Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has praised the Super Eagles for reporting early to camp ahead of Friday’s 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Madagascar, describing the players’ attitude as an encouraging sign of their determination to recover from the disappointment of missing the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Nigeria held their first training session in Uyo with 23 of the 24 invited players available, giving head coach Éric Chelle an almost complete squad from the beginning of preparations.
For Lawal, popularly known as Chindo, that response from the players should not be overlooked.
“It is a fantastic attitude from the players,” Lawal said, pointing to the unusually high number of early arrivals for the opening training session.
The former Super Eagles midfielder believes the Madagascar encounter represents more than the beginning of another qualification campaign.
“This is a new beginning,” he said, stressing that the players now have an opportunity to respond to Nigeria’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup.
Lawal, however, warned that having virtually the entire squad available early will count for little if Nigeria underestimate Madagascar.
He believes the gap between established African powers and traditionally less-fancied nations is narrowing as countries invest more seriously in football development.
“Football is growing everywhere,” Lawal warned. “Everybody is working hard and trying to improve.”
Nigeria host Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Friday, September 25, before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau in Bissau four days later.
The Super Eagles are attempting to put their World Cup qualifying disappointment behind them, and Lawal believes the attitude displayed in camp offers an encouraging starting point.
But his message comes with a warning: arriving early has demonstrated seriousness — Nigeria must now carry that same attitude onto the pitch against Madagascar.
