Bassey: Nigeria no loss at Afcon

African Football Confederation member Paul Bassey says his native Nigeria were not missed at the 2012 Cup of Nations.

Traditional heavyweights Nigeria were one of several countries who surprisingly failed to qualify for this year’s competition in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Having returned to Lagos after the tournament, which Zambia won with a penalty shootout victory over favourites Ivory Coast, veteran journalist and CAF technical officer Bassey dismissed any suggestion Nigeria were badly missed.

“We should not deceive ourselves. Everybody that came for the Nations Cup cannot say they miss any country,” Bassey told Goal.com.

“Look at the organisation and the level of the game. Can anybody say he is not satisfied with it?”

“What will the Super Eagles (Nigeria) add to the competition? They did not qualify so should try harder to qualify for the next edition.”

“Without Nigeria, the competition will continue and there will always be quality football to be played.”

“The best thing to do is for the Super Eagles to prepare well and qualify for the next edition because nobody will miss them if they don’t.”