Former Heartland head coach and ex-U20 and U17 scout, Hassan Abdallah has shared his thoughts on how to enhance Victor Boniface’s impact in the Super Eagles team.

Boniface, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, has been a standout performer for Xabi Alonso’s side, helping the team clinch both the Bundesliga title and the German Cup while scoring crucial goals.

Victor Boniface celebrates scoring. (Photo by Alex Grimm/Getty Images)

However, his success at the club level has not translated to the international stage, where he has managed just one goal in eight appearances for Nigeria.

In an interview on Brila FM’s “Big Interview,” Coach Hassan, who once scouted Boniface, delved into the potential reasons behind the striker’s struggles with the national team and offered his recommendations.

Hassan Abdallah.

“It happens in football. There’s what we call the ‘God of soccer’, sometimes you shine, sometimes you don’t,” Hassan said.

“It could be down to the combination of the team. Maybe the combination between the midfielders and strikers in the Super Eagles is different from what he’s used to at Bayer Leverkusen.”

He continued by offering his perspective on how to resolve the issue:

“If I were the coach, I’d sit down with him. It really depends on the type of formation or system the coach wants to play. For instance, in a 3-5-2 formation with two strikers, you could pair the two Victors (Boniface and Osimhen).

Victor Boniface. Photo | NaijaOnPoint

“There you will see their combination, you’d likely see the flair and attacking prowess of the duo. But again, it all depends on the coach.”

During Nigeria’s recent AFCON qualifiers against Benin and Rwanda, Boniface started both matches but was unable to find the back of the net.

Next up for the Super Eagles is a crucial qualifier against Libya in October, where Boniface will hope to break his international scoring drought.