Former Super Eagles star and coach Samson Siasia has pinpointed the missing ingredient for the Super Eagles to fulfill their potential on the global stage—a creative midfielder.
Despite boasting some of the continent’s top talents in attack, Siasia believes Nigeria still lacks the playmaker who can consistently unlock defences.
Nigeria's attacking line is among the best in Africa, featuring players like Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, and Taiwo Awoniyi, supported by wingers such as Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwuwze. In midfield and defence, there are solid options like Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, and Calvin Bassey.
Yet, Siasia, who has been closely involved with Nigerian football for over two decades, feels the team’s inability to consistently dominate games is due to the absence of a creative spark in the middle.
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“We don’t have an offensive midfield player that can give the last pass to the strikers,” Siasia told radio station Lagos Talks. “We have great strikers, but we need someone that is missing.”
Siasia’s comments highlight a problem that has persisted since Jay-Jay Okocha’s retirement. The former Super Eagles captain, renowned for his vision, flair, and ability to orchestrate attacks, left a gap in the team that no one has fully filled.
“(Alex) Iwobi cannot play that position.
“He’s a good player, but he’s not doing as much as he’s supposed to as an offensive player. We have to look for that person in the center of the field, who can give the last passes and score goals.
“In the defence and other parts, right and left midfield, we are good. We need someone like Jay-Jay Okocha, but it has to be somebody that can score more than him.”
