Eguavoen Plans ‘Mass Defence, Mass Attack’ At Nations Cup

Nigerian football fans may start talking once again about the proverbial ‘mass defence, mass attack’ formation they often touted in the 80s, as Super Eagles’ interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen says all his players will be expected to play defensive roles at the Africa Cup of Nations.

With days ticking away ahead of the start of the continental soccer showpiece in Cameroon on January 9 and Nigeria playing their first match two days later against Egypt, Eguavoen is already marshalling what he believes would be the right tactics for the squad.

Megasportsarena.com reports that his latest assertion towards earning Nigeria’s fourth conquest of the competition – following the glories of 1980, 1994 and 2013 – is to ensure that his players do not leave defensive roles solely to the full backs and stoppers.

Nigerian fans and analysts are expressing fear over the lack of quality being shown of recent by error strewn William Troost-Ekong, injury-prone Leon Aderemi Balogun, inconsistent Chidozie Awaziem and aging Kenneth Omeruo, but Eguavoen refused to blame the players individually.

The three-time African champions were badly exposed during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they conceded four goals against Sierra Leone, while Troost-Ekong and Balogun made costly errors in World Cup qualifiers versus Central African Republic and Cape Verde.

The Eagles’ defence was caught napping in the build-up to Cape Verde’s opener at Estádio Nacional as well as in The Blue Sharks’ equalizer during the second leg at Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, but ‘Egu’ insists all his players will have to take responsibility henceforth.

Although the former defender and skipper admitted he will need to work more on the back-four during the Eagles’ upcoming training camp, he insists he is not unduly worried about the quality Nigeria has in defence.

Eguavoen stressed: “I am very satisfied, what I am saying is working as a team to defend is more of my concern not just leaving defensive responsibilities for the back four alone.

“Responsibility is not left for defenders alone, not just the back four. When I say defence I mean the entire team have to defend, the entire eleven players.”