'There are going to be duels, hard tackles' - Oliseh worried about Ndidi-less Super Eagles midfield 

1994 Africa Cup of Nations winner and ex-Nigeria coach, Sunday Oliseh has admitted that he's worried about the Super Eagles midfield without Leicester City star Wilfred Ndidi heading into the 2023 AFCON. 

Ndidi was originally named in the Super Eagles squad for the tournament which begins in Ivory Coast tonight but was forced to pull out of the squad after failing to recover from a muscular issue that would keep him sidelined for around three months. 

The former Racing Genk star  is arguably the second most important player in the Super Eagles squad after Victor Osimhen.

Of the last eleven games played by Nigeria without Ndidi getting minutes, the Super Eagles have managed three wins, drawn four while losing four.

Oliseh noted that most teams that win major tournament have a solid defensive midfielder in their ranks who drives the team, adding that the Africa Cup of Nations will be a physical tournament. 

Speaking to Channels Television, the former Ajax and Juventus midfielder stated: "Statistics have proven to us in the Fifa Technical Committee every club or country that wins major tournaments have a solid defensive midfielder because it is very, very important.

"That is one of the most ungrateful roles you have in football. I am worried about the midfield, we could be lean.

"The moment I heard Ndidi was injured, this is going to be a problem, this is Africa Cup of Nations. There are going to be duels, hard tackles when you look at the teams that are coming at us. 

"If you're going to have offensive players like we have, you cannot afford to play without solid defensive midfielders."
 

Although Royal Antwerp's Alhassan Yusuf has been called up to replace Ndidi, Brentford's Frank Onyeka will be Nigeria's key defensive midfielder at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations if the Super Eagles training sessions are anything to go by. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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