While coaches will make adjustments learned at WAFU, a bigger fix is improving the level of play in the Nigerian Professional Football League.
Sometimes there’s a lot to be gained by a loss. And that’s what happened in Nigeria’s loss to Ghana in the just-concluded West African Union Football (WAFU) competition.
Courtesy: BusinessDay
The Nigerian squad, which was comprised of players from various Nigerian Professional Football League clubs (NPFL), got to the Finals without conceding a goal in group stages. But Ghana’s Black Stars scored four times against them on the tournament’s final day.
Getting to the WAFU Final was a great achievement for the home-standing Super Eagles. Unfortunately, though, Nigeria didn’t play well enough to win the crown. Ghana, on the other hand, seemed more motivated and came away with a 4:1 win.
While some Nigerian fans viewed the outcome as unacceptable, if not embarrassing, the Super Eagles learned a lot in defeat. The coaches know what they must do to strengthen the team for competing in the African Nationals Championship (CHAN) 2018.
But one issue isn’t easy to overcome. The NPFL isn’t competitive enough when it comes to international competition. That’s because it’s not a top-level league.
To be fair, the League has made massive improvements recently. If those improvements continue, then its players may achieve a competitive edge when it comes to international play.
Will that happen? If so, when? Only time will tell.
