Lagerbäck tagets World Cup semis for Nigeria

Nigeria's new coach Lars Lagerback believes the Super Eagles have the talent to reach the World Cup semi-finals in South Africa this summer.

The Swede watched from the stands as an under-strength Super Eagles side beat DR Congo 5-2 in Abuja on Wednesday.

After the game he was asked if reaching the World Cup semis is realistic.

"I think it is quite possible, I think every coach, every country going into a competition they always have their aim to winning it," he said.

"You have good individual skills in Nigeria so if we can get that together with the players, I think we have a fairly good chance to go far in the World Cup."

But he added that good planning will be the key to Nigeria's success or otherwise in South Africa.

"[I'm] Trying to plan everything in as much detail as possible to get really ready when we get the team really together for the training camps," he told BBC Sport.

Nigeria have been drawn in a group alongside Greece, Argentina and South Korea at the World Cup.

Lagerback got the Nigeria job ahead of the likes of former England coaches Sven Goran Eriksson and Glenn Hoddle as well as Bruno Metsu and Ratomir Dujkovic.

The former Sweden coach replaces Shaibu Amodu, who was moved to look after the locally-based side for the African Nations Championship after he failed to win the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

BBC Online, Mar. 4th, 2010