Afrigather Defensive troubles have been on the coronary heart of the Tremendous Eagles’ horrible efficiency final weekend throughout the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria shipped three targets in two video games as South Africa earned a 1-1 attract Uyo earlier than Benin registered a historic 2-1 victory in Abidjan.
Head coach Finidi George, a wonderful attacker in his enjoying days, has quite a lot of work to do regarding his crew’s defensive steadiness if the Tremendous Eagles should flip round their fortunes.
This isn’t a flash-in-the-pan drawback, as Nigeria additionally conceded three targets in opposition to Ghana and Mali in March when Finidi was nonetheless a caretaker coach.
It’s a Finidi drawback, although, because the Tremendous Eagles have been largely an impenetrable unit on the AFCON, the place the crew saved 4 clear sheets in seven video games, conceding solely 4 instances.
That defensive stability has disappeared with Finidi’s emergence, and the previous Ajax winger’s dependence on makeshift centre-backs could also be his undoing.
Whereas William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, and Semi Ajayi are the crew’s greatest centre-backs when match, the trio is now 30 years outdated and can not be out there for each worldwide engagement.
Finidi has nearly a yr earlier than the subsequent spherical of World Cup qualifiers. That’s sufficient time to blood a brand new technology of defenders that may be taught and take over from these defensive masters.
Soccernet.ng‘s Imhons Erons seems at 5 tough-tackling, no-nonsense centre-backs with which Finidi can construct one other strong defensive wall for the Tremendous Eagles.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Chelsea
Tosin Adarabioyo represented England 14 instances between the under-16 and under-19 ranges however he stays eligible to play for the Tremendous Eagles.
The 26-year-old centre-back seemingly has no future with the Three Lions after he was snubbed for Euro 2024 and he has proven his love for the Tremendous Eagles in current instances.
Adarabioyo was glorious for Fulham within the just-concluded season, which attracted curiosity from a few of the Premier League’s largest golf equipment earlier than he determined to maneuver to Chelsea.
An athletic ball-playing centre-back, Adarabioyo is powerful within the air, sturdy within the sort out, succesful with the ball at his toes, and boasts good studying of the sport in defensive conditions. All of the qualities Finidi wants in his defence.
The Tremendous Eagles coach needs to be on the cellphone with Adarabioyo this minute if he has not reached out to the defender already.
Igoh Ogbu, Slavia Prague
Igoh Ogbu is among the greatest defenders within the Czech Republic and one of Nigeria’s finest in Europe in the meanwhile.
He was a shock omission from Nigeria’s squad to the AFCON squad in December, having been one of many nation’s top-performing centre-backs till that point.
The previous Flying Eagles defender was named within the Europa League team of the week in September and October.
The centre-back was a rock within the coronary heart of the defence as his Slavia, for the second season in a row, completed second behind Sparta Prague within the Czech Republic prime flight.
A no-nonsense tackler within the mould of Taribo West, the 24-year-old might be an ideal alternative for Nigeria’s growing old defenders.
Ibrahim Buhari, IF Elfsborg
Ibrahim Buhari was a constant performer on the coronary heart of the defence and a menace for opposing attackers whereas at Plateau United within the Nigeria Skilled Soccer League.
Buhari moved from Jos to Sweden in 2022 to signal for IF Elfsborg and he has was some of the highly-rated centre-backs in that Scandinavian nation.
The 22-year-old helped Eflsborg end second within the Allsvenskan final yr he has already featured six instances this season.
Buhari is aware of African soccer nicely and has built-in properly into the European system.
A robust centre-back, an offensive weapon throughout set items, with an excellent eye for the sport, Buhari might be a tremendous benefit to Finidi’s crew.
Olisa Ndah, Orlando Pirates
Olisa Ndah stays the most effective defenders to come back out of the Nigerian league in recent times and it’s a shock that he’s but to be built-in into the nationwide crew.
Ndah led unfancied Akwa United to the membership’s first-ever NPFL title in 2021 earlier than he sealed a deal to hitch South African giants, Orlando Pirates.
Augustine Eguavoen famous Ndah’s capabilities and named him within the squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
In South Africa, Ndah helped Orlando Pirates win the MTN 8 Cup back-to-back in 2022 and 2023, in addition to retain the Nedbank Cup this year which in addition they received in 2023.
Regardless of battling accidents, Ndah nonetheless performed his function as Pirates completed as runners-up to champions Mamelodi Sundowns within the Premier Soccer League.
His calmness on the ball, skill to suit right into a possession-based system, and his defensive nous make Ndah an excellent candidate to bail out Finidi from his current woes.
Caleb Okoli, Atalanta
Born in Vicenza, Italy, to folks of Nigerian descent, Caleb Okoli is eligible to function for the 2 football-crazy international locations.
Having been cast within the soccer academies at Vicenza and Atalanta, Okoli has developed into an all-round center-back enjoying for SPAL, Cremonese, and Frosinone.
He examined his mettle in Serie A throughout the 2023/24 marketing campaign, the place he impressed regardless of Frosinone’s relegation to Serie B.
The Atalanta defender has performed for Italy at U19, U20, and U21 ranges however he was not named within the squads for the 2024 Toulon Event and the Euro 2024, making this the most effective time to get him for Nigeria.
Honourable mentions
- Gabriel Osho, Luton City
- Jordan Torunarigha, KAA Gent
- Kevin Akpoguma, Hoffenheim
- Oyebuchi Ifeanyi, Enugu Rangers
NB: Who would you add to and take away from this record of Nigeria’s greatest younger defenders on the earth? Go away your solutions within the remark part beneath!
