'Selense football won't work' - Nigeria great sends powerful message to Super Falcons pre-Wafcon

Nigeria legend Mercy Akide has delivered a stinging assessment of the Super Falcons' performances at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, warning that a lack of hunger and purpose could derail their campaign at the 2024 edition of the tournament in Morocco.

Of the six matches played by the Super Falcons at the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations, they secured just three wins and failed to finish on the podium, following a 1–0 defeat to emerging continental force Zambia in the third-place playoff.

Super Falcons coach Justine Madugu has named a star-studded squad for the upcoming tournament kicking off next month, with key players such as Chiamaka Nnadozie, Osinachi Ohale, Ashleigh Plumptre, Rasheedat Ajibade, Jennifer Echegini and Asisat Oshoala all making the roster.

Akide has urged the Super Falcons to play as a united team, with both mind and soul, stressing that past records mean nothing on the pitch.

The three-time Wafcon winner urged the current squad to avoid playing flashy, showboating football, locally dubbed 'selense football', insisting it won't yield results on the continental stage. 

"It's like we have the players but there's no fight. There's no zeal, no purpose. It looks like we have no reason being on that field. The opponent won every 50-50 ball," Akide told Channels TV's Austin Okon Akpan.

"If we are going there and want to play selense football as our people call it, it is not going to work. This is not selense football because that's what they did three years ago and I'm sick and tired of it."

Akide, a key figure in Nigeria's golden generation, expressed frustration at what she sees as a sense of entitlement among the current Super Falcons squad, warning that while many may feel secure due to their club careers abroad, underperformance at the 2024 Wafcon could hinder opportunities for emerging talents.

"They've given these girls so much, in my time we had nothing but we played with pride and for the country, we played for our names.

"They already have their names because they are playing in Europe, Asia and America. They think they have nothing to lose but the new generation have something to lose because if you're not doing well, nobody is going to recommend failures."

The Super Falcons will take on Ghana's Black Queens in their last friendly on Sunday before their opening game of the 2024 Wafcon against Tunisia the following week. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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