Madugu opens up on Falcons rotations

Nigeria's Women's Africa Cup of Nations coach Justin Madugu has revealed his rotation policy for the upcoming tournament, emphasizing the importance of maintaining squad preparedness to ensure the Super Falcons' title defence. Speaking to reporters, Madugu highlighted the need for managing players effectively during the six-match run, particularly given the short timeframes between matches in the competition.

He underlined the importance of keeping fringe players ready to step in at any moment, both physically and mentally, to maximize the team's performance.

Madugu cited Gift Monday's patience as an example of the coaching staff's efforts to instill a long-term mindset in players who had seen limited action throughout the tournament. He emphasized the need for constant communication with all team members to ensure they are prepared to contribute when called upon. The coach stressed that this approach has been instrumental in preparing the team for potential opportunities that may arise during the competition.

He also noted that the team's strong roster of players has made team selection particularly challenging, as coaches must carefully consider each player's strengths and weaknesses to determine the best possible line-up for each game.