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What's The Best Route Forward For The Super Eagles? Analysing Nigeria's Path To Success
by Chike Nwoye
10 Oct 2024
The Super Eagles' 2024 journey has been a rollercoaster. There were the highs, like making it to the AFCON final, but also the sting of losing it to Ivory Coast.
We also saw Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman lead their teams to long-awaited titles, but then there was the mess surrounding the search for a permanent Head Coach.
For Super Eagles fans, 2024 has been a mix of both the good and the not-so-good. Actually, that’s sugarcoating it - 2024 has been a mix of both the good and the downright ugly.
As you would imagine, there are lots of questions on the minds of those who remain passionate about the Nigeria national football team especially with qualification for the 2026 World Cup in jeopardy. Here, I’ll attempt to provide answers for them.
Best Choice For Head Coach?
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? The hunt for a new Head Coach has been a real mess. Right after leading Nigeria to the AFCON final, José Peseiro left the team when contract talks with the NFF fell through.
Finidi George stepped in, which kind of made sense—he led Enyimba to the NPFL title in 2023 and was part of Peseiro’s staff during the AFCON.
So, not only was he a former Super Eagle with coaching success, but he also brought some continuity to the setup.
However, after disappointing results against South Africa and Benin Republic in the World Cup Qualifiers, he got the boot. He spent just 2 games in charge.
The coaching search kicked off again, and it was anything but smooth. The NFF jumped the gun by prematurely announcing Bruno Labbadia as the new man in charge before even getting a verbal agreement.
We all know how that went. Then, we missed out on the dream hire of Herve Renard. Renard personally admitted Nigeria gave him the best offer he received, but he turned it down because - get this - he wanted to coach a national team that had a real shot at making the World Cup. Ouch!
The Super Eagles' 2024 journey has been a rollercoaster. There were the highs, like making it to the AFCON final, but also the sting of losing it to Ivory Coast.
We also saw Victor Boniface and Ademola Lookman lead their teams to long-awaited titles, but then there was the mess surrounding the search for a permanent Head Coach.
For Super Eagles fans, 2024 has been a mix of both the good and the not-so-good. Actually, that’s sugarcoating it - 2024 has been a mix of both the good and the downright ugly.
As you would imagine, there are lots of questions on the minds of those who remain passionate about the Nigeria national football team especially with qualification for the 2026 World Cup in jeopardy. Here, I’ll attempt to provide answers for them.
Best Choice For Head Coach?
That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? The hunt for a new Head Coach has been a real mess. Right after leading Nigeria to the AFCON final, José Peseiro left the team when contract talks with the NFF fell through.
Finidi George stepped in, which kind of made sense—he led Enyimba to the NPFL title in 2023 and was part of Peseiro’s staff during the AFCON.
So, not only was he a former Super Eagle with coaching success, but he also brought some continuity to the setup.
However, after disappointing results against South Africa and Benin Republic in the World Cup Qualifiers, he got the boot. He spent just 2 games in charge.
The coaching search kicked off again, and it was anything but smooth. The NFF jumped the gun by prematurely announcing Bruno Labbadia as the new man in charge before even getting a verbal agreement.
We all know how that went. Then, we missed out on the dream hire of Herve Renard. Renard personally admitted Nigeria gave him the best offer he received, but he turned it down because - get this - he wanted to coach a national team that had a real shot at making the World Cup. Ouch!
So, here we are with Augustine Eguaveon in an interim role for the 5th time. Yup, we’ve given him this role 5 times.
He’s got Daniel Ogunmodede, the Remo Stars Head Coach, and Fidelis Ilechukwu from Nigeria Professional Football League champions Rangers as his assistants and things have looked okay so far with a win and a draw in his first 2 games.
Seems like we’re stuck with him. Personally, I would’ve moved mountains to get Herve Renard, but hey, you can’t hire someone against his will. Just ask Bruno Labbadia.
Best Choice Up Top?
Nigeria's striker depth is off the charts right now, with guys like Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi, Cyriel Dessers, Sadiq Umar, and Terem Moffi in the mix.
But for me, the answer is clear: Victor Osimhen. He's the most proven out of the bunch, and the team just clicks better when he's on the field.
Even when he's not finding the back of the net—like during AFCON—his hold-up play and relentless work rate make him absolutely crucial for the squad.
