Ex-international midfielder and former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Sylvanus Okpala has come out with what he believes is a proper template that would help the Nigerian national team get effective substitutes for its top striker, Victor Osimhen.
Sports247 reports that the former battling midfield maestro, who was fondly called ‘Quicksilver’ during his playing days, believes helping other strikers in the Nigerian team build confidence is the best way to get the right substitute for Osimhen.
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Okpala took another look at how the Eagles fell apart when Osimhen bowed out with injury against DR Congo during the World Cup play-off final and emphasised the need for Nigeria’s technical crew to urgently find a potent back-up for the Galatasaray of Turkey striker.
He posited, “It’s not a one-man show, and a tree does not make a forest. Nobody is indispensable, but people have their time in which to be relevant more than others.
“This is Osimhen’s time, and we can’t take it away from him. This is his time. So, what the coach needs to do is to find somebody who can be used for Osimhen’s substitution.”
Okpala further pointed out that Osimhen’s all-action style of play is bound to make him vulnerable to injuries, hence his emphasis on a readily available alternative to step in whenever the top striker completes his duty in the field of play.
“We need someone to replace him when he gets tired. In fact, the way Osimhen plays – he’s very aggressive, robust and powerful – makes him get injured often.
“That’s what happened versus DR Congo. He used all his energy against Gabon and again in the next game just there days later.
“You can’t keep going like that all the time. The heart might be willing, but the body is weak. So, they must try to see how they can bring in other strikers,” Okpala stressed.
He admitted that such steps have been taken of recent – with the introductions of Dare Arokodare, Cyriel Dessers, Paul Onuachu, Victor Boniface and Terem Moffi – but added that other strikers need to build confidence before they can step in effectively for Osimhen.
“They need to provide confidence for other strikers in the team. They should provide opportunities for other strikers to build their confidence even when Osimhen is available.
“When other strikers start scoring goals, they will grow in confidence. However, when they are not scoring, they start to get jittery when called upon,” Okpala pointed out.
