The ex-international feels Thursday's defeat was due to the face-off between the manager and the former captain and urges focus ahead Cameroon clash
GOAL EXCLUSIVE     By adesanya olusesan      Follow on Twitter
Former Nigeria international Garba Lawal has blamed the Super Eagles' 2-0 international friendly loss to DR Congo on Thursday to the fallout from Tuesday's fracas between manager Sunday Oliseh and former captain Vincent Enyeama. In his assessment, Lawal said the team's display against Congo was disappointing, while indicating the Oliseh-Enyeama feud created disunity in the team.
The former Nigeria midfielder expressed disappointment at the trainer's poor show of maturity in the face-off, urging Oliseh to see himself as the father and act like one going forward.
"Actually the game was not good enough and for us to lose the game by 2-0 is disappointing," Lawal told Revel to Sportmasta.
"The rhythm of the game and everything about it just went wrong. If DR Congo could beat us now it means football is changing and there is no small game either.
"Before we think we will meet any small country, we think we could beat them. Now we can see now that there are no small games. Every game for national teams now is like a cup final in Africa.
"It is going to be tough on Sunday and everybody knows our game against Cameroon on Sunday is always kicking and pushing. I believe we all got it wrong, if we lose a game, we should know something is wrong.
"Whether we like it or not, in football there are ups and downs."
He praised retiring record-capped Enyeama, but has decried the Lille goalkeeper's humiliating exit, insisting his 13 years of patriotic services for country was no easy feat.
"Well done to Enyeama, 13 years is not easy and he is been doing wonderfully for the country. But I could have loved to see him retire in a better way and not like this," he continued.
"The whole years since he came in and started very well and had ups and downs with the national team. Nevertheless, Enyeama has been wonderful, but whether we like it or not, he is going to leave the team and the team will continue. Only that I didn't expect him to leave this way.
"You and I were not in the camp, but I think when this kind of incident happened I believe the coach could have done better. I don't know how it degenerated to the point where a coach and his captain will be involved in such kind of confrontation and such exchange of words which doesn't make sense at all.
"When a coach is new in a place he should call the oldest player here and tell him he is a new coach and I want to select my captain because every coach has his own philosophy.
"He should have made him understand that he is even more important than his captain and that would have made Enyeama happy bearing in mind he could leave soon and not thinking of the arm-band.
"[Oliseh] has to learn how to control his temper. As a coach and a manager, you are like a father and must act as one. I think he should know how to control himself. When you are a coach you need to learn how to manage everybody, even your technical crew," he lamented.
"Now there is no way you can convince Enyeama to play for the team - he is not going to come back with what has happened. Normally, even if he did not retire i don't expect him to play every game because he has contributed a lot to the team. What has happened, has happened we move on."
Lawal decried the impact of the recent events on the psyche and comportment of the squad.
"Whether we like it or not, the players will begin to hold side talks - they will be talking between themselves and no way you can stop the side talks because the camp will be divided into two.
"No matter how disciplined you are, no one can stop that. Whether it divides the team or not, the players need to take responsibility now that Enyeama has left and has paid his dues."
He, however, urged the Nigeria Football Federation to mend the crack walls that may have been created within the team from the fallout.
"The NFF are there and need to do everything to help the team remain united. It is important for the NFF to boost the team up now and tell them what has happened, has happened let us remain focussed as a team," he concluded.
Nigeria will take on Cameroon in an international friendly on Sunday.