Former Nigerian midfielder, Henry Nwosu believes the interim coach of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen has the technical and tactical capability to edge out the Black Stars of Ghana in the 2022 World Cup playoff.
Nigeria are seeking to qualify for the World Cup a seventh time and, since 1994, have missed only one of seven editions. The last of three appearances by Ghana was in 2014.
Both legs will be played between March 21 and 29 with the aggregate winners securing a place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Recall that the Super Eagles crashed out of the ongoing 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after losing 1-0 to Tunisia in the Round of 16 while Ghana were eliminated from the Group Stages without a win.
However, in a chat with Completesports.com, Nwosu stated that Eguavoen has the technical and tactical know-how to overcome Ghana in the final playoff.
“I have never doubted Eguavoen’s technical and tactical know-how in the round leather game. I really think he has done a good job with the team despite their ouster from the AFCON tournament,” Nwosu, a former member of the Green Eagles that won 1980 AFCON told Completesports.com.
“It is in this regard I believe he has what it takes to overcome the Black Stars of Ghana for a slot in the 2022 World Cup playoff.”
28 Comments
I really don’t understand why they won’t tell Eguavoen where he got it wrong. If I am not mistaken, only Peterside Idah has been bold enough to say it. No doubt he did very well in the group stage of Afcon 2021 but failed to do the needful in the match against Tunisia. Eguavoen should have shown us how sound he is by changing formation in the second half when it was obvious to all that the wing play by the Super Eagles was not working. Both Moses Simon and Chukwueze were marked out. The Tunisian Asst coach even said that their plan to double check the wingers, especially Moses worked out. So the question now is he a one formation man? A good coach should be creative and should think out of the box. I don’t think Eguavoen can? We need a good coach whether Nigerian or foreigner to take us to the World cup
The truth is we didn’t have the required personnels to prosecute Afcon in cameroon and two weeks wasn’t going to be enough for any meaningful result, that’s the problem. The good think now in the forthcoming play-off, Odion, Osimhen and Dennis should be available for selection. I’m of the opinion that we should have a way forward than salivating over the already gone Afcon. Eguavoen would need to hit the ground running since we are left with two months to the match against the Black Stars.
You guys made sure Rohr was sacked. And your mentality is to sack a coach weeks to the nations cup.
@ Prwsh. Agreed with you. Don’t mind them. They were hooting for that novice boy Awoniyi and those playing in second division in Spain. ‘Let’s fail with own’ folks. With Ighalo and Osimhen and Dennis, we will still be playing Cameroon today.
@Alex Osale, it’s like you are new here or possibly changed your handle. Anyway, it is everybody pain that SE were booted out of Afcon but there is need to look beyond that by now. The SE themselves are looking ahead with their coach. God bless Nigerians.
Don’t mind the goat, his allegiance is not to Nigeria.
What happened in Cameroon has nothing to do with tactics. What Eguavoen should do now is to get Odion Ighalo, Victor Osimhen back to the team and booooom, we will start seeing goals again. The personnels that were available to Eguavoen 8n Cameroon, mostly the strikers were not good enough. It was evidential that they lack common ball control. I just finished watching a YouTube clip and see how many scoring opportunities Iheanacho wasted because he couldn’t the ball in 18yard box.
True.
All this egunje ex player that completes ports will be interviewed up and down. By the way what is exclusive in this interview?
If I am not mistaken, the same thing happened at Egypt 2006 where all the focus was on the wings and nothing concrete was coming through the middle. Little Mikel Obi and Sani Keita-both coming from the u-20 world in 2005-where left to face the likes of Didier Zokora, Romaric Kofiendri, Yaya Toure and the likes in midfield in the Semi finals and we could not even muster a shot on target in the first half. Sign the foreign coach to a contract and let him get us started.
I understand, I thought the already signed coach was at AFCON as to observe so why all this?
And i read someone saying ” What happened in Cameroon has nothing to do with tactics.”
So please if it`s not tactical deficiency, how can a depleted team with the worst performance among the 2nd round qualifiers outplay the best team in the tournament so far at that stage? How? What could be the reason?
And again someone saids “The truth is we didn’t have the required personnels to prosecute Afcon in cameroon and two weeks wasn’t going to be enough for any meaningful result”
So, all that did not affect the team in the group games where they are adjourned the best team so far in the tournament, then 100% record, 6-1 goals with no flaws. And then personels problem suddenly sink in and they lost to one of the worst teams so far in the tournament with a depleted team?
The issue is that the opponent came up with game plan that our coach, despite all the advantages he had cannot and did nothing to counter. PERIOD. And if the Ghanaian manages to get themselves a good tactical coach, then Nigeria will lose again tomorrow. It’s not about being patriotic here, it’s about the fact,
The truth remains that our main strikers were not available in cameroon. If we had Odion and Osimhen, much attention wouldn’t have been on Moses and Chukwueze. Unfortunately Eguavoen had to manage the available strikers. We saw how it was difficult for Iheanacho and co to trap balls in front of goal, that means the strikers don’t even have good ball control. The tactics was okay but the absence of personnels to prosecute the games was lacking. I am more concerned on the next match and not what didn’t happen in cameroon.
I will come up with a list of players I am suggesting to be invited for the match against Ghana.
