Mathew can help solve Super Eagles midfield problem — Manu Garba

Former Golden Eaglets and Flying Eagles head coach, Manu Garba believes Ifeanyi Mathew will be a good addition to the Super Eagles.

The Super Eagles have struggled for midfield creativity since the erstwhile captain of the side, John Mikel Obi quit international football.

Mathew, a former Flying Eagles and home-based Super Eagles midfielder has been overlooked by the national team selectors despite his impressive club form.

The 26-year-old has been in fantastic form for the Swiss club, FC Zurich this season.

The talented midfielder has scored one goal and provided three assists in 15 league appearances for FC Zurich in the Swiss Super League this term.

Garba stated that Mathew possessed the qualities to become a key star for the Super Eagles.

“I discovered Ifeanyi Mathew alongside Musa Muhammed in 2013 in Kano during my time as Golden Eaglet head coach,”.

‘Mathew was also instrumental in my team that won the U-20 AFCON in Senegal in 2015 and he was with us at the U-20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand.”

“I have been motoring his progress since he was in Sweden up till now that he is in Switzerland.”

“He is the most consistent Nigerian midfielder in Europe at the moment and for him to join the Super Eagles will be of great value addition to the team ahead of AFCON especially in the midfield area where obviously the coach needs to work on going by the two games against Lesotho and Zimbabwe during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.”

“One of his greatest qualities is his vision in connecting with the attack and defence in addition to his knack for goals from long range.”

“If you go back and watch our 2015 U-20 campaign in Senegal, most of the goals we scored were created by him.”

Mathew was also a member of the home-based Super Eagles side that featured at the 2016 Africa Nations Championship under coach Sunday Oliseh.