Algerian national team was one of the top teams in the continent then.
“We never accounted for the ouster of Ghana, and don’t forget, we went ahead to play in the final against Cameroun led by the great Theophile Abega. It is rubbish for anybody to come round to say Nigeria fixed match with Algeria,’’ Jaypee said.

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