By Osasu Obayiuwana
BBC Sport |
 Okocha does not know when he will report to camp |
Nigeria captain Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha is unhappy with the failure of his country's government to provide the required financial support for the national team.
"For the last few years, we have not been getting the things that we expect from the government, which we used to get without problems in the past," Okocha told BBC Sport website in an exclusive interview.
"This situation has contributed to some of the problems we are having in the national team.
"Football is a game that needs money and giving your team what they need to prepare for a tournament [like the Nations Cup in Tunisia] is very important."
But the midfielder, who plays for English Premiership club Bolton Wanderers, admitted that other factors have played a role in Nigeria's failure to win an African title since 1994.
"We (the players) have let ourselves down and the people that believe in us.
"When you look at the talent that we have, we should be ahead of many countries.
"But poor management has also cost us a lot," Okocha said.
 |  We have let ourselves down and the people that believe in us |
The 30-year-old player warned that a bad peformance at next year's Nations Cup in Tunisia would be a 'disaster' for Nigeria.
"We should be dominating African football, so I am not thinking about elimination at an early stage."
Placed in Group D with former champions Morocco, South Africa and debutants Benin, Okocha said the Super Eagles face a tough task in snatching a quarter-final ticket.
"Morocco and South Africa are two good teams. You would expect these teams to reach the quarter-finals or semi-finals.
"But if we want to win this tournament, we must be prepared to play against the best sides, so I think it is good that we face them at an early stage."
Okocha said club commitments with Bolton would make it 'impossible' for him to join Nigeria's pre-Nations Cup training camp when it opens in the Portuguese town of Faro on 18 December.
"Depending on our club positions, some of us [in England] would not be in camp for up to two or three weeks after that date and I cannot say for sure when I will report to the camp.
"I would have to talk to my club and national managers to arrange a compromise.
"But as one of the oldest players in the national team, I know what is needed for the Nations Cup and I will be ready for it," he said.
MMIX
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