Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has defended his tactical approach following criticism over Nigeria’s opening defeat at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, insisting the technical crew remains fully confident in its decisions.
Questions over Madugu’s tactics intensified after the Falcons’ disappointing loss to Malawi, with some supporters questioning his team selection and overall game management ahead of the decisive meeting with Zambia.
Responding during his pre-match press conference on Friday, the coach maintained that criticism is part of football but stressed that it does not change his belief in the team’s work.
“They are questioning my tactics or technical ability because we lost the game,” Madugu said.
“But that was not the first game I have handled. I’ve handled several other matches that we have won, and nobody questioned that.”
Selections based on training, not reputation
Madugu dismissed suggestions that player selections are predetermined, explaining that places in his starting XI are earned through performances in training and how well individuals execute tactical instructions.
According to him, coaches continually assess players before making decisions rather than selecting names in advance.
“If you don’t train, how do you prove to us that you are ready to play a game?” he asked.
“It’s what we see you do in training that shows your level of preparedness. You don’t come with a mindset that this is the person that is just going to play.”
He added that coaches also consider how quickly players understand specific tactical ideas before settling on a lineup.
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While acknowledging supporters’ frustrations after the defeat, Madugu insisted criticism would not distract the coaching staff as they prepare for Nigeria’s must win encounter.
The coach admitted football does not always go according to plan but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to respond.
“Sometimes things will go wrong, and then you begin to look for what went wrong,” he said.
“It’s within their rights to question whatever they want to question. But the fact is that we know what we are doing. We are focused and we are looking ahead.”
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Nigeria face Zambia needing a positive result to revive their hopes of progressing to the knockout stage and keep alive their qualification ambitions for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
