Jo Bonfrere, a Dutch and former Nigeria national team manager, has exclusively told Completesports.com from his native country, the Netherlands, that Super Eagles were lucky to have plucked a 1-0 win against Burundi in their first Group B match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Alexandria, Egypt, on Saturday.
Bonfrere, who guided Nigeria’s U-23 Eagles – the Dream Team 1, to win the soccer gold medal of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, told Completesports.com that the Super Eagles players lacked creativity, as well as falling short of scoring ideas.
“I watched the match on television here in Holland,” Bonfre responded when Completesports.com called him up moments after the game.
“And I’m happy that Nigeria won their first match, but the Super Eagles did not impress me the way they played.”
Bonfrere, who was in charge of the Super Eagles when they won a silver medal in the 2000 edition of the AFCON jointly hosted by Ghana and Nigeria, went on to reel out Super Eagles’ shortcomings in the match against Burundi’s Swallows.
“There was no combination, no creativity, no proper penetrative moves. It’s just running, running and running,” Bonfrere remarked.
“This cost them of goal scoring ideas. If it were not the defensive blunder by the Burundian defender, perhaps the result would have been different.”
He adds that despite the apparent poor showing of the three-time African champions in Saturday’s game, Nigerians should be happy with the result – a crucial win in their first match of the tournament.
“When you win first game (of a tournament), the players grow in confidence,” Bonfrere said.
“If the players are in good confidence, and the manager teaches them good combinations, and they create scoring chances and score, yes, scoring is very important, then they will have good chance.
“There are big players in the Super Eagles. But they must do well in combinations, creativity and how to score goals.”
Super Eagles’ next match is against the Syli Nationale Guinea on Wednesday, June 26. They will round off their group campaign against the Barea of Madagascar on June 30.
Exclusive by Sab Osuji
31 Comments
Bonfere! Abeg leave am like that o!! hnn!!!
Nigeria next match is against Guinea not Madagascar. Give us reliable information please!
We struggled again as is the custom with Rhor.
Why play Mikel in #10?
Mikel is a holding MF, why play 3 defensive midfielers? Are we that scared of Burundi?
Why for goodness sake not play Ndidi and Mikel at holding midfield and Iwobi Musa and Chukwueze then Ighalo or Onach as #9.
I am not disappointed, this is Rhor we are talking about.
If we pack the middle against Burundi, what will we do against Egypt, Morocco, Senegal, Ivory coast?
This is Rhor’s “next level”
Am just ashamed of Nigeria , we can not just do any thing right.
What a shame!
You are absolutely right CJ. I’ve been trying to give Rohr a chance but it’s so obvious that I wonder what he looks or checks for during training. Even on paper why would you pair very fast wingers and attackers with a slow AM? Like how are they supposed to transition together into attack. Iwobi operates better through the middle as AM and we saw in the qualifiers how many goals we banged in. (10 goals in 3 games if you count the wrongly disallowed goals against SA) why would he change that set up instead of building on it and reinforcing cohesion to that effect so the AM, wingers and strikers understand each other’s movement. I am beginning to doubt Rohrs tactical depth and acumen.
@ DIPO It read Nigeria next match is against Syli Nationale of Guinea so where did you get MADAGASCAR from? too much drink? Well its Saturday so I can understand.
It was changed. Original report said our next match would be against Madagascar.
Thanks jare … too much drink
But he is right even though tactical changes were forced due to depletion of squad, he expected to see more especially from the middle!!! Aina and Simon shld start on both flanks next tym so dere can be more penetration….
When this man (speaks) I listen and not only listen but attentively. Word of wisdom bonfrere as you know know Nigerian football in and out. Believe me, if Nigeria senior team and under 23 team want to do well in the future, employ bonfrere as the local coach to the foreigner. I am not saying Rohr should be sacked because he is trying but he needs someone like bonfrere to achieve goals and objectives of Nigerian fan.
Well spoken. I’m 100% agreed with you bro. We need a young Nigerian coach who can read game this way.
NFF are trying. NFF should hire Jo as a coach trainer, so that he can discover so many young Nigerian coaches in less than a year. Then, they need to be exposed to the world football. Coach Rohr is trying no doubt but he can’t be there forever. Look at how this man analyzed the match. I still remembered AFCON 2000. Thank you coach Jo and Coach Westerhof for your great achievements. God bless Nigeria!!!
