As Nigeria prepares to enter two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa, forward Moses Simon, on Thursday, September 4, emphasises that the Super Eagles must ‘offer no excuses’ following a string of disappointing performances.
Currently, Nigeria is positioned fourth in Group C with seven points, having achieved only one victory and four draws in their last six matches. Among these draws, three occurred at home, including a draining 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in June.
Simon, one of the more experienced players on the team, insists that excuses are not an option, stating to ESPN: “We simply must win; there are no excuses. Who scores does not matter; our only goal is to win.”
He further remarked that every player must assume greater responsibility and be ready to voice their opinions and do whatever is necessary to secure World Cup qualification: “If you know of anything you can do to help us win, then do it.
”If you believe you are better than the player the coach intends to select, it is straightforward — communicate with the coach. If you think that entering the pitch will result in you scoring five goals, just express it.
The Super Eagles have also been without forward Victor Osimhen and several other key players for portions of the campaign, and Simon acknowledged that this instability has had an impact.
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”I cannot assign blame to anyone because there are numerous factors at play,” Simon reflected, considering what has contributed to the team’s disappointing performance thus far.
”You can observe how many coaches have managed the qualifiers. Initially, it was Peseiro, then Finidi, and subsequently a new coach again, and we understand that each coach has their own strategies.
For a team boasting some of the most formidable strikers on the continent, Nigeria has managed to score only seven goals while conceding six. They netted just two goals in their last two qualifiers. Simon stated that the team must not only regain their scoring prowess but also improve their defensive capabilities.
”We need to increase our goal tally because the Super Eagles of the past and the current Super Eagles are different; in those days, the game would be decided within twenty minutes,” Simon remarked.
”In terms of defence, they performed admirably. Currently, we are making adjustments because, in my view, scoring goals is essential to prevent these issues. This is an aspect that requires modification, as evidenced by its impact on the CHAN team. They struggled to score goals, and when the opposing team had opportunities, they capitalised on them swiftly.
