Super Eagles midfielder Alex Iwobi finally opens up on what lead to Nigeria’s loss to Ivory Coast at the 2023 AFCON final in Abidjan; npflupdates.com reports.
Alex Iwobi was one of the few players that featured in all Super Eagles games at the AFCON. He couldn’t play the full match during the final, with some fans claiming wasn’t at his best.
Also read: Fully Funded Scholarship At Northern Illinois University – APPLY NOW
What Alex Iwobi said about Peseiro and his AFCON tactics
In a recent interview, the former Everton midfielder highlighted the negative effects of the weather in Ivory Coast, the tight schedules and Ivory Coast’s game plan against Nigeria.
“The weather was pretty hot and one was practically searching for air. Playing a game every four days in those conditions, not an excuse though but the conditions weren’t friendly, Frank (Onyeka) and I were instructed to stay where we were, go for every second ball, run, keep the ball, manage it, change it from left to right, all you have to do is manage to the game,” he said.
“That was the role we were asked to play, you have to be there always because we have wingbacks like Ademola Lookman, Moses Simon, and Samuel Chukwueze that can at least support in the attack.
Alex Iwobi continues, “The Ivorians have analyzed our games and they had Kessie (Franck), who was pinning me back so I was dropping deep because they weren’t running towards Calvin Bassey, Seri (Jean Michel) was managing and dictating the play for them and it is hard for Victor (Osimhen) to dictate and control that one defender or one CDM upfront. And they’ve got Fofana on the other side who was trying to pin Franck back and we didn’t know how to handle that.
“So, when you try to communicate, it’s hard because the fans were a lot, we hardly could communicate, it was hard to adjust but we just had to do what we have been doing in all competition, stay defensive, come back but it was hard to press or even create chances,” he concluded.
Recall, the former Arsenal playmaker came under heavy criticism with many Super Eagles supporters calling for his exclusion from the national team.
The pressure was so heavy on the England-born, that he has to stay temporarily away(though he’s back) from social media.
Speaking about the criticism and backlash from fans, Iwobi admitted it comes with the job.
Also read: Alex Iwobi With A Shocking Revelation Ahead Of Ghana And Mali Friendlies
“The whole competition I didn’t see it. I remember in a press conference they said, ‘Where is the creativity?’ and I had to address the role I was given and I said I am the kind of guy who will listen to my coach and try to do the job I’m told to do,”he said in his project 17 podcast.
“It is what it is, it is not the first time…that is football. I would rather be off social media, I don’t want to see that and I don’t care.”
