By Osasu Obayiuwana BBC Sport

Akide says she is undeterred by criticism

Former African female Player of the Year Mercy Akide has hit out at critics who claim she no longer deserves a place in Nigeria's Super Falcons.

Nigeria's attacking midfielder told BBC Sport, after their 3-0 win over England, that she is determined to continue her international career.

"I don't care if [the Nigerian media] say I am not doing well because when they say I am not good, I work hard to do better," Akide told BBC Sport in Reading.

"The fact that I am not scoring does not mean I am not doing well.

"When I have been pushed to the midfield and others are pushed forward, I can't do more than I am doing now.

I don't care if they say I am not doing well Former African female Player of the Year Mercy Akide

"But not everyone [in the Nigerian media] understands this. There are some people that would not like me no matter what.

"But my fans are still behind me and they (her critics) will not push me into doing what they want me to do," Akide said.

Akide is one of four African players selected for the All-Star squad that will play against world champions Germany in the Fifa centennial match in Paris on 20 May.

"It's a big honour and everyone expects me to do well," she said.

"But I intend to enjoy the match because playing football is supposed to be fun."

Although the Super Falcons dominate African female football, they have struggled to become a force at global level.

Nigeria has never gone beyond the preliminary round at the Olympics, although they are the only African side to have reached the quarter-final of a World Cup.

After making the last eight at the 1999 tournament in America, the Super Falcons lost all three games at the group stage of the 2003 World Cup.

Akide admits Nigeria's performance at the last tournament was disappointing.

"It was sad but there was nothing I could do. I hope that our training tour for this Olympics will prepare us properly.

"Everyone is looking up to us to do a good job of representing Nigeria at the Olympics [in Athens], especially as our male counterparts failed to qualify.

"We are going to do better because out fitness level is better and we are having a lot of practice games to prepare."

Akide said the team must not allow the expectations of supporters to become a psychological barrier when they seek to qualify for the second round at the Olympics.

"I think we should take one game at a time and win."