We love it — Madugu says he wants to change Super Falcons identity from last World Cup

Super Falcons head coach, Justine Madugu, is determined to make Nigeria a more attacking force after years of being a pragmatic team under Randy Waldrum. 

Madugu became the Falcons boss last year, after serving as an assistant under the American, Waldrum, who was in charge from 2020. 

Under Waldrum, especially at the last World Cup, the Super Eagles prioritised defending, which made them competitive against the likes of Australia and England. However, Madugu believes the team can be more expansive. 

The 60-year-old was at the helm for the WAFCON. Nigeria initially showed reticence in front of goal at the start of the tournament, a remnant from the era before. 

In the knockout stages, however, they turned on the faucet, scoring 10 goals in three games against Zambia, South Africa and Morocco (the three strongest teams in the tournament on their way to their 10th title.

An attacking, expressive, goal-hungry team is the Super Falcons Madugu envisages, and he told that to the Guardian’s Osasu Obayiuwana. 

“They adopted a more defensive approach and relied a bit on the counterattack,” he said about Waldrum’s time in charge. 

“But for us, as Africans, as Nigerians, we love expressing ourselves [on the pitch] … When you defend and you regain possession, what do you do? You attack … It’s more about numbers, about how many people are playing at the back and then how many people are going forward.”

Meanwhile, Madugu has successfully qualified the team for the next WAFCON after beating the Benin Republic across two legs. The Super Falcons will not only be looking to win consecutive tournaments but also start the count to another decade after winning their tenth title in the summer.