There are fears that Malaga, Spain, the chosen site for the final preparations of Nigeria’s Super Eagles for the forthcoming Nations Cup, may be too cold for the players, going by weather forecasts for the city in January, when the players are expected to converge for camping.
The cold spell sweeping through Europe has forced temperature in the city below 20 degrees Celsius, a far cry from the current temperature in Accra, Ghana (between 25 and 33 degrees Celsius), one of the four cities where the 26th edition of the Nations Cup will be held 20 January to 10 February 2008.
According to weather forecasts, the cold spell will continue through 6 January 2008, when the Eagles’ camp is billed to open with 31 players invited by German Coach Berti Vogts.
On that day, the forecast shows temperature in Malaga will be a high of 17 degrees Celsius, which will actually feel like 15 degrees because of the 19kph wind.
On the same day, Accra will record a temperature of 30 degrees Celsius, with a feel of 41 degrees Celsius.
The local Punch newspaper Sunday quoted a Nigerian living in Spain as saying that snow was currently falling in most parts of Spain.
”The weather is expected to drop further in January and the choice of Malaga is not good for the team going to Ghana,” the paper quoted the Nigerian, Steve Joseph, as saying.
Spokesman for the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Demola Olajire, has however said there is no cause to worry.
”We cannot jump to conclusions for now. If the place is going to be cold or not during the camping as expected, the NFA will investigate and act accordingly,” he said.
