By Jacob Ajom
The last group match of the 2023 AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Sao Tome and Principe tomorrow in Uyo, can be likened to the Biblical David v Goliath duel. Coach Jose Peseiro, whose contract was extended last week has invited 23 foreign-based professionals, including Ballon d’Or nominee, Victor Osimhen, Nottingham Forest’s in-form forward Taiwo Awoniyi, AC Milan’s Samuel Chukwueze, Gift Orban, Victor Boniface, among others.
On their part, Sao Tome and Principe came to Nigeria with an all-foreign-based squad, their first in the country’s history. The coach’s decision to travel with all foreign based squad has left the local clubs in that country’s domestic league fuming. But the coach has argued that he was looking beyond the Nigeria match. Although he will be praying for an upset in Uyo, his plan is to put the team in shape before the commencement of 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Notwithstanding, football buffs have wondered whether that was enough reason for Nigeria to invite as many as 23 foreign-based players against the lowly-rated Island country that the Super Eagles thrashed 10-0 in Morocco last year. Victor Osimhen led the onslaught with a double brace.
Former assistant coach of the Super Eagles Sylvanus Okpala would have preferred coach Jose Peseiro to use mainly home-based players against São Tomé and Principe. With the Eagles already qualified for next year’s AFCON, it was pointless to invite an all-star cast for the dead rubber match.
“I would have liked to see the home-based players used for the match against São Tomé and Principe,” he told Brila FM Breakfast Show last June. “There would have been no need to invite the main Super Eagles players even if the game was to be played away.“
A former Super Eagles midfielder, Moses Kpakor, also faulted Jose Peseiro for excluding home-based players from the squad.
“We have to try and blend the foreign-based with the local players. We have qualified for the next AFCON so home-based players should have been invited to play the match.”
The former BCC Lions of Gboko legend recalled, “In our days, Clemence Westerhof started with us gradually and we progressed to form the nucleus of the national team. It was a gradual progress but we were all integrated.
“At least 10 home based players should have been invited for at least four of them to start against Sao Tome and Principe.
“Teams are allowed to make many substitutions now so even if they don’t do well, they can be substituted. It is not good to have only foreign based players in the team,” said Kpakor.
Another commentator who pleaded anonymity branded the NFF as “wasteful”. He said, “check the cost of flight tickets for the players and their allowances. That will amount to millions of naira and the NFF cries of no funds every day.”
Apart from the financial implications, critics point to the apparent lack of prudence and direction. “When will they start building a standing home-based team?” another asked. “This is a lost opportunity in that if there was one(standing team),, the team should have been made to face Sao Tome and Principe. They must sit up.”
Observers agree that nothing has changed in the NFF. The perfidy and crass mismanagement that have seen the country’s football go down over the years has only taken a more dangerous dimension.
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