Former Super Eagles Striker Advises Lookman, Confident Of Nigeria Qualification For World Cup

Former Super Eagles Striker Advises Lookman, Confident Of Nigeria Qualification For World Cup

Former Super Eagles striker Benedict Akwuegbu has responded to a variety of issues ranging from Plateau United FC in the NPFL, the recent situation with Ademola Lookman regarding his missed penalty for Atalanta, Eric Chelle and the Super Eagles among others. 

Akwuegbu began by appreciating fellow former Nigeria Int'l Tijani Babangida for appointing him recently as chairman Plateau State Players Union, recall Babangida himself is the president of Nigeria Players Union. 

Akwuegbu who is also the Consultant to the Governor of Plateau State on Sports as well as of Plateau United showered encomium on His Excellency, Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, describing him as the best Governor in the history of Plateau State especially with the maximum attention he is giving to Plateau United and Mighty Jets Int'l FC. 

When asked about the situation of Plateau United in view of their recent 2-1 loss to Ikorodu City in the NPFL, Akwuegbu expressed optimism about the team's future.

"I'm sure Plateau United will bounce back, am optimistic that next season will be a different ball game, Plateau State is the home of football and Plateau United is one of the power houses of football in Nigeria going back in the history, the General Manager Habila Mutla is doing well and with the experience of Mbwas Mangut as the coach, the team will surely bounce back"

On the current situation with the CAF player of the year Ademola Lookman regarding his recent penalty miss for Atalanta in a Champions League home loss to Club Brugge which prompted his coach Gian Piero Gasperini labelling him as "worst penalty taker", Akwuegbu opines that Lookman should not have responded to his manager's criticism when he described it as "disrespectful". 

"He is Africa's best footballer so he should continue the way he has been doing for both club and country, he should stay calm, highly disciplined and focused, so he shouldn't respond to his manager's criticism" 

On the Super Eagles' quest to qualify to the next World Cup in 2026 and the new coach Eric Chelle, Akwuegbu expressed confidence in the NFF to do the needful for the team to make it to the World Cup,

"Am optimistic because the NFF president Ibrahim Gusau has been doing very well working tirelessly round the clock to ensure the team qualifies to the World Cup and with the caliber of players in the team we have the potential, there is a new coach and the players know they have to fight for their places, with world class players like Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho, Osimhen, Moses Simon and many others" 

On whether Eric Chelle should get new players for the team or stick to the old ones, Akwuegbu advices the coach to stick to the ones on ground and also play an attacking football with a 4-4-2 structure,

"I think he should stick with Osimhen, Lookman, Kelechi Iheanacho but we must play attacking football with two strikers in front, this has been our tradition since our playing days, the coach should not experiment new players rather he should focus on getting the best out of Osimhen by pairing him upfront with another striker, I am a striker myself, when you overwork a striker he will not score goals but when you pair two strikers one can go for the duels and Osimhen will be free to score more goals, we have to play with two strikers, four midfielders and four defenders, during our days we were stronger in the wings No7 and No11, Tijani Babangida, Finidi George, Segun Odegbami, Garba Lawal, this has been our tradition" 

On the recent CAF U-20 AFCON draw which pitted the Flying Eagles in a group containing South Africa, Morocco and Egypt, Akwuegbu believes Nigeria is stronger than all the opponents in the group, in youth football, Nigeria has demonstrated itself as the powerhouse on the continent so am confident we will scale through. 

Benedict Akwuegbu who is the owner of Ben Akwuegbu FC of Jos is a retired Nigerian striker who featured for the Super Eagles in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea Japan.

He played for Nigeria's senior national team between 2000 and 2005 making 35 appearances and scoring 10 goals. 

He started his youth career with Mighty Jets FC of Jos between 1989 and 1991. 

Compiled And Written By: Lengshak Fwan