Super Eagles attacker is facing challenges on the pitch due to lack of qualities that set him up on a year stage years back and off pitch by fans who questioned his relevance to the current squad.
Reports about Super Eagles skipper Ahmed Musa said he still has years to spend with the national team after reports of his retirement spreading across social media
Ahmed Musa denied the reports by the media concerning his past comment on his retirement, which he made during last AFCON at Cameroon. He made note he never informed anyone he has called time on his national team career.
The former Leicester and current Fatih Karagumruk forward, reports by Completesports said he was misquoted and the Peseiro led technical team still find him good for upcoming tournaments.
Musa -“I didn’t tell anyone I am done with with Super Eagles”
Super Eagles captain has said he still has years to spend with the national team
Ahmed Musa has said he never informed anyone he has called time on his national team career.
The Fatih Karagumruk forward, according to Completesports said he was misquoted and the coaches still find him good for upcoming tournaments.
“I didn’t tell anyone that I am done with Super Eagles. I said I might consider retiring after the World Cup if Nigeria had qualified. The new coach has called me to come and play in the AFCON qualifiers and I cannot say no to him because it is a call to serve my country,”
“AFCON is next year and I am still active playing in Turkey and if the coaches find me good to be at the AFCON in Ivory Coast, I will gladly go and help my country to win it. I will always honor invitation to serve my country and give my best.”
Alot of Super Eagles fans have questioned the presence and relevance of Ahmed Musa to the current Nigerian national team and by extension Peseiro task to build a new continental super football force.
Ahmed Musa had reached his peak of his career at CSKA Moscow,and ever since his departure he has not risen to the elite form he had in former Russian side.
He replicate such a flash in the 2018 Russia World Cup where he scored a brace against Iceland. Ever since that magical strike at the world cup, Musa had featured in almost every Super Eagles call up.
Musa has lost his unique abilities on and off the ball. He may still have off the pitch quality but that is no needed in current football from the eyes of Pep.
Why He's No Longer Needed: Abilities Musa Lost
Musa lost of his unique and quality abilities has rendered his featuring at the squad as an " unfunctional utility" in the team and should place to other players with required abilities at the left flank. What are those qualities he lost:
- Lost of Pace
- No Longer Threat
- Positioning
Lost of Pace:
Musa has been known to every Nigerian fans as one with pace and speed. The 28 year old player no longer have the necessary speed for a left flank in modern football. Pace and speed is strategically important against opponents defenses.
Moses Simon the current Nantes man has proven for the job and did that incredibly well at the AFCON in Cameron.
No Longer Threat:
Musa at CSKA was a threat to opponents backline and by extension no.2. His presence on pitch rings the alarm bell for right backs. Moses Simon displayed the threat ability in the Super Eagles against Egypt. And his threat at the tournament made Eguavoun built his strategies and tactics around him.
It was his threat of speed, pace and punishment of defenders made the Tunisia team to build a three man defence diamond position against him.
Positioning:
his inability to move on a high speed has made positioning a problem, most times he is not at the rightful place in a Sprint of time.
Goal Instinct
It's an indisputed fact that Musa is no longer the Musa on goals as few years ago. His lack of form in recent club sides has affected his goal Instinct. Another reason is as a result of not playing around quality players and Midfielders that will link him passes at his wing. He has struggled over the years at finding feet with his clubs he had played for.
Goals are food for attackers, speed are the PRIDE and WEAPON of wingers. When you lose those abilities and qualities it would affect your feature for big teams in major Leagues coached by top managers.
Age maybe working against him and his abilities to render his service to Joseph Peseiro and Super Eagles. It's up to him to know where he should work very hard in his weaknesses to up his ante if he still got to play for Nigeria for a long time as he said.
Counter Argument by some Analysts why he should still be featured
Leadership in Modern football not Important:
Some football pundits and analysts have argued that Musa's leadership ability is vital and requisite in the squad. He is the very few of the remaining 2013 set that won the third AFCON trophy for the nation. His leadership on and off the pitch is very important.
His leadership is not currently important in modern football philosophy. This maybe surprisingly, yes. If you look at most admire football manager Pep Guardiola, he does not need a strong leader on the pitch to do his magic.
Pep sees player's leadership influences on and off pitch as problematic as the captain may influence his men and pose threat to his general management. Currently players and captians of clubs wield influences in the hiring and firing of managers.
That is why Pep wants to see himself as the ultimate leader, that is why he do away with players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Samuel Etto, Yaya Toure at Barcelona and at Manchester City.
Although Musa maybe not posses and exhibit strong leadership and influences but the argument of his leadership for the Super Eagles is irrelevant, because the "ends justify the means."
The Eagles begins training in the capital city Abuja ahead of 2023 AFCON qualifiers clash against Sierra Leone
Musa is in the Super Eagles camp ahead of the AFCON 2023 games against Sierra Leone and São Tomé and Principé.
This report is biased.
ReplyDeleteHe has many things to give as a national team captain like we have seen before for a many times
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