Austin Eguavoen has said Super Eagles players have a big role to play by themselves turning their own fortunes around.
The Eagles will begin the qualifying campaign for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with a home game against Cheetahs of Benin Republic on Saturday, September 7 in Uyo.
Then on matchday 2, the team will be guest to Rwanda in Kigali which will come up on Tuesday, September 10.
The Eagles have been in poor form in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after failing to win any of their four fixtures so far (three draws, one draw).
Speaking ahead of the double header, Eguavoen stated that the Eagles have the players to make things happen.
“Nigeria is a nation that in terms of football a lot of countries respect and there’s no difference in this one,” Eguavoen said on NFF TV. “I am very confident that we will scale through in this two games and beyond.
Also Read: AFCON 2025 Qualifiers: Tanimu Replaces Injured Osayi-Samuel
“We have the players, the personnels, we have the support, we have everything, they (players) were almost African champions months ago so it’s them.
“We will do everything that we have to do as technical crew and of course the federation and for Nigerians to rally round them but they are the ones to turn the table around.”
The 1994 AFCON winner added:”I have spoken to them and we will still have series of meetings before the game proper and I’m confident they would do the nation proud but we will treat Benin with respect, we will play them with big respect but this is our our home.“
Eguavoen was drafted in as Eagles coach after Bruno Labbadia turned down the offer of handling the team.
He will be assisted by Remo Stars coach Daniel Ogunmodede and Fidelis Ilechukwu of Rangers.
Meanwhile, the number of Super Eagles players have increased to 20 following the arrival of Bruno Onyemaechi and Raphael Onyedika.
Victor Osimhen, Maduka Okoye and Kelechi Iheanacho are the players yet to report arrive.
Crawley Town new signing, Benjamin Tanimu has been called up to replace Bright Osayi-Samuel who is injured.
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It’s up to the players. They must by themselves turn things around.
They know when to attack, and when to defend. No need for tactics.
Ogun Efon, hmmm. Best wishes!
He is already laying down an excuse. He forgot the players did not pick themselves in the squad but he did. Several bench warmers and “inactive” players are expected to lead the charge of revolution. I laugh.
Pompeii….are you see what I am saw….?!
Like Finidi, like Eguavoen.
Let me join you in wishing them all the best.
If dem like make dem nor respect Benin republic….body go tell them.
LMAO
They should just go and express themselves as usual. God will deliver our football o
They should go and express themselves as usual.
Eguavon the wise.so the coach has no contributions to make to team success?It looks as if it is all over
In fact, nothing is working positively in Nigeria. Fans don’t enjoying the unifying factor ( football) . Everything is vertually about politics. No comfort,no peace.no security,no food on the table and funny enough no more enjoyment in football.
God will see us through
Without being disrespectful to Coach Finidi George, his former team mate and former manager in the NFF Austin Eguavoen is a better communicator. I also feel Eguavoen brings that bit more discipline to bear, perhaps being a former defender.
He handled this team not that long ago and was within hair’s breath of qualifying for the 2022 world cup, something that left a deep mental scar in the mind of fans.
So, Alhaji Gusau has brought him back for another rescue mission.
Let’s hope Eguavoen can at least mastermind a minimum of 2 points from these round of games.
Will he play his 4-4-2 used in Kumasi or 4-1-4-1 largely used in Abuja in his last 2 games?
My money is on 4-1-4-1 which provides ample bodies to midfield. If I am right, the starting line up could have Okoye sat behind Tanimu, Ekong, Ajayi,Bassey. I expect Ndidi to sit behind Dele-Bashiru and Iwobi in midfield with Lookman and Chukwueze providing width. Awoniyi will serve as the sole centre forward.
It’s a formula some of these players are familiar with and one I think can unlock their potentials.
If he does elect for his traditional 4-4-2, then it might see Nwabili headlining behind Ndah, Ekong, Bassey and Onyemaechi. Ndidi and Onyeka will be the midfield duo with Lookman and Iheanacho providing width. Then the 2 upfront will be Taiwo and Boniface. This is largely experimental and highly unlikely to play out.
Whichever way, I am banking of the slightly higher level of discipline Eguavoen brings to bear to deliver minimum 2 points from these games.
Good luck to the Super Eagles!
While I think we need a more sound coach, I have greater confidence in an Eguavoen than a Finidi.
