Green Denies Players Blacklist Report

Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Committee, Barrister, Chris Green, has denied media reports crediting him with a statement that some Super Eagles players have been blacklisted and would no longer be invited for international engagements.

“I never spoke to anyone about any player being blacklisted from the national team. This report has come as an embarrassment because I did not grant any interview to anyone to make such a claim.

“In the first place, it is the prerogative of the technical crew of any of the national teams to determine which players would be invited to their teams, which players have done well at any particular match and which players merit invitation for an upcoming match.

“As chairman of the Technical Committee, I work with other persons to ensure the provision of all the support that the teams need before, during and after a match. I don’t pick players for the coaches, neither does the Technical Committee interfere unnecessarily in the work of the technical crews,” said Green.

The NFF Executive Committee member said he does not know anything about the blacklisting of any player from subsequent invitation to the camp of the Super Eagles.

“I am not the head coach. Mr Stephen Keshi is the head coach. If any player failed to justify his inclusion in the 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali, that is for the head coach and his assistants to determine and decide their position on the player in respect of upcoming engagements. It is not my place to blacklist any player,” stated Green.