”Future Starts Today”-Garba Lawal Pushes For Youth Inclusion In Super Eagles Setup
2 min read
By Sportsgister
Former Super Eagles star and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee member, Garba Lawal, has called on national team head coach Éric Sékou Chelle to begin a timely transition within the squad by integrating younger, hungrier players into the team.
Speaking in the aftermath of Nigeria’s recent performances, Lawal stressed that the Super Eagles risk stagnation if the coaching crew continues to rely heavily on an aging core despite the increasing physical demands of modern football.
According to the 1996 Olympic gold medallist, some of the current first-team regulars have served the nation admirably but are approaching the twilight of their peak years.
He believes the technical staff must act decisively to avoid a future rebuild crisis.
“Fresh legs should come into the Super Eagles because some of the current players are aging,” Lawal said.
“If you want to bring in the fresh legs, it has to be now not later.
Transition should not wait until players can no longer cope.”
Lawal emphasized that introducing new players does not mean discarding experience. Instead, he recommended a balanced blend of youth and established stars to ensure competitiveness across upcoming World Cup qualifiers, AFCON campaigns, and international friendlies.
He added that scouting should be intensified across the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), Europe-based Nigerian players, and youth national teams to identify prospects capable of stepping into the senior setup.
With the Super Eagles facing mounting pressure to rebuild effectively under coach Chelle, Lawal’s comments underline growing calls for long-term planning, player rotation, and strategic squad renewal.
The coming months could determine how soon fresh talents get the chance to prove themselves on the big stage.
Sedara Philip is a Sports writer, an administrator,Journalist,and editor
