Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has no issue with players born abroad requesting to play for Nigeria but he won’t actively chase any of them unless they signify their interest of playing for the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.
Chelle has already capped German born Werder Bremen defender Felix Agu in the Unity Cup, playing him from the start in the 2-2 draw against Jamaica in the final which Nigeria later won 5-4 on penalties. Agu is seen as the first of many who will switch to the team with the Malian at the helm.
However that appears not to be that case, the coach isn’t looking at that option for now, rather he is focused on the games in September and building his team, tactics and also style of play for the crucial world cup qualifiers games against Rwanda and South Africa respectively.
” Chelle has no problem with players born abroad playing for the team, but it won’t be his focus for now because the idea and the logic of his appointment is to qualify the team for the world cup. We are in a very dicey situation and it requires total concentration to tactics, players selection and also style of play for the September games. That is all he is concerned about”, a source close to the coach revealed.
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Pressed on if that means Agu will be the sole name to be capped by the coach between now and the games , he remained coy but said there is always room for players who showed commitment to the cause of the team like Agu.
” You can’t say no to a player that you know will improve your team especially if he says he wants to play for your team. Nigeria need the best of legs for the games of the qualifiers regardless of where they are born but you have to be committed to get the attention of Chelle”, he stated.
Ade Emmanuel
