WCQ playoffs: Should Okoye return worry erratic Nwabali?

Super Eagles goalkeeper, Maduka Okoye, is poised to make his long-awaited return to the Udinese squad after serving a two-month suspension for betting-related offences.

The Düsseldorf-born goalkeeper, who had established himself as a reliable figure in Friuli before his ban, is now being backed to bounce back stronger as the Serie A side resumes domestic duties.

While Okoye’s return to club action will be welcomed in Udine, it inevitably raises questions back home. Stanley Nwabali’s form in recent months has been erratic, flashes of his AFCON-era composure replaced by inconsistency and avoidable confrontations.

His judgement in high-pressure moments has often been suspect, and several on-field outbursts have only added to concerns about his temperament. Referees’ leniency has spared him disciplinary action, but it’s clear something is off.

Having tragically lost both parents within a two-month span, he may still be dealing with the emotional toll of those losses. Okoye, by contrast, could offer a calming presence that the Super Eagles have lacked in recent outings. His display against Russia in June in what was a very intimidating atmosphere inside the Luzhniki Stadium was testament to his ability under pressure.

Even so, Nigeria can ill afford disruption ahead of November’s World Cup playoff semi-final against Gabon. Any shift in the goalkeeping hierarchy would risk unsettling a squad already chasing stability. The more logical window for such a reassessment would be December’s pre-AFCON camp, when Eric Chelle and his staff will have ample time to evaluate both men closely before making a definitive call.

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