A HOSTILE reaction from home-based footballers trailed the Super Eagles’ 41-man provisional list submitted to the Confederation of African Football by the Nigeria Football Federation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off January 13 in Ivory Coast.
CAF confirmed all provisional squads of the 24 participating teams on Wednesday, putting to rest the rumours that clouded Nigeria’s list.
The Super Eagles list only accommodated three NPFL goalkeepers Olorunleke Ojo of Enyimba, Christian Nwoke of Sporting Lagos and Bendel Insurance’s Amas Obasogie.
In the wake of the omission of NPFL outfield players, some followers of the league and players alike believe coach Jose Peseiro is failing to take a cue from Nigeria’s last AFCON triumph in South Africa in 2013, when late Stephen Keshi paraded six NPFL players.
Apart from the exclusion of NPFL players from the provisional squad, there was also no space for Glasgow Rangers defender Leon Balogun, but there was a surprise invitation for Turkey-based striker Emmanuel Dennis, who has only seen 333 minutes of action so far this season.
Peseiro also handed Royal Antwerp midfielder, Alhassan Yusuf, a debut Eagles call-up.
Abia Warriors’ Ifeanyi Anaemena said the non-inclusion of the NPFL outfield players in the provisional squad was a disrespect to the domestic league.
“It is an insult and it shows to the world that the league is not valued,” the big defender said.
“This is one of the reasons when some players don’t want to play in the NPFL when they return home from abroad. They’d rather stay at home and wait for offers from other leagues. Most NPFL stars go to Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to play football because the league is devalued.”
He added, “NFF, the coaches and those that are given national assignments have disrespected the league. And that is why a provisional list was made and it could not have NPFL (outfield) players. They only considered the goalkeepers because they are having a serious challenge in that area.
“On my Facebook page, I made a statement about Stephen Keshi helping the NPFL players; he was the coach who proved to the world that NPFL players could do well. We went to the AFCON in 2013 with six NPFL players and we won.”
Golbe Elisha, Plateau United defender, added, “I felt sad about it when I saw the list but again it’s a normal thing in Nigeria. Whenever they invite players for Eagles assignment, you hardly see the home-based players and the reason is because most of the (national team) coaches don’t pay attention to the league. The belief is that the home-based players are not doing anything or not good enough but season after season, NPFL players keep going abroad to sign contracts. If they are not good enough I don’t think they will be getting those offers. Last season, we had about four or five players from Plateau United who travelled abroad.
“After Stephen Keshi, how many home-based players have they engaged in the national team and even when they are invited, they don’t give them a chance to play. A case study is that of Francis Uzoho, who is not doing well and we continue to have (Ojo) Olorunleke on the bench and they keep using Uzoho.
“I think there is a need for a marching order from the NFF that at least five players must always be included in the team. How can you have a 41-man provisional list and all you have from the NPFL are just three players who are even goalkeepers?
“This will encourage the players in the league and also give the league a good name. But all they want us to do is to play the CHAN competition and when was the last time we played that?”
Enugu Rangers defender Charles Okafor also voiced out his disappointment.
“We are all disappointed with the list because we have very good strikers in the league and we have Remo Stars right-back, Sodiq Ismail, who has been very outstanding this season with eight assists. But they always believe that the players abroad are the best. We know why they invited the goalkeepers, but at least five players should have made the provisional list, even if they don’t get to make the final list.”