Oshoala, Oparanozie are plus to Super Falcons, says Edwin Okon

The Super Falcons trainer has praised the outstanding performances of the pair in 2014 for country and expects more in 2015 as both contend for the continent's top prize

Head coach of the Nigeria senior women national team, Edwin Okon has described the duo of Asisat Oshoala and Desire Oparanozie of Guingamp as rare stars of the Super Falcons in 2014.

The Nigerians will go neck to neck alongside Annette Ngo Ndom of Cameroon for the 2014 Glo/Caf African Women Player of the Year with the winner to be announced in Lagos on Thursday.

Okon said his ultimate delight will be for a Nigerian to emerge winner just as he believes the duo both deserve the award.

"I'm a father to all, not one. Who ever wins will is joy to me as long as it comes to Nigeria. Though I don't know what criteria is been used in judging the finalist, but for me who ever come out top is a plus for Super Falcons," Okon told Goal.

"I think there are many tournaments ahead of us with All African Games, Olympic 2016 qualifiers and the World Cup proper. We need to do more, they just need to work hard to sustain the success.

"If not that Man is not God, we will have relax and hope success will come, but things don't work that way. We thinking of working hard in all the competition we participate in," he continued.

"Who ever is invited, we don't want to know, the most important is that such player must have winning mentality. Even if its a child, if you don't have winning mentality, then you have nothing to do in the national team.

"We have many competitions ahead, most importantly the World Cup to surpass the previous record. We just have to work hard and get quality preparation," he concluded.

Aside the duo winning the African Women Championship in Namibia with Nigeria in 2014, Oparanozie won the golden boot with five goals and also individually outstanding netting nine goals to keep her French club in top four.

While Oshoala won the best player and golden boot at the Fifa U20 Women World Cup where Falconets finished as runners-up, best player at 2014 AWC and 2014 Federation Cup as well as a double title with Rivers Angels winning the maiden Nigeria Women Premier League and fifth Federation Cup.