Sports
Eguaveon Explains Olisema’s Omission From S’Eagles Squad
The Nigeria Football Federation Technical Director, Austin Eguavoen, says picking the home-based squad for the Mexico clash was not easy.
Eguaveon invited 25 players to camp for the game billed for the international friendly on July 4 in the United States and Switzerland, but many questions were raised over the exclusion of Enyimba’s midfielders Cyril Olisema and Astin Oladapo.
In a chat with reporters after the team’s training at the FIFA goal project in Abuja, Eguavoen explained the process of selection.
“I have been to few venues to watch league games, the NPFL and of course the NNL, even the NLO and we pencilled down a lot of players and I had to also rely on information from coaches that I know in the league, Eguavoen told reporters.
The coach said: “It wasn’t that easy because I have seen a lot of criticisms in the pages of newspapers and of course electronic media but it is okay, the only thing is that people have to do their research first before they speak, everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, it’s not a problem at all.”
On Cyril Olisema’s, omission, the Nigeria Football Federation’s technical director said:
“My apologies, there is one player that is not here, Olisema, was my player in Gombe United, I know him very well in and out but in these positions, we have a lot of players, but this is only one game, other games will come”.
Iwobi spoke to Tidesports source ahead of Nigeria’s crunch playoff semi-final against Gabon on Thursday, November 13, in Rabat, Morocco.
The 28-year-old was reacting to Nigeria’s shaky World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Eagles finish second in Group C behind South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.
“We’ve managed to rescue ourselves from the dead,” Iwobi told Tidesports source.
We know we have the players and the abilities to compete against any other country in the world.”
The Fulham star pointed to Nigeria’s star power, highlighting African Footballer of the Year winners Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen as proof of the squad’s quality.
“We have last year’s African best player (Ademola Lookman), the year before that (Victor Osimhen),” he said.
“It’ll be a shame if we don’t make it, but we have a lot of confidence. We just have to prove it to ourselves.”
Nigeria’s path to the United States, Canada and Mexico has been turbulent, with two coaches departing during the early stages of qualifying before Éric Chelle steadied the ship to steer the Super Eagles into November’s CAF playoffs.
Four nations from the continent – Nigeria, Cameroon, DR Congo and Gabon – will vie for a solitary spot to compete in next March’s inter-confederation playoffs, with a view to joining the already nine qualified African nations at the Finals.
It would mark Iwobi’s second appearance at the World Cup Finals and the Super Eagles’ first since the 2018 edition of the competition.
Back then, Iwobi featured in all three games as Nigeria was knocked out in the group stage.
The Chief Executive Officer(CEO) and Publisher of the Atlantic Bell Online medium, Mr. Celestine Ogolo has advised sports writers in Nigeria to diversify in sports writing and not to concentrate on football reporting alone.
The Deputy National President of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) Mr. Bonny Nyong has expressed commitment to support sports development and move SWAN forward.
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