By Dayo Awoniyi
Former Nigeria head coach Bonfrere Jo has cautioned Nigeria’s national team to strengthen their defensive organization and provide greater protection for goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers playoffs.
Speaking with Complete Sports, the Dutch tactician stressed that defensive responsibility should be a collective effort involving all players, not just the backline.
“It’s important for the defense to effectively protect the goalkeeper,” Bonfrere said.
“This is not only the job of defenders — midfielders and attackers must also track back to help defend, just as defenders push forward when attacking.”
Bonfrere, who famously guided Nigeria to Olympic gold at Atlanta 1996, emphasized that discipline and tactical awareness must be instilled on the training ground.
“It must start during training sessions. The coach has to give precise instructions, and players must rehearse them until it becomes natural,” he added.
The veteran coach warned that failing to shield Nwabali could lead to costly mistakes in crucial matches.
“When a goalkeeper faces too much pressure, mistakes can happen — and that can be costly,” Bonfrere cautioned.
Nwabali, one of Nigeria’s standout performers at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, remains central to the Super Eagles’ ambitions as they prepare for the decisive phase of the World Cup qualifiers.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
