Former Nigeria international, Dimeji Lawal, has attributed Nigeria’s back-to-back failures to qualify for the FIFA World Cup to poor preparation rather than a lack of talent.
Reacting to Nigeria’s 2–2 draw against Jordan national football team, Lawal stressed that the country boasts an abundance of skilled players but continues to fall short due to inadequate planning and preparation.
According to him, the standard of friendly matches arranged for the team reflects a deeper issue in Nigeria’s football structure.
He noted that the inability to attract top-tier opponents limits the team’s growth and readiness for major competitions.
“Using Jordan and Iran as a yardstick to judge your team I don’t think we are serious that’s just the truth, I must confess to you, in any form you can’t compare Jordan to our team.
“Like I keep harming on, our problem is our preparation we have the talent, the players and everything to excel but our preparation is always lackluster I don’t think it’s meaningful why don’t we look for teams that will prepare us for that tax and give us that challenge so when the qualification starts we will be able to measure up.“
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Lawal concluded that until Nigeria improves its preparation strategy and seeks more competitive opposition, the national team may continue to struggle when it matters most.
