Soccer
Nigeria’s Emmanuel Emenike (C) shoots the ball during a Round of 16 match between France and Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup at the Estadio Nacional Stadium in Brasilia, on June 30, 2014. [Photo Credit/ Imago].
Former Super Eagles and West Ham United striker Emmanuel Emenike has revealed Nigeria’s only flaw in their AFCON 2025 campaign, Soccernet.ng reports.
Eric Chelle’s men got off to a good start against Tanzania, thanks to goals from Semi Ajayi and Ademola Lookman, but the display at the Complexe Sportif de Fès on Tuesday.
With a tough clash against Tunisia on the horizon, Emenike is worried that the talented players in the current Super Eagles squad might be lacking one key element in their quest for silverware in Morocco.
The AFCON 2013 Golden Boot winner rode the waves in South Africa 12 years ago as he helped the Super Eagles win Africa’s biggest tournament under Stephen Keshi.
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Soccer AFCON 2025: Super Eagles have no game plan
The current crop of Nigerian players are household names for their club sides. However, Emenike thinks the players are not being played to their strengths, nor are they given instructions on how to play.
“I think we have a lot of good players, but what we don’t have is a game plan. I think we need a game plan,” the ex-Olympiacos striker said on the ATHLST podcast.
“It’s not about throwing players, especially big players like Chukwueze and Victor Osimhen. You need to tell them what you want from them.
“I like the coach anyway. I was one of the guys who voted for him, but at the end of the day, we need to know what the game plan is because when Tanzania played, they had a game plan.
“They had the Super Eagles on one side of the pitch before eventually switching the ball to the other side, so they could take on our players one-on-one.
“They tried to exploit Zaidu Sanusi a lot, and their goal came from that. That’s what I’m talking about.
“We have a lot of top players in our team, but what I’m seeing is that there’s no game plan,” Emenike continued.
Additionally, the former Fenerbahce forward revealed that the competition for places during the AFCON 2013 tournament kept a lot of players on their toes.
He doesn’t feel the same is being replicated with the current Super Eagles team, as some players have guaranteed spots even if they play bad games.
“They also need to understand that they’re playing for the Super Eagles and not their club sides. It was a difficult sight when I saw it.
“Keshi was our boss when it came to coaching, but in other aspects, he was like a father, someone we wanted to die for on the pitch.
“Having Ikechukwu Uche on the bench was a lot of pressure; it was a big deal for me, because if you don’t get it right, you’ll be replaced,” the 38-year-old concluded.
Is Emenike right about Nigeria’s lack of a game plan?
Since Eric Chelle took charge of the Super Eagles, he’s been firm on wanting to play a diamond midfield, although with the wrong personnel. This has cost Nigeria in some games.
Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze are at their best when they play on the left and right flanks, respectively. Playing them centrally takes out a chunk of their attacking qualities.
As a result, Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi have to shoulder more defensive responsibilities since Lookman and Chukwueze don’t do as much running off the ball, which goes back to Emenike’s thoughts.
While Chelle likes to have numbers in midfield, his philosophy oftentimes leaves the right flank isolated, causing further stress on the right-back, something big nations can prey on in the latter stages of the competition.
Adefolahan Guerreiro
Adefolahan is a multilingual sports journalist and football writer whose work spans outlets like Soccernet Nigeria, Pure Football UK, and Royalsportz.
With a sharp eye for detail and a background in college sports, he tells the African football story with depth, flair, and global perspective.
Fluent in English, Spanish, and German, he brings a cross-cultural voice to his coverage, blending insight with accessibility for readers around the world.
His portfolio includes interviews with top Nigerian stars like Finidi George, Junior Lokosa, Sikiru Alimi, Sodiq Ismaila, and Abraham Onahi Ogbu.
A devoted Borussia Dortmund fan, Adefolahan thrives on the emotion and rhythm of the beautiful game. Away from work, he’s a sci-fi enthusiast and series lover who enjoys exploring how sport, storytelling, and culture collide.
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