“Not as gifted as his uncle Okocha” — Iwobi single out by ex-Super Eagles midfielder

By: Monsurah Olatunji

Former Nigerian international Etim Esin has expressed his disappointment with the lack of creativity in the current Super Eagles squad, placing much of the blame on midfielder Alex Iwobi for not filling the crucial playmaking role.

Esin, who played as a creative midfielder for Nigeria, recounted that the absence of inventive midfielders is contributing to the strikers’ poor performances in the recent AFCON 2025 qualifiers.

He believes that the lack of a true playmaker has hindered the team’s attacking potential.

Iwobi, who is Jay-Jay Okocha’s maternal nephew, has been a regular in the national team since switching allegiance from England’s youth setup to Nigeria in 2015.

However, despite his technical ability and experience, Esin feels that Iwobi is not capable of fulfilling the role of a creative midfielder for the Super Eagles.

“Another issue is the lack of a creative midfielder — a proper number 10 who can orchestrate plays, provide assists, and unsettle opposing teams,” Esin told Compete Sports.

“That magic touch of players like Jay-Jay Okocha, Henry Nwosu, or even myself is missing. We don’t have naturally gifted playmakers anymore. Everyone is just average.”

He further questioned the comparisons made between Iwobi and Okocha, stating, “For instance, people keep talking about Iwobi, but he can’t do half of what Okocha did. That comparison doesn’t hold water.”