Izuchukwu Okosi
Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has hinted that the team would consider having a formation that places premium on defensive solidity at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.
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Eguavoen made this disclosure in his first interview with the Nigeria Football Federation TV when he was asked about the possibility of the Eagles using wing play to wear down opponents at the tournament.
During Eguavoen’s playing days as a right back for the three time African champions, the team were reverred by teams in the continent for the attacking threat they possess especially from the wings.
“For you to get on the field and then have the formation right you must have the personnel as well,” Eguavoen told NFF TV.
“When you talk of wing play like people are clamoring for, yes why not? That has always been our tradition but whereby you don’t have the Finidis, Amunikes, Elahos, Odegbamis from wing play how do you achieve that?
Eguavoen then suggested that the wing players like Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon would have to put in some defensive shifts
“We have to try to be flexible as well. Yes we have these kids now. From Villarreal Chukwueze, we have Simon, going forward we can be explosive but what about defending?
“We’re talking about wing players offensively but you have to do a defensive job as well.”
The Eagles will depart for the AFCON on January 5.
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.
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