Former Super Eagles star Garba Lawal has thrown his support behind Nigeria’s head coach, Augustine Eguavoen, amid growing debate over his squad selection for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
Eguavoen’s 23-man squad announcement has stirred controversy, with some fans and analysts questioning certain choices, particularly the exclusion of in-form strikers Cyriel Dessers, Josh Maja, and Tolu Arokodare in favour of forwards currently struggling at their clubs.
Lawal, a key player in Nigeria’s 1996 Olympic gold-winning squad, stressed the importance of trusting Eguavoen’s vision, reminding Nigerians that success on the field depends on collective team performance rather than individual selections.
“It’s not that the players are not good,” Lawal explained in an interview with Brila FM. ““But if a coach doesn’t favour a particular player, there’s little anyone can do about it. We had players who didn’t score regularly for their clubs, but when they came to the national team, they delivered.”
Lawal underscored the necessity of full commitment from the players selected. ““In football, there are always options, but the most important thing is that when you’re called upon, you must give 100% effort,” he stated.
“We cannot dictate to Eguavoen who to invite; he’s the coach, and we give him the benefit of the doubt to execute.”
The veteran also warned that Nigeria’s path to AFCON 2025 is not guaranteed, stressing that the matches against Benin and Rwanda are not to be underestimated. “These two matches won’t be easy, and we cannot afford to relax. The players Eguavoen has selected are capable of winning both games. Nigerians want to see the commitment from the players,” he said.
“If they give their best, the fans will support them. It’s normal in football — you can’t win every game, but the most important thing is for the team to show their ability and commitment.”
With Nigeria currently leading Group D, the Super Eagles need only avoid defeat in at least one of these games to secure their place in the AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco.
The team’s camp opened earlier this week, with several players already arriving ahead of their November 14 clash against Benin and their November 18 fixture against Rwanda.