The final outcome of the 2022 WCQ notwithstanding, he pulled a promising result away and got carried away at home. If only Simon had nicked that glaring chance. In Eufa, a penalty would have decided the ticket as it ended in a draw.
I reckon Aina is part of the set up?Rightly,Eguavoen is an improvement on his predecessor Finidi George..Hopefully,we would see a better performance and result..
Team effectiveness is how well players work together to achieve their goals.Each member has a clearly defined role based on their unique skills,we also need skilled coaches as leaders to lead the team to victory against shrewd opposition coaches.
Gernot Rohr is a highly skilled coach who knows how to play ugly and gets the results he needs,our bench aren’t good enough to wrestle with sly old fox,Gernot Rohr..But we have superior players and playing at home with a mammoth crowd cheering hopefully,that would spur our players to an emphatic victory..
I agree Greenturf.
I think Rohr will find Eguavoen slightly more formidable than Finidi. Finidi’s style is more breezy but Eguavoen’s is more business-like.
Eguavoen is an Afcon Bronze medallist coach, same as Rohr for Nigeria. So I am just a little more assured going into this encounter though my expectations remain rock bottom . 🙁
2 points equals 2 draws, is that your expectation or a typo?
The thing no tire you? Was actually expecting @deo to correct himself, but my guy still repeat the same minimum 2pts from possible 6pts against Benin and who again self? Shaiii that’s to tell you how low the SE have dropped.
My brother Femi, I will hug 2 points like a girl that just agreed to sleep with me. Our football is in the gutters. To appoint a competent coach for the Super Eagles, this NFF cannot even manage that.
What do you expect; for me to expect 6 points? You go and be wildly optimistic; Good for you! this is not my first rodeo with the NFF!
Only a deluded fan will have high expectations of the Super Eagles under this shambolic management atmosphere of our football that the NFF is fermenting.
I will “manage” 2 draws; if Finidi had achieved 2 draws, we wouldn’t be in as dire a situation as we currently are.I think we are just feeding off crumbs these days by this incompetent NFF.
@deo
I understand your feeling. One should be wary. You never know which Eagles will turn up.
But I dare say, if we are to play for 2pts, then there is no need to keep these boys in camp, let them go back to their bases. We should prosecute both games with homebased players or better, yet we should forfeit both games based on lack of funds.
What is the point of wasting funds on accommodation, allowances, bonuses, flight etc. just to hope for 2pts?
Even with a Finidi, that We knew was incapable from the onset, we expected much more against SA and Benin.
Although, he has his shortcomings, At least, most agree Eguaveon is a better than Finidi; record proves that. So why should we be expecting nothing less than the maximum points against, respectfully, Benin and Rwanda?
If there is no optimism, it is pointless playing those games. That’s my take.
Mr Hush,
When I “appeared” optimistic during Finidi’s reign, I was slaughtered mercilessly on this platform, hurled through the coals, vilified remorselessly, with some going as far as calling me an NFF stooge.
Now I have lowered my expectations, I am being called out again.
I can’t win! Haha haha! 🙂
I feel you brotherly @deo
It happens. we don’t win all the time.
what matters is you stay true to your convictions. proven wrong or right, we learn.
Sometimes, this feeling is beyond us; Passion for the game and country always leaves one optimistic. Whatever happens after, we face it….
“They are the ones to turn the table around.”
NFF, look at what you are doing to Nigeria.
Nigeria is a great nation no doubt but those in charge of Nigeria are failing Nigerians.
How could Eguavon be saying this?.
Finidi also said formation is not important in football. These incompetent local coaches are not needed in the national team when we have the best local coaches available for the job.
It is a big disgrace to see Eguavon and Finidi around the Super Eagles.
This is a rare opportunity for Sia1 to build Eagles and preparing the team ahead of the world cup qualifiers but the greedy NFF and Eguavon are at it again.
It won’t go down well if Eguavon failed once again.
If anything goes wrong, Nigerians will hold NFF ajewomasan the debtors response oooo. Ire o. God bless!!!
@omo9ja I thought we are going to see “total football” from “Mr Nonsense”? I thought you said anybody can achieve great thing with the super eagles team except rohr?
as usual anoda grammar wey no get swagger 4rm Mr ire o
This is a useless man. The hell is he talking about?
Hian! Akụkọ Mike Ejeagha
Calamity phonemes the players wil go there and win big,Benin players will be on the field drinking 1942.
