Former Tremendous Eagles winger Dimeji Lawal has issued a robust warning to Nigeria forward of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco, insisting that self-discipline, unity, and humility have to be the muse of the crew in the event that they hope to problem for the title.
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Lawal mentioned that previous failures, together with lacking two consecutive World Cup tournaments, have proven that expertise alone isn’t sufficient, stressing that inner behaviour, dedication, and professionalism usually decide how far a crew goes in main competitions.
“We’d like self-discipline within the squad. No participant ought to act larger than the crew, not now, not at AFCON,” Lawal acknowledged firmly.
He emphasised the significance of sustaining concord in camp, warning that even a single particular person’s ego or poor angle can disrupt the crew’s stability. He argued that gamers should perceive that they’re representing over 200 million folks, not simply themselves.
In a candid second, Lawal talked about Victor Osimhen for instance, praising the striker’s world-class expertise however pointing to recurring points that have to be addressed.
“Osimhen is a incredible participant, however why does he wrestle to complete video games for Nigeria? On TV he at all times appears to be like dedicated, however small particulars matter,” he mentioned.
Lawal additionally questioned the behavior of arriving late to camp, one thing he says can disrupt preparations, have an effect on tactical periods, and ship the mistaken message to the remainder of the squad.
“Even if you’re the very best participant, coming late to camp impacts the crew. These little issues resolve leads to tournaments,” he added.
He careworn that AFCON calls for most focus and unity, and any type of indiscipline, whether or not from star gamers or squad members, might value Nigeria dearly.
“At AFCON, no person cares about your membership kind or your identify. What issues is what you give the crew,” he warned.
Lawal urged the teaching crew to pick gamers who’re mentally prepared, not simply technically gifted, emphasizing that starvation and humility stay Africa’s largest weapons.
His closing message was sharp and uncompromising:
“If Nigeria needs to win AFCON, all people should drop their ego and battle for one badge, nothing else.”
