Izuchukwu OkosiThe international window for June saw some exciting games across the globe.
For Nigeria, the Super Eagles were involved in the Unity Cup which made a comeback after several years. The Eagles beat Ghana and Jamaica to win the tournament. The team coached by Eric Chelle also faced Russia in a friendly game on Friday, June 6.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe next international window will see the Super Eagles return to the 2026 World Cup qualification campaign. But what are the things that must be addressed before the team converge again in September?
Prime Business Africa presents four things for the coaching crew to ponder about.
1. Victor Osimhen’s deputy in attack
Napoli striker Victor Osimhen was not part of Nigeria’s Unity Cup tournament and Russia friendly as he enjoys his holidays amid interests from a couple of clubs around the world.
The absence of the superstar from the games could be unconnected with possible offers from his many suitors led by Saudi Arabian top side, Al Hilal whom he now turned down five of their offers.
The status of Osimhen as the top striker for the Nigerian national team is never in doubt. What however is unknown is the striker that is able to step in as the strong alternative.
Victor Boniface was considered as the next big thing from the day he made his international debut.The Bayer Leverkusen striker has however flattered to deceive and us yet to score a goal for the Eagles since his bow.
Tolu Arokodare who made his debut for Nigeria only in March 2025 was the scorer for Nigeria (his first) in the 1-1 draw against Russia. Perhaps that led to the cryptic social media post made by Boniface that he is retiring from international football.
Although Boniface deleted the post and claimed that he didn’t mean it, the Arokodare goal must have made some interesting impact on him.
Cyreil Dessers scored twice in the Unity Cup although was excused for the Russia friendly as he got married in Italy. The performance of Dessers and the fact that he has been steadfast and patient to play when he is invited deserves to be rewarded.
The Unity Cup showing was a testament that the Rangers of Scotland striker who had the chance to play for Belgium but chose Nigeria should be above Boniface in the pecking order.
Arokodare’s performances so far capped by the goal against Russia also indicates that he could be considered above Boniface in the pecking order.
Taiwo Awoniyi was not in the travelling party as he recuperates from the abdominal surgery he underwent in May while playing for Nottingham Forest before the season ended.
There are other strikers (not forwards on the flanks) in the mix but the the three mentioned are those likely to be first considerations to play a deputy role to Osimhen in the national team.
2. Ahmed Musa’s Place In The Team
Ahmed Musa returned back to the Nigeria Premier Football League side Kano Pillars to resurrect his career.
Musa who is in fact the ‘non-playing’ captain of the Super Eagles – a way to describe the point that he is the overall captain of the team while William Troost-Ekong is on-field captain – was part of the Eagles team to London for the Unity Cup tournament.
Musa had not been part of the team since his cameo role at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire (played in January – February 2024).
The 32-year-old forward who has 111 caps for Nigeria and has scored 16 goals since October 2010 is considered to be in the twilight of his career and seemingly stalling the path of younger forwards in the national team.
Ahmed Musa has not been in the team setup consistently for a few years and with the emergence of more players ready for international football, there needs to be clarity on the future of the national team centurion.
READ ALSO: Eric Chelle Reveals What Eagles Did Right That Tickled His Fancy
3. Goalkeeping conundrum
Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, who only recently buried his parents in Rivers State was in action at the Unity Cup in London.
Maduka Okoye stepped in for the friendly match against the Russians in Moscow and performed brilliantly on goal.
Nwabali currently plays for Chippa United in the South African Premier League but and while it is not a taboo to be first choice goalkeeper and play for a club on the African continent, Nwabali needs to maintain good performances consistently to remain the first choice in the national team.
While he has had his moments, the former El Kanemi shot-stopper is capable of dropping some clangers while the likes of Maduka Okoye and Omas Obasogie display good forms for their respective clubs.
The Unity Cup and the Russia friendly was a good chance to test the ability of Obasogie to displace the duo of Nwabali and Okoye but the former Bendel Insurance keeper was never called upon to be between the sticks on those games.
Not handing such opportunities to new players could give those previously getting call-ups the false sense of security that their places are not under threat irrespective of their forms.
4. Defending and Attacking Set pieces: Expert coaching
The Super Eagles once had dead ball specialists like Rashidi Yekini and Austin ‘jay jay’ Okocha.
These stars could find the top corners from free-kicks capable of deciding outcomes of difficult matches.
But in the current Super Eagles squad and in fact of a few years ago, there are no such expert free kick takers.
This is a special skill in the game that every team most have at least four of such – ideally two right footed and two left footed players.
Another aspect of setpieces that needs to be addressed is defending corners and freekicks.
The Super Eagles team would need to have special setpiece coach as is common trend in the modern game.
Gone are the days that only two coaches – the goalkeepers’ trainer and one more ‘figure head’ coach whose ideas could be rarely be adhered – are only in the backroom coaching crew.
Defending setpieces have been a weakness of the Super Eagles and that is one aspect that Eric Chelle most work on.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
