Why Super Eagles are failing — Oliseh

Former Super Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh has blamed Nigeria's football struggles on the current players' lack of quality compared to earlier generations. During an appearance on The Play Zone Podcast, Oliseh stated that the obvious reason for the team's failures was their inadequate skill level. He emphasized that Nigeria's players today lack the depth of quality displayed by previous generations.

Oliseh noted that earlier national team players had competed at a higher level in European football, which helped them stand out from the current squad. He highlighted former Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Rashidi Yekini, Emmanuel Amuneke, Victor Ikpeba, Taribo West, Celestine Babayaro, Ben Iroha, and Tijani Babangida as examples of players who had successful careers at renowned European clubs such as Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, AS Monaco, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Chelsea.

Oliseh challenged listeners to identify current Super Eagles players who are playing for teams with realistic hopes of winning the UEFA Conference League, Europe's third-tier continental club competition. He questioned whether any of the current national team players are playing for clubs that aim to compete in this title, which he described as the smallest European championship.

This statement underscores the ongoing debate regarding whether Nigeria's recent football challenges are primarily due to the quality of available players or other factors such as coaching, tactical organization, and team cohesion. Oliseh, who managed Nigeria between 2015 and 2016, remains a prominent figure in Nigerian football, having captained the national team during his playing days.

His assessment places the quality of players at the forefront of discussions about how Nigeria can enhance its performance and regain competitiveness in international football.