After a long summer filled with controversy, Osimhen has found a new (temporary) home with Turkish giants, Galatasaray and one of our betting tips is for him to lead them to the Super Lig title.
So, here we are with Augustine Eguaveon in an interim role for the 5th time. Yup, we’ve given him this role 5 times.
He’s got Daniel Ogunmodede, the Remo Stars Head Coach, and Fidelis Ilechukwu from Nigeria Professional Football League champions Rangers as his assistants and things have looked okay so far with a win and a draw in his first 2 games.
Seems like we’re stuck with him. Personally, I would’ve moved mountains to get Herve Renard, but hey, you can’t hire someone against his will. Just ask Bruno Labbadia.
Best Choice Up Top?
Nigeria's striker depth is off the charts right now, with guys like Kelechi Iheanacho, Victor Boniface, Taiwo Awoniyi, Cyriel Dessers, Sadiq Umar, and Terem Moffi in the mix.
But for me, the answer is clear: Victor Osimhen. He's the most proven out of the bunch, and the team just clicks better when he's on the field.
Even when he's not finding the back of the net—like during AFCON—his hold-up play and relentless work rate make him absolutely crucial for the squad.
After a long summer filled with controversy, Osimhen has found a new (temporary) home with Turkish giants, Galatasaray and one of our betting tips is for him to lead them to the Super Lig title.
● Bet on Galatasaray to Win the Turkish Super Lig
@1.72
The Team’s Best Player
Right now, there's no question that Ademola Lookman is the Super Eagles' best player. In fact, he's been the best player on the continent too.
After leading Atalanta to Europa League victory and scoring an unforgettable hat-trick in the final, he earned a 2024 Ballon d’Or nomination—the only African to do so this year.
Barring any wuru-wuru, it is expected that Ademola Lookman will be crowned CAF African Player of the Year in a few months, capping off an incredible season for him.
For members of our online betting community, we have the best odds for Ademola Lookman to fire Atalanta into the Top 4 of the Serie A:
The Team’s Best Player
Right now, there's no question that Ademola Lookman is the Super Eagles' best player. In fact, he's been the best player on the continent too.
After leading Atalanta to Europa League victory and scoring an unforgettable hat-trick in the final, he earned a 2024 Ballon d’Or nomination—the only African to do so this year.
Barring any wuru-wuru, it is expected that Ademola Lookman will be crowned CAF African Player of the Year in a few months, capping off an incredible season for him.
For members of our online betting community, we have the best odds for Ademola Lookman to fire Atalanta into the Top 4 of the Serie A:
● Bet on Atalanta to finish in the Top 4 in the Serie A
@3.35
Preferred Tactics
With the wealth of attacking talent the Super Eagles currently boast, it can be tempting to go for ultra-attacking formations just to squeeze in as many as possible.
But, I’m not so sure that’s a great idea. We’ve seen attempts like the 4-3-3 and even the 4-2-4 flop because of this. I think the answer lies in what we witnessed in January.
This past AFCON showed us that perhaps it’s smarter to prioritise a solid defense first. After a shaky start to that tournament, José Peseiro switched to a 5-3-2, and while many attackers saw less playing time, it worked out, bringing us just 90 minutes shy of being African champions.
Peseiro might be gone, but he may have laid the groundwork for the Super Eagles, though it may come at the cost of the happiness of some attackers.
Ex-Eagle Who Would Elevate The Current Team
The obvious choice here is Jay-Jay Okocha. And no, it’s not just because he’s our beloved ambassador.
The man was pure magic on the field. Since he hung up his boots, the Super Eagles have struggled to find someone who can seamlessly link the midfield and attack, especially against top teams.
We’ve tried with Mikel Obi, and even Jay-Jay’s nephew, Alex Iwobi, but it hasn’t been the same.As a result, we’ve had to rely on the bulk of our playmaking coming from the wings over the past 15 years.
If we could somehow turn back time and have Jay-Jay in his prime, I’m certain he’d elevate this team to new heights.
Wilfred Ndidi’s Return And The Potential Impact
Wilfred Ndidi missed the AFCON earlier this year, and his absence really hurt the team. You could even say it played a big part in the shift to a more defensive 5-3-2 formation. In the later stages, especially in the final, without Ndidi, some of our more attack-minded players had to adjust to fit the defensive setup. Iwobi, in particular, took a lot of unfair blame for the loss, if you remember.
