A look beyond the prevailing can help Jose Peseiro restore the Eagles’ Super status

Last time out, the Nigerian National Team proved there is nothing super about their Eagles following another disappointing loss to Portugal in Lisbon, just before the kickoff of the global showpiece last winter, in Qatar.

Portugal ran out 4-0 winners in a show of complete dominance with Jose Peseiro’s Eagles chasing shadows from start to finish at the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.

The results spelled a fourth defeat in six games under Peseiro, which included results in friendly meetings with Algeria, Ecuador and Mexico.

One of the wins came in a fashion of a laboured 2-1 victory over Sierra Leone while the other, which was a 10-0 thrashing of Sao Tome and Principe in June was rather more about their opponent, who are surely not up to the level of professionals of the game.

The four defeats however, have come in games where they were expected to showcase how much they have improved following the departure of Gernot Rohr, nonetheless, they were found wanting.

Where do Eagles go from here ?

Every team needs time to rebuild, mostly when a sudden fall from grace, like the one the Eagles went through since their elimination from the African Cup of Nations in January last year occurs.

However, one factor seems to be holding back any prospect of the darling Super Eagles’ comeback, and this was again highlighted in the list of the players invited for international assignment at the time of the World Cup break.

The players appear to have lost the zeal to represent the nation in international friendlies, and this (friendlies) is the best avenue for the manager to figure out how best to approach games and choose the best legs.

The pressure in non competitive games is lesser hence, the manager is afforded the chances to make trials and errors, and learn from there.

Super Eagles Managers, since the later days of Gernot Rohr to the interim spell of Austin Eguavoen and now under Portuguese manager, Jose Peseiro, have all banked on the performance of players at club level to influence their team selection.

Maybe this is also the case for most of the other National teams but in friendly games, others have their main players available when needed. Sadly, it hasn't been so for the Super Eagles’ coaches.

To worsen matters, many of the international regulars are not even getting encouraging minutes in their clubs but their continuous selection for the National Team always seem constant.

Even if they get good time and play well for their clubs, it is still not enough if there is no chemistry amongst the players, and this highlight why they continuously come short when they come up against the average teams in Africa.

Victor Osimhen for example has been one of the team's best player since making his international debut. However, the Napoli man had been available for selection in only the two wins and not for the four defeats.

When the players finally turn up for the competitive games, they are unable to replicate the top performances they deliver for their respective clubs, since they have not enough time to really understand their international teammates.

The fact is, main players show little hunger when it is time friendly games and unfortunately for the managers, they will have no time to assess their options but only in training, and club displays.

Lack of midfield players in another fact that needs fast attention. The latest list of players invited for the international games include only four midfield players, which includes Alex Iwobi, who was recently converted into the position at Everton.

The former Arsenal player seems to be only Midfielder on the list with regular playtime at club level, while also managing to deliver consistently.

The others, have all dropped in performance and have henceforth been limited to less minutes in their respective clubs.

One of them is Joe Aribo, who is only occasionally played at Southampton and not even as a midfielder but an attacker. Wilfred Ndidi and Frank Onyeka have been successfully replaced in their respective clubs.

That leaves Iwobi as the only player who can really do stuff amongst the midfielders. Unfortunately, these are the same players that regularly make the XI for the Eagles on the big stages.

They, though appear unable to even get to the so called big stages of late having missed out in the last FIFA World Cup and suffered early elimination in the first knockout game of the AFCON last year.

If the Super Eagles are to ever come close to be what it was in the past, the task at hand for Peseiro is a big one and will have to start with scouting of Midfielders, either at home or abroad, because the options he currently have can't get the country to the promise land.

There is also issues getting the right man between the sticks. The standard set by past National Team Goalkeepers is just too high to have just anyone in goal for the Super Eagles.

Vincent Enyeama was recently recognize by The International Federation of Football History and Statistics, IFFHS as the greatest African Goalkeeper of all time. He is a man who carried the symbol of Nigeria. Unfortunately, a rightful successor is yet to be found.

Nigeria will play Guinea Bissau over two legs in the coming days and taking maximum points in the two games will literally seal their place in the next African Cup of Nations tournament but while fans in the country wish them well, there is no denying that it won't be plain sailing.

However, considering the standard and the expectations, it should be plain sailing. It always should be when Nigeria play countries like Guinea Bissau and the others of the same ranking.

The current state is not acceptable and to move on from this phase, Jose Peseiro has to look beyond the ordinary. Beyond the options he has at hand. Beyond the regular figures in the team and beyond the big names.

The Portuguese has been seen around the home base Eagles, the young players in tournaments and in Stadia across the country, spectating NPFL games.

Hopefully he gets the options that tick the box of his demands and finally get Nigeria up and firing again.

Fellow top guns in African today appear to have left the Eagles behind and as they continue to widen the gap, the three time African champion could soon find themselves in a position where they are taken as the underdogs, and this will not help their cause.

Everyone wants to see why the Eagles are tagged Super and Jose Peseiro has to start satisfying the urge of the fans, but should also be wary of the threat carried by their opponents, because this Eagles are not convincing, and everyone wants to have a bit of them.

What are your thoughts about the current situation of the Super Eagles of Nigeria ? You can drop your remarks and comments below.

Author : Kehinde Hassan Afolabi