Omo9ja, I know you and I have similar sporting reasoning. I want NFF to create room to bring westerhof and bonfrere together and make them coach Nigeria again before their lifetime. Westerhof has commanding voice among players and know politics in sports while Bonfrere has the technic side of the sport,he has good eyes for good players can manage players very well. This is what Nigerian football needs at this point in time. Believe me I like Coach very much and want success to come out of him while he manage Nigeria national team. My desire is to see Westerhof and Bonfrere to coach Nigeria once again and if not the two but Bonfrere should be given a chance.
Me too. It’s a good idea but both of them doesn’t like each other anymore.
Westerhof feels like Jo has betrayed him. He doesn’t wants to see Jo at all. I think both of them can still coach Super Eagles. Sure NFF will go for OJ because Westerhof doesn’t take nonsense.
He knows Nigerians can’t do without politics game.
We can’t compared those two men to coach Rohr.
Coach Rohr is like sit down there manager. This is what NFF likes. A coach that prefers Akpeyi to other goalkeepers in Nigeria? NFF should Ban our league if Akpeyi and two others are the best Nigeria have at the moment. Hmmm, nkanbę ę lol.
It is well bro. God bless Nigeria!!!
Hmmmmm are they still active? When and where did they coach last?
Biko help me ask them again o. Since both of them left Nigeria what else have they achieved…? When last did they coach…? Na by to Sidon for armchair dey criticize others…?
You go fear sporting reasoning. LMAO.
Sorry because u know nothing about this game mr man,who is bonfre jo,what has achieved nothing he won olympic with westerhof players,idiot like him,After that what again
Why must Bonfre Jo be brought back? Why recycle when there are others to try? If a coach isn’t doing well,he can be fired and another good one hired but as it is now..Rohr is doing well.
Tactic or no tactic or combination,all I know is Nigeria will be champions again this year.
this is modern football joor, u cant compare these days to early 2000’s , every team stands a chance. To me, I saw positive approach from the SE, good tikitika..imagine Guinea needing a penalty to survive the scare from Madagascar… no underrate any team oh! na 11men against eleven men!…
Stunned to read, that Guinea needed a penalty to avoid a shocking defeat.African football is so unpredictable however,the super eagles should find a way to create chances,the organization from defense to midfield looked solid but the link to the attackers appeared broken.
I was particularly impressed by Chukwueze, Aina and Ndidi yesterday.We all just want to see this team do us proud.
If Bonferre Jo is dat gud why e Neva get gud jobs like coaching a National side or club side??? Must he coach Nigeria?? He is an old skool with archaic coaching pattern.. football don pass dat stage bros..Do u still remember how he left naija?? D eagles are better like dis..Go coach another team let’s see..
RHOR MUST PLAY MIKEL IN HIS RIGHTFUL PLACE. TOGETHER WITH NDIDI THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HOLD MIDFIELD, BUILDUP PLAY WHILE IWOBI AS ATM. PERIOD
Don’t mind that confusionist called BonfreJo he think it is easy to say with mouth. wasn’t he lucky to win Olympic too abi why didnt he win the nations cup with all the players Nigeria had then. Besides coaches like his age are still active in more than football coaching now, why hasn’t he gotten a job now? rubbish. For those saying NFF should hire Westerhof and Bonfrejo I pity your life cos ur mumu get level. These people coached Nigeria of different occasion and we all know what happened in their respective second stint. What would you said of Egypt vs Zimbabwe match? what Dr Congo Uganda and Guinea, Madascar, do wanna say their coach or team was this or that? Africa football has greatly improved and can compete against any team in the world shikena. The boys really tried to break down the stubborn Burundi defense and it is obvious that a mistake will only leads to goal just like the super falcons France match u guys were praising Falcons for their heroic after the defeat. why not praise this Burundian team for their heroic against SE oh! u thought Nigeria will wallop them 4:0 sorry it is not what u think. Kudos to coach Rohr and his boys
modern football sorry
I am amazed when people say the goal scored was as a result of a mistake! How else do players score if not for mistakes in the defense? As for Bonfere, he lost to Liberia and Sierra Lone at the 2002 world cup qualifiers and he has not coached any team of note since he was sacked by the then NFA.