With Ndidi back, he’ll likely resume his usual role as our defensive midfielder. But it’s worth noting that over the last 18 months, his attacking output has really picked up.
Last season, he had 6 goals and 6 assists for Leicester in the Championship, and for those who think it’s just because it wasn’t the top flight, he’s got 4 assists in the Premier League this season—only Bukayo Saka has more with 5.
So, while I'd slot Ndidi back into his heart-of-the-midfield role, these past 18 months have made me think a slight tweak could pay off.
AFCON Qualifier vs. Libya
The upcoming double header against Libya is huge, as six points would pretty much secure our spot in the next AFCON.
Nigeria has faced Libya just three times and boasts a 100% record including that thrilling 3-2 victory last time out. Libya aren’t pushovers, though. They kicked off the year in fine form with 5 wins and a draw in their first 6 games, but they’ve hit a rough patch lately, going winless in their last 3, including two losses.
They’re sitting at the bottom of Group D, so I expect them to come out fighting. Still, the Super Eagles should have more than enough to grab two wins.
Join us today to get unreal value for money. Try out the best betting apps in the market and book a bet today to start your journey towards winning millions.
Preferred Tactics
With the wealth of attacking talent the Super Eagles currently boast, it can be tempting to go for ultra-attacking formations just to squeeze in as many as possible.
But, I’m not so sure that’s a great idea. We’ve seen attempts like the 4-3-3 and even the 4-2-4 flop because of this. I think the answer lies in what we witnessed in January.
This past AFCON showed us that perhaps it’s smarter to prioritise a solid defense first. After a shaky start to that tournament, José Peseiro switched to a 5-3-2, and while many attackers saw less playing time, it worked out, bringing us just 90 minutes shy of being African champions.
Peseiro might be gone, but he may have laid the groundwork for the Super Eagles, though it may come at the cost of the happiness of some attackers.
Ex-Eagle Who Would Elevate The Current Team
The obvious choice here is Jay-Jay Okocha. And no, it’s not just because he’s our beloved ambassador.
The man was pure magic on the field. Since he hung up his boots, the Super Eagles have struggled to find someone who can seamlessly link the midfield and attack, especially against top teams.
We’ve tried with Mikel Obi, and even Jay-Jay’s nephew, Alex Iwobi, but it hasn’t been the same.As a result, we’ve had to rely on the bulk of our playmaking coming from the wings over the past 15 years.
If we could somehow turn back time and have Jay-Jay in his prime, I’m certain he’d elevate this team to new heights.
Wilfred Ndidi’s Return And The Potential Impact
Wilfred Ndidi missed the AFCON earlier this year, and his absence really hurt the team. You could even say it played a big part in the shift to a more defensive 5-3-2 formation. In the later stages, especially in the final, without Ndidi, some of our more attack-minded players had to adjust to fit the defensive setup. Iwobi, in particular, took a lot of unfair blame for the loss, if you remember.
With Ndidi back, he’ll likely resume his usual role as our defensive midfielder. But it’s worth noting that over the last 18 months, his attacking output has really picked up.
Last season, he had 6 goals and 6 assists for Leicester in the Championship, and for those who think it’s just because it wasn’t the top flight, he’s got 4 assists in the Premier League this season—only Bukayo Saka has more with 5.
So, while I'd slot Ndidi back into his heart-of-the-midfield role, these past 18 months have made me think a slight tweak could pay off.
AFCON Qualifier vs. Libya
The upcoming double header against Libya is huge, as six points would pretty much secure our spot in the next AFCON.
Nigeria has faced Libya just three times and boasts a 100% record including that thrilling 3-2 victory last time out. Libya aren’t pushovers, though. They kicked off the year in fine form with 5 wins and a draw in their first 6 games, but they’ve hit a rough patch lately, going winless in their last 3, including two losses.
They’re sitting at the bottom of Group D, so I expect them to come out fighting. Still, the Super Eagles should have more than enough to grab two wins.
Join us today to get unreal value for money. Try out the best betting apps in the market and book a bet today to start your journey towards winning millions.