The truth is that the Super Eagle of Nigeria where out smarted,what you need is a dynamic Coach who is tactically, or stick with Equevan who is tactically defficiate, if that is the best Nigeria can provide, then forget about the World Cup 2024.
On point if Sadiq, awoniyi n iheanacho had made use of the chances it would be been a diff story our problem was really striker problem but I was expecting Eguavon to bring in Ejuke to work from the middle with his skills but nothing.
@Ralph you said it all no need for explanation the truth is no tactics the tactics is go and express your self we have good player Tunisia come with a game plan that is your tactics go and see Egypt game round of 16 good game
There’s stil work to be done in the midfield and saying Eguavon knows how to take on Ghana isn’t convincing enough . What makes a coach knows his team is knowing how to be more creative . Rather than counting on formations alone , he needs to have certain ace of his sleeves when the heat gets higher . The mayc against Tunisia reveals quite a lot . Apart from getting Victor oshimen and Other strikers such as Dennis , Ighale . I still believe there is a need to call Akinwunmi Amoo as well as Cyriel Dessers . Then in the issue of wing play there have wingers in the past who know how to use both legs and switch to different positions without issues
Segun Odegbami and Adokie Amasiamaka, Finidi George and Emmanuel Amuneke could use both legs and can transition to other positions in the field causing damaged to their opponents.
Chukwueze is only left footed and I’m yet to see him do something different . Moses Simon is likely the only guy who have done similar moves just like our wingers of old . Do there’s need for more competition in that department.
Perhaps Lookmn Ademola could pop up once his clearance is done.
I would like Eguavoen to invite the following players for the all important match against the Black Stars of Ghana:
Okoye, Uzoho, Akpeyi, EKong, Balogun, Aina, Ebuehi, Omerua, Collins, Iwobi, Aribo, Amoo, Ndidi, Ndah, Moses Simon, Victor Moses, Odion, Osimhen, Dennis, Orode, Iheanacho, Olayinka, Zaidu, Musa and Chukwueze.
Good combination.
Bad to name of the worst goalkeeper in the whole World. I would rather call you, Bod Maetin, to be in the goal post then to call on Okoye. Ghana will beat Nigeria, both home & away, with Okoye in goal. Adaleye is Nigeria best goalkeeper they never use, and they paid dearly for it. Amoo is far better than Chukwueze.
That is a good list, Bob. What about our dazzling dazzler, Ejuke?
Chike, it’s not just Ejuke but Sadiq, Nwakali, Onyeka are not matured for the team. They mostly play school boys game.
Awaniyi, Ejuke, Okoye, Sadiq, Nwakali, Onyeka are all novice and schoolboy players. Ghana will beat Nigeria both home & away. if any or all the above play against them.
I wish DESSER had bunch of playing time all these players had just for the young patriotic man to express himself likewise. Saddens mehn
@Bob Martin, my brother with your suggestion, the team will be unbeatable and Ghana go hear ween… Amoo is very important in the middle just as Simon is on the flanks. Good luck Super Eagles.
Nigerians, please we should not play with world cup play off with Ghana.
I strongly don’t believe that Eguavor is good tactically to beat Ghana.
Any team that have only attack mind and too much of defence can not defeat Ghana. You have to be in-between and make sure Ghana does not score you first.
If Nigeria go to world cup without a world class coach, they will come back fast as usual. World cup is not where you learn tactics. Nigeria need young world class coach atleast from Spain or Brazil, Germany but is very bad to sack rohr this period of time. It will take any coach more time to understand his players and learn culture
To fire Oga Rohr the way they did was wicked and stupid. Eguavon was not up to it. He brought in those schoolboys into the team that Oga Rohr would never have used to face Tunisia. How we missed the following solid and tested players like. Onuachu, Ighalo. Osimhen, Lookman, and Uzoho in goal not that stupid goalkeeper called Okoye they call himself. What of that master dribbler called Amoo whose name is all over Europe at the moment? Why was Oga Rohr sacked? Nigeria football will never recover from his sack. My friends, brace your good self, Ghana will beat Nigeria home and away. Even though Ghana is not good. Nigeria is worse with Eguavon or the Portugues guy in-charge.
“I have never doubted Eguavoen’s technical and tactical know-how in the round leather game. I really think he has done a good job with the team despite their ouster from the AFCON tournament,” Nwosu, a former member of the Green Eagles that won 1980 AFCON told Completesports.com.
As technically and tactically sound as Eguavoen is “according to oga Nwosu” yet a yet-to-be recognized assistant from Tunisia used an under strength team and tought him the basics of soccer.
Remember, Eguavoen is our technical director o, but a novice schooled him in the field he claims to be a professional. Quite absurd.
I’ll even prefer an Amunike or SIASIA or Boboye of Akwa United to this our technical director a Tunisian unknown assistant tutored during the afcon.
Guys learn to move on Rohr’s gone for now, even the best coaches get fired at times, let’s focus on operation beat Ghana, how do we achieve it, Ghana has better players than Tunisia thats my biggest fear, and playing against Nigeria the Ghanaians would rather die to lose to Nigeria, if they employ same tactics as Tunisia did, can Eguaveon unlock the defense, has he learnt any lessons from the Tunisia loss..are we boxed on or there’s a way out, this are the questions we should be asking not Rohr.