NDIDI (DM) MIKEL (CM) IWOBI (AM) PLEASE OGA ROHR ETEBO NA BOMB WAITING TO EXPLODE
Omo9ja am supprise at u oo,so u ar listining to that betrayer called bonfre joe,what is him still doing in nigeria after 20 years that his contract finished with nff then NFA,we dont need his ideas,he won that medal in 96 jo,with westerhof team,after that what again did him offer,Rohr can even be his proffesor,ara gbaa ya
Joe shoud pickup his phone and tell Rohr please not CS
When ever Jo speaks I see wisdom and listen!
Not because his is white or for his records but he speaks sense. If u like abuse him.
He has said exactly what d problem is.
As though we sat and watched the matches together. Exactly my thought too!
U know a typical Nigerian likes to deceive him self with fairy tale hopes and skilled at lying to himself.
It was a nonsense show from a highly rated Super Eagles side.
Some times I wonder how una dey watch the match.
Football analyst like us will not be impressed by your much running around and muscling. Football is neither athletics or wrestling.
Have u asked ur self how and why a “muscleless” and “slender” European team will play an African wrestler-like team with muscles and beat them 4:0?
Lolz if u can answer this question correctly then can come to the class of men like us when analysing a team as Jo just did.
I am not saying he was the best coach but his analysis of the match is so apt.
I have always told u here that Rohr is a scam!
I know him! The white tortoise.
In fact he is a white head with a black African mentality.
He has frolic amongst black teams and and knows the African tricks.
He is a Pinpon- toy before the big boys and NFF.
Mikel 10? How?
Akpeyi No1? How?
Mikel is holding midfielder and cannot be the attacking midfielder we want him to be. He is defence minded and cannot make a strike on goal?
When last did Mikel score a goal.
Who told him to remove Mikel and send iwobi to the position?
Hahahahaha
I told u guys these people know what they are doing.
Big boys say I want to play here, coach say OK sir.
Akpeyi’s godfather is very strong to be able to fight him to the NO1 position ahead of Ezeawa.
We are waiting for his next blunder that will send Niger home.
MY FORMATION IF I WERE THE COACH.
I will Play a 3.5.2 formation.
Goal keeper- Ezeawa No 1
( when injured the guy not Akpeyi at the post)
in fact Akpeyi will not be in my team list.( nations cup is not a time to console and encourage a goal keeper’s career)
DEFENCE
Moses simon left back
Aina right back
(NB: Shehu is good defensively but offers no threat up front.so what u do after goals have come like 2 or 3 goals up. Then remove Simon and bring Shehu and revert back to 5.4.1 or 4.4.2 formation. When this is done if u like u can remove Balogon.)
Omeruo, Ekong, the d other white guy, Balogun as 3 man defence.
(U can see what Aina did yesterday.)
MIDFIELD
Play Ndidi blocking 4, Mikel holding midfield, then Iwobi attacking midfield(that’s No 10)
ATTACK
Chukwueze/Onyekuru/kalu and Odion Ighalo/ Onuachu/Musa.
if I were to choose the first team attack, it would depend on the opposition and playing.
For me: Chukwueze and Igholo is OK for a start.
Then u shall see FLOODS OF GOALS coming in like water.
We know what to do to bring the cup and have SUCCESS!
but will they do it?
All other players available can come in any time as subs.
God bless the SUPER EAGLES
God bless NFF
God bless NIGERIA.
and the opposition will stand and look at you like zombies..self acclaimed coach cum analyst..Imagine u saying SE played nonsense..we played a team who refused to play most times and would rather defend,did u see the series of passes..when last did you have a SE team who can complete multiples without giving away the ball to the opposition…. From my assessment, Mikel shudnt even start..Ndidi,Iwobi and Etebo are good enough for the work…….
Thank God you’re not our Coach
Players such as Odion Ighalo, William Troost-Ekong and Ikechukwu Ezenwa nursed some minor injuries while in the Eagles camp, while some caught the flu on the team’s arrival in Alexandria. Everyone isn’t fit. Four or five players missed one week of training and have only trained for a few days. So do not form a team with unfit players.