The Nigeria Super Eagles returned from participating at the just concluded Africa cup of Nations popularly known as AFCON with a silver medal. The Super Eagles lost 2-1 to the host Nation, Cote d'Ivoire in the final match played at Abidjan.

The Super Eagles had raised the hope of so many Nigerians that they were capable of winning the trophy against a team they defeated in the preliminary, and a team that narrowly qualified from the group stage. This actually prompted a lot of Nigerians' dignitaries led by Nigerian number two citizen, Kashim Shettima gracing the final with the hope that they were returning home with the trophy.

Well, that was not to be, as the host country had another plan, they came out smoking while the Super Eagles choose the day not to show up.

While the Super Eagles have since returned home and the players have all returned to their clubs, so many football pundits have not stopped to discuss matters raising from Nigeria performance at the AFON. 

Of particular interest was the playing pattern of the Super Eagles at the tournament. Though they may have won the silver, but so many Nigerians were really not happy with the playing pattern.

The Portuguese coach, Jose Pesiero totally deployed a defensive approach which prevented them from conceding much though, but it also inhibited their ability to score many goals, a reason also players like Victor Osimhen could not score many goals.

Nigerians love seeing their team play with flair and this was what Nigeria teams over time were known for. It is never in the DNA of a Nigerian team to sit back and play on counter as was deployed by Pesiero in the just concluded AFCON. This is the very reason most Nigerians are still calling for the sack of the coach despite meeting up with the target set for him by the Nigerian football authority. 

In fact, former Nigerian international, Femi Ajilore was very critical of the playing pattern of the coach. He said that the Nigerian team was not playing with the intention of scoring goal. “We have to play with the intention of scoring because if we don’t score there is no way we will win.

"Going forward we have to play a more open game against other teams so that we can create opportunities to score. If you score and you defend well, you will win. But if we are only defending and we are not attacking to score even at the end of the day you will not win.

“I really think it is important that we build more in our attack. Defence-wise, we were very good, well organized, the midfielders did their best, but we really need to play more in the third half of the opponent if really we want to go far in other tournaments," Femi Ajilore said.

Another Nigerian ex-international, Tijani Babangida however have a different view to the playing pattern of the coach.

He said, “The team was not that bad as people are saying. We created a lot of opportunities, but the challenge was that we were not able to convert them into goals, and I want to believe that the coaches are working on those lapses as they go further in other competitions. For me, I will want to say that there is no need at all to begin to press the panic button,” Tijani said.

Meanwhile, the playing pattern of the Super Eagles may continue to dominate discuss in the media space for some time to come, there is every indication that Nigeria will remain stuck with the Portuguese coach as information reaching us has it that those who employed the coach are happy with his performance and are already in discussion with him for a fresh contract.