Omo9ja, I don’t agree with you at all….I think the coach has made a very strong point in his submission that the onus lies on the players to chun out results.
The fans are giving them the necessary support, they are playing at home, they should understand the level of expectations from the Nigerian people as a team and individually, they have to bring out the best form to achieve good results… and no matter what the coaches may have planned out with the players, the onus still lies on the players on the field to get the results…
He has not said anything out of context in my estimation and must not be disrespected for that reason also.
Let us, instead, join him in ensuring that the players are well informed and aware that they need to get us results…. simple!
Sugar Daddy,
I concur.
I don’t see where Eguavoen has put a foot wrong in his statement above. Indeed footballers have to stand up and be counted as he rightly pointed out; there is only so much a coach can do from the stands. Had Bassey been more alert against Benin, Finidi might still be Super Eagles coach. If not for bicycle kick shenanigans from Osimhen, selfishness from Simon in Ghana, slight misjudgments from Okoye and Uzoho, and needless red card foul from Iwobi, Eguavoen’s last tenure could have ended differently because his tactical choices and direction were manageable and minimally sound.
Ultimately though, the buck stops with him as a coach hence he was rightly criticised for those shortcomings.
Should the team fail again, Eguavoen should carry the can and must resign as Technical Director. He selected the players and has ample time to observe from the sidelines and take remedial actions swiftly.
If it’s all down to the players, then what is the point of appointing a Coach?
Agreed, players have a part to play but in football and sports, coaching has a far more integral role. Tactics and player selection goes a long way in defining final results.
There is a reason this same team got to the AFCON final and in the same year, under a new Management, can’t seem to get a win! Simply put, it was down to coaching.
It will be wise for Eguaveon to get his tactics and player selection right rather than just put everything on the players.
Oh! My bad then. I hadn’t spotted where Eguavoen concluded that “it was all down to the players (to produce success)”. If indeed he made such a statement in its entirety without background or context, then I think it is misjudged, misleading and misguided.
I was only responding to the quotes attributed to Eguavoen in the article above where he said:”We will do everything that we have to do as technical crew // We have the players, the personnels, we have the support, we have everything, they (players) were almost African champions months ago.”
Based on the excerpt captured above, those statements formed the bedrock of my position of “collective responsibility” stated in my reply to Mr Sugar-Daddy where I stated that the buck stops with Eguavoen and he should take ultimate responsibility for any failure of the team by resigning despite the shortcomings of the team.
I maintain, although the coaches will not go and teach high profile players like Bassey how to stay alert, or a world class Osimhen players when to choose a more pragmatic method over flamboyant bicycle kicks in a high stakes encounter. still the coach holds ultimate responsibility for failure or success.
But the players too have to be apportioned blame where applicable because responsibility for success and failure have to be shared between coach and players.
But ultimately, I think the coach should rightly take the lion’s share of blame.
Thank you very much Mr Hush.
It is all down to the players yet the NFF and its technical department has been scampering around from world for the past 9months looking for a world class coach for whom they are ready to cough out $80,000 every month. Holding meetings of meetings, screenings over screenings and talks over talks.
Why didn’t they just deploy Ladan Bosso to the SE as head coach…?
With Eguavoen in charge, shifting responsibility to the players just like his cultmate Finidi, I choose to remain pessimistic about our chances of qualifying for AFCON.
I wouldn’t be suprised if our first 2 games both end in draws….especially now that the availability of Osimhen is in doubt.
I agree with you Mr Eguavoun the coach will sit on the bench to do his job while the players will do the battle on the pitch.a coach is not a magician.
Don’t worry….like Eguavoen together with his 9 dullard local coaches sat down on the bench in Abuja during the WCQ expecting the players to do battle when all the team needed was a change tactics to counter Ghana’s Coach’s change of tactics, He should also sit down on the bench and be waiting for the players to turn themselves to shaka zulu on the pitch.
Our opponents players don’t know how to do battle too…..they have traveled hundreds of mile to come and collect autographs and go back to their homes.
In 2024 the technical director of Nigerian football still doesn’t realize that top level football matches are won from the bench…..LMAOoo
How on earth did we get here….!!!
Shaka Zulu! Oni Yeye ni Dr. Drey yi sha! Hahahaha! I guess they will play like Jaja of Opobo before being banished!
Shaka Zulu!
Lmaooo….Bro said Shaka zulu