Former Nigeria international Friday Ekpo has urged Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to adopt a gradual approach to replacing ageing players, warning that abruptly dropping experienced members of the squad could undermine the development of the next generation.
Ekpo, while supporting the introduction of younger players, believes the transition must be carefully managed to allow emerging talents to learn from established internationals before assuming greater responsibilities.
“It’s not that easy. The coach should have such kind of programme for himself, should know what to do,” Ekpo said.
The former midfielder acknowledged that some senior players are approaching the latter stages of their careers, making it necessary for the technical crew to begin preparing suitable replacements.
“He should have seen that these players, they are above 30-plus, and they are almost out of it,” he explained.
Ekpo suggested introducing younger players alongside experienced internationals, giving them opportunities to develop their confidence and understanding of international football.
“You can bring in the younger ones, introduce them into the game, giving the older ones an opportunity to show them the way, how to go about it,” he stated.
He also encouraged Chelle to rotate both groups during matches to assess how the younger players perform before handing them permanent responsibilities.
“During the game, you keep changing them to see how they will fare when they finally take over from these people,” Ekpo added.
However, the former international cautioned against forcing senior players out before their replacements are fully prepared.
“You can’t just push them out. We need the experience, we need the exposure,” he insisted.
Ekpo stressed that younger players must benefit from the knowledge and experience of the veterans to become dependable members of the national team.
“The younger ones have to learn from the older ones to know what to do and how to play their game in future,” he explained.
“It will take time, but we need to start doing it now,” Ekpo concluded, urging Chelle to begin the transition without sacrificing the experience still needed in the Super Eagles.
