Super Eagles legends Austine ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, John Mikel Obi, and Segun Odegbami have opened up on the areas of improvement for the team following the defeat against Congo.
It would be recalled that the Super Eagles lost 4-3 on penalties after the regulation and extra time ended 1-1, which ensured their failure to qualify for the World Cup for the second consecutive time.
Going back to memory lane, the team also failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar after losing out to Ghana via the away goal rule.
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The first leg ended goalless in Kumasi before the return leg finished 1-1 at the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja.
The Super Eagles’ performance in the final playoff clash against DR Congo attracted criticisms from far and near, with some football fans labelling the performance as the worst ever from the team in recent times.
Some ex-internationals have suggested the way out for the team after missing out on the World Cup yet again.
Former Super Eagles captain Austine ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha urged the team to address the inconsistency that has plagued it ahead of the 2025 Nations Cup in Morocco.
He said, “Nigeria’s run in the World Cup qualifiers was a rollercoaster, but we would have loved to see Nigeria qualify with ease.
“We all know football is not an easy game, and what I think they should improve on is to be more consistent. They need to stick to winning with top performance in every game.”
The former Bolton Wanderers captain also stressed the importance of planning and preparation.
Okocha concluded, “I don’t think it’s just the players. It might be other things off the pitch. You have to prepare off the pitch before you get on the pitch.”
Similarly, another ex-Super Eagles captain, John Mikel Obi, blamed the Nigeria Football Federation for the team’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
He said: “It’s a failure, that’s what it is. It was just a disappointment.
“We won against Gabon, but couldn’t defeat Congo. It’s all just negative, and that’s my frustration with the NFF. They’re not the right people to motivate these players.
The former Chelsea star also blamed the players for the bonus protest ahead of the semi-final clash against Gabon when they refused to train.
Mikel said, “That was a situation that should not have come up at all. Whichever way you look at it, whether it was resolved or not, the situation would affect the players.
“That situation shouldn’t have happened. A lot of negative things happened that shouldn’t have come up. Players skipping training before such an important game
“You can’t do that. The players said it was for the money they were being owed from the Africa Cup of Nations, and they wanted to be paid before they entered the first match.
“You have to choose your battle wisely as players. When you find yourself in this kind of situation, the best thing is to resolve it.
“You have two play-off games coming. So, I just think the situation shouldn’t have come up at all. Whichever way you see it, the situation should have been resolved before they got to Ghana.”
Similarly, Green Eagles legend Segun Odegbami was disappointed with the team’s performance while calling for a restructuring.
He said, “It was Nigeria’s worst advertisement since 1994 and a nightmare from which the country must wake up quickly by doing the right things and taking the right steps going forward. For me, the answer is simple.
“Nigeria must wake up and confront the present reality. The country must get rid of the system that has failed and sustains a cabal that has held on (directly and through proxies) to the reins of power through the illegal imposition of a faulty constitution that has governed Nigerian football in the past 30 years.
“The country must break the stranglehold of a particular constituency within the football structure and free the game from mediocrity and politics. Nigerian football must get back on track with proper governance and organisation.
“It is only then that Nigerians can sit back to watch and enjoy good football and well-earned victories without reckoning with ‘voodoo’, a new word in the lexicon of Nigerian football. It is time to let the prophecy of Pele find fulfilment within a very few years.”
Similarly, Festus Allen, a widely travelled coach in Nigeria, also lent his voice to the debate, blaming the lack of team chemistry for the defeat while urging the NFF to look into the NPFL for quality players.
He said in an interview with THE WHISTLER: “The inconsistent coaching strategies and lack of leadership on the pitch have affected the team’s performance. The team’s inability to close out games has cost them crucial points, and inadequate service to the forwards has made them ineffective in big games.
“Poor planning, managerial instability, and lack of proper scouting have hurt the team. The team needs to have a stable coaching staff with a clear identity, while the NFF should also look into the NPFL and invest in youth development.
The former Bayelsa United coach also urged the coach to address the players’ lateness to camp.
Allen concluded: “The attitude of our players arriving late to national camps is unacceptable and reflects poorly on their performance. The NFF and the coach, Eric Chelle, must address this issue and enforce strict discipline to ensure players take the national team commitment seriously.”
The Super Eagles will be hoping to bounce back when they resume action at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco in December.
The team will take on the likes of Tanzania, Tunisia, and Uganda in Group C in Morocco.