Former Super Eagles international Abiodun Obafemi has expressed his view that head coach Eric Sekou Chelle’s ideas may not be immediately apparent in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe. Obafemi emphasized that national team football differs significantly from club football and that, for now, Nigeria needs to rely on grit and determination to secure a win.
“The national team is different from a normal club team. So I want us to win the next match. In subsequent matches, then you will start seeing his input. But from the next one, what we need is grit. Honestly, what we need is grit.
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Because there’s nothing you want to tell those players to do that will make a difference. If we win, it’s after that match we’ll be able to see one or two things that are not right. And then we see his input.
But in this particular match that we have, the next match, honestly, let’s pray. We have quality. Also, the quality will determine whether we win the match, not the coaches’ input.”
Obafemi believes that while Coach Chelle’s tactical contributions will gradually become evident in later fixtures, the immediate focus should be on the players’ performance and the raw determination to win. His comments stress the need for the team to trust in their abilities and deliver a strong performance in the upcoming game.
