WAFCON 2026: ‘It’s a thankless job’ – Nigeria Super Falcons coach Justin Madugu fires back at critics

Super Falcons head coach Justin Madugu has described coaching Nigeria as a “thankless job” while defending himself and his technical team against the criticism that has followed their performances at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Madugu acknowledged that scrutiny is an unavoidable part of managing one of Africa’s most successful women’s national teams, insisting that he cannot satisfy every supporter, journalist or player with his decisions.

Speaking to reporters in Morocco, the Nigeria coach said differing opinions were inevitable in football and that criticism should not be allowed to derail the team’s preparations or performances.

“I cannot stop criticisms. I cannot, like I keep saying, it’s the nature of the job, you cannot please everybody,” Madugu said.

Rather than dismissing criticism, however, the coach said he was prepared to examine negative feedback for anything that could help Nigeria improve. He stressed that coaches, like players, are capable of making mistakes and must be willing to acknowledge them.

“So even when people criticize, I will not blame them for it, they are entitled to their opinion.”

‘Look at what people are saying’

Madugu insisted that criticism can sometimes provide valuable lessons, particularly when it highlights genuine shortcomings in the team’s performances.

He said the technical team must separate useful observations from unfounded attacks and use the former to make better decisions in subsequent matches.

“And sometimes even from the negative criticisms, you look at what people are saying. What can you take out of it? If there are positive things that you feel, you can also look at,” he added.

The coach also accepted responsibility for his own mistakes, arguing that recognising errors should be viewed as part of the learning process rather than a weakness.

“We’re all human beings, even we as coaches make mistakes.”

For Madugu, the important thing is what follows an error. He believes coaches must own their decisions, assess what went wrong and make the necessary adjustments instead of allowing criticism to consume them.

“So when you make mistakes and then you realize that, no, I didn’t do this thing well, the onus is on you to own up and then try to get it better the next time.”

‘You cannot please everybody’

The pressure, according to Madugu, extends beyond supporters and the media. Even within his own dressing room, his decisions can create dissatisfaction, particularly among players who are not selected to start.

That reality, he said, makes coaching an inherently difficult profession.

“It’s a thankless job. You cannot please everybody, even your players. Anybody that does not play is not happy that I am not playing,” he said.

The coach added that his every decision is closely monitored by different stakeholders, leaving little room for privacy or freedom from scrutiny.

“You know, your employers are also there watching. My friends, the press, are also watching. The fans are also watching.”

Madugu believes coaches must therefore develop the ability to absorb the pressure while remaining focused on their responsibilities.

“So, I mean, it’s something that we must learn to live with as coaches because that’s the nature of the job.”

Madugu rejects claims of deliberate mistakes

The Super Falcons boss also pushed back against suggestions that coaches could knowingly make decisions that hurt the team’s chances of success.

Madugu argued that everyone within the technical structure ultimately benefits when Nigeria wins, making it illogical for any member of the team to deliberately make choices that could undermine the Super Falcons.

“We are the principal beneficiaries when a team wins.”

He questioned why a coach or member of his staff would intentionally jeopardise the team’s success when victory brings satisfaction to everyone involved.

“So why would you jeopardize your joy that you have done well, and you see something that is wrong, and then you want to go ahead to do the wrong things that you know will make you unhappy, that will make everybody unhappy,” he said.

Madugu maintained that every match is approached with the same objective: to win while giving Nigeria the best possible chance of succeeding.

“Each time you go out for a match, you want to win, and you want to make sure that you present your best.”

Calls for patience with players

Madugu also urged supporters to avoid judging players too harshly after a single poor performance, noting that even those enjoying excellent form can struggle on a particular day.

He said players can sometimes fail to reproduce their best form once they step onto the pitch, and that such situations require analysis rather than immediate condemnation.

“Even players can have bad days, you see a player doing well, you have the hope that, yes, this person will do well.”

Instead of crucifying players for an isolated poor display, Madugu believes the priority should be identifying the reasons behind the performance and finding solutions.

“You have to find out what went wrong and then try to find a solution to it.”

The coach ended his defence with a pledge to remain focused on improving the Super Falcons despite the noise surrounding the team.

“But we’ll continue to do our best. We’ll continue to do our best and make the team better.”