Justin Madugu has defended his team selection and tactical decisions, insisting Nigeria are focused on beating South Africa and keeping their 2027 World Cup hopes alive.
Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu has defended his team selection and tactical decisions ahead of Thursday’s crucial 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off against South Africa.
The coach said his decisions were always aimed at helping Nigeria win.
“The ones that I win, you say it is the players that are good, but when we lose now, it is the coach that is bad,” Madugu said.
“Every game, we pick those who we feel are ready to ensure that we win every match. How do you imagine a coach? You have the responsibility of selecting a team to go and win a match. How do you now do something contrary? What is your intention? What do you want?
“You make changes, they say, no, this is not the right person who should come in. This is the person who should come in.”
With Nigeria’s World Cup hopes now resting on Thursday’s encounter, Madugu said the team understands the importance of the fixture.
“We all know how important that match is. We are treating it based on its importance because we know what it means,” he said.
“We’re ready for it. We’ll give it all our best.”
Madugu said the medical team was working to ensure the players were fit for the decisive encounter.
“We are working with the medical team to ensure that everybody who will be on the team tomorrow is fully fit, no reservations,” he said.
“So far, I think we’re getting positive signals concerning a few of them that had some little challenges in the last game. Hopefully, they will all be ready for tomorrow.”
He also said the team was not looking beyond South Africa.
“My major concern for now is just tomorrow’s game. That’s what we are focused on.
“Because you take it one at a time. By the time we cross tomorrow, we’ll get to the next hurdle, and then we’ll deal with that too.”
The coach explained that the opposition, player fitness and the limited time available with national teams influence his selections.
“Every game comes with its own plans, based on the opposition also. You look at what the opposition has and what you can also use against them,” he explained.
“That’s why mostly we tend to have a lot of flexible players in the team that can adjust to whatever it is that we intend doing.”
Madugu said national-team coaches have little time to implement their ideas compared with club coaches.
“In the national team, you have just a few days. If not for a competition of this magnitude, you don’t have more than four or five days. Mostly, maybe one week with the players.
“And it’s not sufficient enough for you to be able to get everybody to understand what you really want, the philosophy, and then perfect everything within just that one-week period.”
He added:
“So it’s not as if we just want to change players or change teams because we just want to change. No, there are reasons why we have to make some of these changes.”
Madugu insisted that Thursday’s match would not be used for experimentation.
“For tomorrow’s game, for every game we pick those that we feel are ready to ensure that we win every match,” he said.
“It’s not just about squad rotation, that everybody should have an opportunity to just play. It’s not about that. It’s about ensuring that we have the right people who will always win every game for us.
“Even for tomorrow’s (Thursday) game, it’s not a game that we’ll have to gamble with anything. We will give it all our best.”
He also promised maximum commitment from the selected players.
“I can assure you that those who will represent us tomorrow will give out their absolute best. Even those who are on the bench will also make a contribution to ensure that the team does well.”
Ajibade acknowledged the disappointment of losing automatic World Cup qualification to Cameroon but urged Nigerians to support the team.
