Photos by IMAGO
Nigeria legend Segun Odegbami has called for a radical overhaul of the Super Eagles squad, urging the introduction of new young talents to rescue the national team after yet another looming World Cup heartbreak, Soccernet.ng reports.
The 1980 Africa Cup of Nations winner expressed his frustration as Nigeria’s qualification hopes for the 2026 World Cup hang by a thread.
With two games left in the series, the Super Eagles trail behind South Africa and Benin Republic.
Unless results take an unlikely turn, Bafana Bafana are poised to secure the group’s ticket, leaving Nigeria set to miss out on back-to-back tournaments after their failure to reach Qatar 2022.
Odegbami did not mince words in his criticism of the current squad, suggesting that many of the established names are ‘overhyped’ and not good enough to wear the green and white shirt.
Instead, he believes the national team must be rebuilt around a new generation of players, beginning with Brighton defender Benjamin Frederick and AC Milan’s rising star David Odogu.
’20-year old debutant, Benjamin Frederick, played brilliantly and safely in the match against Rwanda,” Odegbami wrote in his Guardian column.
“There was no justification to have kept him on the bench in the next match for an aging William Troost-Ekong (editor’s note: Fredrick started the game but Trooost-Ekong was replaced at halftime). Now we know better. Benjamin is the revelation of the year for me.”
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Frederick, who made his competitive debut against Rwanda before also impressing against South Africa, has been praised for his composure and maturity beyond his years.
Odegbami has also urged the Nigeria Football Federation to act swiftly to convince Odogu, a 19-year-old defender who joined AC Milan from Wolfsburg this summer in a €10 million deal, to switch allegiance from Germany.
“There are a few others in the horizon, untainted by the ‘failure’ of the current generation, sprouting around the European football circuit.
“There is David Odogu. I wrote about him about a year ago. He was 18 years old at the time and was an integral part of the winning German team at the last Under-17 World Championship.
“Three weeks ago, he was signed by Italian giants, AC Milan. He is that good. Nigeria has the opportunity to lure him to play for the Super Eagles. His combination with Benjamin Frederick will be, in my estimation, the best pairing at the centre of any defense in Africa for the next decade.”
Odogu, born in Berlin to a Nigerian father, starred for Germany at U-17 level, helping them win the 2023 UEFA European Championship and FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Despite his German youth caps, he remains eligible for Nigeria.
Odegbami ia convinced that securing Odogu’s commitment and trusting Frederick could provide the foundation for a brighter future, one that offers Nigeria a defensive partnership to build upon for the next decade.
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele
Imhonlamhen Eronmhonsele turns into a ball of passion when writing about Nigerian football and its talents, whether rising stars or established legends, locally and abroad.
From the deepest corners of the Middle East, to the green fields of the Americas, to the celebrated grounds in Europe, and the rich soils of Africa, Imhons is more than glad, usually with a glass of a tasty drink nearby, to capture the essence of the game, by connecting the dots between culture, identity, and football.