NIGERIAN international Jay Jay Okocha said on Thursday that the present national team is good enough to qualify for the 2002 World Cup despite complaints that the squad is old and needs new players. “I wonder why people say we are too old. I don’t believe that. We’re very strong and still in good shape and we are doing well at our various clubs,” Okocha said. The Paris St Germain midfield star added: “At the last Nations Cup we did not do too badly. We were not knocked out in the first round. We went right up to the last match of the championship. By all standards, nobody can say our performance was below average. “I agree that certain areas of the team need new players but you don’t just throw away the entire team.” Nigeria, who reached the finals stage at the last two World Cups, begin their 2002 campaign for the championship at home against Sierra Leone on June 17. The team lost the final of the African Nations Cup in February to Cameroon on a disputed penalty shoot-out.