Super Eagles’ World Cup Struggles Highlight Deeper Gaps In Football Structure, Player Management

Super Eagles’ World Cup Struggles Highlight Deeper Gaps in Football Structure and Player Management

Ibrahim Lateef

As Nigeria’s Super Eagles approach the final two matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the mood among fans and analysts is one of deep concern. 

Even with victories in their remaining fixtures against Lesotho and Benin Republic, qualification is not guaranteed. If South Africa secures just four points from their final games,

Nigeria’s dream of returning to the global stage would end once again, a scenario that would mark back-to-back World Cup absences for one of Africa’s traditional football giants.

Beyond the immediate disappointment, many in the football community are beginning to question the broader systems that have led to Nigeria’s decline in consistency and competitiveness.

Observers argue that the issues go beyond tactics or coaching and are rooted in the country’s player development, management, and structural frameworks.

In the midst of this reflection, a new generation of football professionals is emerging with a different approach to addressing these long-standing gaps.

One of them is Awesometayo Global Management, a Nigerian sports agency led by football agent Tayo Adeyemi Oloniyo, which has been quietly building credibility in player management and representation across Nigeria and West Africa.

Oloniyo, who founded the agency to bring structure and professionalism to the careers of young footballers, believes that the challenges currently seen at national level reflect the absence of coordinated development pathways from grassroots to professional football.

“Each time Nigeria struggles on the international stage, it’s a reminder that talent alone is not enough,” Oloniyo said.

“We have world-class players, but without structure, mentorship, and proper management, their full potential is rarely achieved. That lack of development structure eventually shows at the national team level.”

Awesometayo Global Management represents a number of emerging players in Nigeria and neighbouring Benin Republic, including Alalade Yusuf, Bamaiyi Innocent, Anichukwu Stanley, Okeanokiete Collins, Leon Collins, Olawale Adegoke, Gambo Saidu, Owolabi Warris Oluwasegun, and Yusuf Yau.

The agency’s work goes beyond contract negotiations, focusing on career guidance, performance monitoring, and off-field mentorship, areas Oloniyo describes as “essential for long-term football success.”

Sports analysts note that firms like Awesometayo Global Management reflect a growing understanding of football as a business that demands structure, planning, and professionalism.

They suggest that for Nigeria to regain its competitive edge, football administration and player management must evolve together.

“The current situation of the Super Eagles shows that we can no longer depend solely on raw talent,” said a football analyst in Lagos.

“We need structured management from the grassroots up, not just at the federation level, but within the private sector too. Agencies like Awesometayo Global are introducing that kind of professionalism.”

As Nigeria faces the possibility of missing another World Cup, the conversation is shifting toward reform and responsibility across all levels of the game. For agents like Oloniyo, it is an opportunity to redefine the standards of football representation in Nigeria and to help shape a future where players are better prepared technically, mentally, and professionally to compete on the world stage."