Justin Madugu says he “Cannot stop criticism. It’s the nature of the job. You cannot please everybody. Everyone watches football from a different perspective and has their own interpretation of the game,” www.aclsports.com reports.
The Super Falcons finished level on points with Malawi and Zambia, edging the three-way head-to-head tiebreaker on goals scored to reach the quarter-finals for the 14th time.
Reacting to Nigeria’s progression, Madugu admitted there was a sense of relief within the camp after a difficult group-stage campaign.
“Naturally, everyone will be happy to have advanced to this stage of the competition. Given the circumstances we found ourselves in, we placed ourselves under pressure, but thank God we have been able to come out of it. The competition is only just beginning for us,” Madugu said.
Having conceded five goals in their last three matches, Madugu acknowledged concerns over a defence that was once one of the Super Falcons’ greatest strengths.
“We have always been a team with a very solid defensive line, but recently we have been conceding very unnecessary goals. That is something that worries us a lot, and we have to do a lot of work to ensure the girls do not switch off at any point during the game,” he said.
“The manner in which we are conceding these goals is a serious concern, and it is something we will have to address.”
The Super Falcons will next face Cameroon in the quarter-finals, a match Madugu described as vital to Nigeria’s objectives at the tournament.
“It’s a final because it’s the match that will determine whether we achieve our first objective or not. Having come this far, we know what is at stake, and we will not take it for granted. We have to go back, start work immediately, study our opponents, and come up with a plan that will ensure we emerge victorious in the quarter-final against Cameroon.”
On the prospect of younger players getting more opportunities, Madugu said selection would continue to be based on the demands of each game.
“Selection is always based on what we see from the opposition. We analyse their strengths and weaknesses, assess our own players and determine who best fits our game plan. The same approach will be applied against Cameroon as we look to select the players who can get us the result we want,” he explained.
On the criticism he has received during the tournament, Madugu said it is part of the job.
“Sometimes, even from negative criticism, you can take something positive. You ask yourself, ‘What can I learn from this?’ We’re all human beings. Even coaches make mistakes. When you realise you’ve made a mistake, you have to admit it and try to do better next time.”
Sunday’s quarter-final against Cameroon will determine who secures automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
