Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has voiced strong criticism against the growing trend of national team captains being relegated to the bench, describing it as "an anomaly" that undermines effective leadership on the pitch.
Speaking on Channel Sports on Sunday, Oliseh emphasized that team captains should be active players leading from the front rather than watching from the sidelines.
"This I want to call an anomaly, and it started when we began having on-the-bench sitting captains," Oliseh stated. "You can't have that. You can't have your captain sitting on the bench. In other words, you are saying it is an assistant that is leading the team."
Current Captain Situation
The comments appear particularly relevant to the situation of current Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa, who only recently returned to the national team ahead of the 2025 Unity Cup. This marked Musa's first appearance since the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations last year.
During Nigeria's recent 2-1 victory over Ghana, Musa was not in the starting lineup and only entered the match as a substitute in the 62nd minute. He subsequently left the national team camp to get married.
Oliseh's remarks highlight a growing debate within Nigerian football circles about leadership roles and playing time for team captains, suggesting that the armband should be worn by players who consistently feature in the starting eleven.
The former coach's comments come at a time when the Super Eagles are working to build cohesion under current management as they prepare for upcoming international competitions.
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