As reactions continue flowing after the Super Falcons’ conquest of this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, coach of the side, Justin Madugu has cast another look back at his successful execution of a ‘collective strategy’ during the competition.
Sports247 gathered that one reason why none of the Falcons players emerged as top scorer of the competition, and why they had different star performers for each match, was because Madugu preferred to avoid relying on any particular player.
Read Also: Troost-Ekong Confesses: I Want To Win AFCON, Play At 2026 World Cup
His strategy apparently also accounted for how six-tine African Women’s Footballer of The Year, Asisat Oshoala was dropped to the bench for each subsequent game, after she scored Nigeria’s first goal of the competition in their 3-0 spanking of Tunisia.
The bulky tactician, who is a masters degree holder from the University of Jos, has now reflected on his implementation of the collective strategy, which he believes made his squad stand out as a balanced team and stood firmly together when things got tough in the final.
Madugu expatiated, “It’s a team sport, and we must try to build a strong team. You don’t build a team around an individual.
“We try to play as a team so that whoever comes in knows what the team needs and can easily fit into what the team does.”
Madugu’s approach appeared to be most pronounced in the quarter-final fixture versus Zambia, when five different players scored in the Falcons’ 5-0 victory, with only one by a striker (Chinwendu Ihezuo).
A similar impact could be seen in how three defenders – Osinachi Ohale, Oluwatosin Demehin and Michellle Alozie scored at various points during the competition, while Jennifer Echegini (a midfielder) got off the bench to net Nigeria’s winning goal in the final.
Madugu further pointed out, “It’s not about an individual, and we are not too keen about establishing star players. The collective performances will determine how people will assess us.
“So, we try to build our team as a complete unit, instead of building it round a single player. In case that individual does not come to the party on the game day, what happens next?”
The soft-spoken tactician, who is hoping to be confirmed as the Falcons’ substantive coach by the technical committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), concluded by affirming that each Falcons player is usually given a general assignment, not individual task, for each match.
“If a so-called key player is not available, it becomes an issue. So, we try as much as possible to build a general team that will play together as one unit.
“Whoever starts or enters as a substitute is on the same level with what we have strategised or we had planned to implement and execute for each match,” Madugu disclosed.
