By Ben Efe 3.12.2025
Former Super Eagles midfielder and captain, Sunday Oliseh has backed fellow midfield player Wilfred Ndidi to provide leadership for the Super Eagles as they campaign in the 2025 African Cup of Nations this month.
Ndidi’s shaky performances have cost the Super Eagles at crucial times, but Oliseh who had a brief stint as coach of the national team, noted that the Besiktas of Turkey player commands a lot of respect from his national teammates and he would a good captain.
“At the moment, I think nobody doubts the respect the players have for Ndidi. And he’s a player that plays every game,” he said on the Oliseh Insight Podcast.
“I am not trying to push for who is going to be captain, but I think Ndidi is already the captain anyways because he captained the last game.
“On the player’s side, this is where whoever is the leader of the team, this is where he has to show the Oliseh Keshi leadership,” he added.
“That is, don’t wait for the NFF to start calling the players to come to camp. You as a captain, like I used to do and what Keshi used to do, you call the players privately and let them know, boss me, I am getting to the camp.”
On the Super Eagles chances of winning the tournament Oliseh added: “I am very optimistic that the Super Eagles can do well at this tournament. The first thing the manager has to do is that he has to grow a little bit stubborn.
“He has to grow stubborn because it is no secret that people from outside will try to influence who plays who doesn’t play.
“I think he has to grow stubborn and stand his ground and show personality that he is responsible.”
Nigeria are in Group C of the AFCON tournament alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.