Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons’ coach, Justin Madugu, has promised that merit and current form will continue to be his yardstick towards naming the squad’s starting 11 for each game at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Sports247 reports that Madugu was speaking against the backdrop of insinuations in some quarters that he is making his selections merely based on names of players and where their clubs are based.
However, while hinting at his strategies and likely line-up for Thursday’s second group match versus Botswana, Madugu stressed that he always provides equal opportunities for all his players.
The tactician pointed out that all players at the team’s WAFCON 2024 camp in Morocco have the opportunity of representing Nigeria and then assured that he is never biased in arriving at his choices.
Madugu expatiated, “Every player that is here, those who made the team to this competition, are all representing the country. That’s why they are all equally of great importance to us.
“They are all our players, and we try as much as possible to promote team harmony among them. We try to make everyone relevant in the team, and nobody should feel more important than the other.”
While also pointing out that football is all about teamwork and collective effort, Madugu further assured that he will not give room for unmerited preferences nor favouritism.
“It’s a team sport, and it’s all about playing together as one unit. We try as much as possible to ensure we do the right thing by being fair and transparent in all that we do.
“Everybody has an equal chance of being in the team. So, whoever does well continues, and whoever does not do well is dropped,” Madugu theorised.
Heading into Thursday’s clash with Botswana in Casablanca, Madugu concluded by affirming that, since he is aiming for victory, merit will always be the basis on which he selects his players.
“Obviously, we must pick only those who are doing well, because we want to do better. We have the privilege of making good changes if need be, so that we can keep the team going,” Madugu posited.
