National Teams
‘We Still Have Many Areas To Improve’ — Akeem Busari Cautions Ahead of Flamingos’ Duel With Benin
Nigeria’s Flamingos head coach Akeem Busari has hailed his players’ progress following Nigeria’s emphatic 6-0 victory over Guinea but insists the team remains a work in progress ahead of the next phase of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.
The young Nigerian side produced a commanding performance to overwhelm Guinea, taking a giant step towards qualification. However, Busari believes the convincing scoreline should not distract from the work still required to mould the team into a complete unit.
Speaking after the match, the coach described the performance as another positive stage in the squad’s development, stressing that the players are still learning and adapting to the tactical demands of the team.
“This is a new team and they are young players who want to play, excel and showcase their talent,” Busari said.
“We are guiding them to understand how to transition from defence through midfield into attack and how to exploit spaces when opportunities arise.”
Busari highlighted the team’s energy, character and physical strength as key attributes that have contributed to their impressive displays.
The Flamingos coach also revealed that Nigeria’s tactical approach against Guinea was designed to counter the visitors’ physical style by focusing on ball possession, movement and quick passing in advanced areas.
“They are a physical side, so we needed to use the ball more effectively, exploit spaces and play with a high tempo in their half. That strategy worked well for us,” he explained.
Despite the dominant victory, Busari was quick to acknowledge that Guinea were far from pushovers, noting that they had previously defeated Niger Republic 8-2 on aggregate in the qualifiers.
“The Guineans are not a bad side. Their previous results showed they are capable of scoring goals. This result is simply a reflection of the hard work our players have put in and the progress they are making as a team,” he added.
Looking ahead, Busari identified tactical discipline, movement, passing combinations and attacking transitions as areas that still require significant improvement.
“We still believe we have shortcomings, even though we also have many strengths. Every team has areas that need improvement, and we will continue to work on those through training and tactical sessions,” he said.
The coach emphasised the importance of gradual learning when working with youth players, explaining that too much information at once can be counterproductive.
“They are young players, so you have to introduce lessons gradually. Development comes through playing matches, learning from mistakes and improving step by step,” Busari noted.
He added that the technical crew will continue focusing on small-group drills, team cohesion and tactical awareness to address the lapses identified despite the comprehensive win.
While the Flamingos’ six-goal demolition of Guinea showcased their immense attacking potential, Busari remains focused on long-term development as Nigeria continues its quest for a place at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
