Ex-Super Eagles manager Samson Siasia lamented over the current midfield of the Super Eagles and urged them to source for a creative midfielder like Jay-Jay Okocha.
His comments came after Nigeria’s draw with Rwanda in the African Cup of Nations qualification, a match that highlighted the team’s struggle in the attacking third.
Lack of a Key Playmaker
Another observation made by Siasia was the lack of an attacking midfielder that can participate in the creation of penetrative channels for the forwards.
This is in spite of having given Alex Iwobi a consistent place in the team. Siasia says the player’s impact in the playmaker position has not been impressive.
Fisayo Dele-Bashiru started in the match against Rwanda in the place of Iwobi to unbalance the midfield and a resultant effect of no central playmaker in the middle of the park.
Samson Siasia has been out of football duties for a while, now free to return to coaching after his ban. The former Eagles manager has admitted he has invested a lot to add to his football knowledge during his break, as reported earlier by Sportsbuddy.
THE AFRICAN PEP! “I Spent 5 Years Updating My Football Knowledge” Ex-Super Eagles Coach Brags
Search for an Okocha-Like Player
Siasia argued that while Nigeria has players who possess raw talents and even great strikers, there is always that one player who is rarely able to provide the final pass.
Speaking to Lagos Talks, He said, “We don’t have an offensive midfield player that can give the last pass to the strikers.” He continued saying that though Iwobi is a good player, he added that “he’s not doing as much as he’s supposed to do, especially as a playmaker.””
A Call for a Goal-Scoring Playmaker
Siasia feels that what the team requires is a player like Jay-Jay Okocha, but one who is more prolific in front of the goal.
“It is needed a player like Jay-Jay Okocha, but it has to be the player who can score more goals than him,” he continued.
Other positions in the team are well covered, but the missing link is in the middle of the field, which was very conspicuous in the former Super Eagles coach.
