A cross section of Football fans across the country has expressed mixed reactions to the monthly FIFA ranking where Nigeria dropped three spots from the 33rd to 36th position.

Some of them expressed surprise that given Super Eagles’ performance in recent times and their qualification for the 2014 World Cup Nigeria would have moved up the ladder.

James Peters, the Assistant Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), said he could not understand the criteria used in the ranking as Nigeria lost grounds in spite of improved performance adding that they also played a Grade A friendly match with Italy which ended 2-2.

Peters said Super Eagles’ 0-1 loss to Jordan on Oct. 29 in an international friendly match could not have been used because Nigeria fielded the home based players in the game.

He said Nigerians should not be bothered by the ranking because “it does not reduce or add anything” to the Super Eagles as it does not affect their performance.

He also explained that If they were to go by that, they would not have qualified for the world cup, because they didn’t rate them well.

On his part Mr Victor Orji, President, Federation of Public Service Games (FEPSGA), said the drop in the ranking would make the Super Eagles to work harder.

He added that no matter what the criteria is, it is okay because it will make the Eagles work harder noting that when you are overrated, it could be dangerous.

A sports journalist, Kehinde Abdulrahman, said he was not surprised by the drop but was worried by the steps the Super Eagles lost adding that notwithstanding, the fact remains that the Super Eagles are getting better by the day and that is the most important thing for us now,