Former Nigerian forward, Jonathan Akpoborie has condemned the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr to have allowed a large number of the Home Based players without a mix of foreign-based players to prosecute the Mexico game.
The friendly game against Mexico was arranged to prepare Rohr’s team for the rescheduled 2022 World Cup qualifying matches in September against Liberia and Cape Verde.
Although, the main foreign-based Super Eagles team led by the German tactician could not execute the game due to the unavailability of the players, however, the home Eagles, led by technical director Austin Eguavoen, took up the challenge and were beaten 4-0 by the North American nation in the friendly played at Los Angeles, USA.
Speaking with NK Media, the former Wolfsburg striker stated that the NF has defeated the purpose of the game against Mexico considering the fact that the Super Eagles players may not have the opportunity to assemble together before facing Liberia in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
Akpoborie, who warned NFF and Rohr of taking the senior national team seriously, urged the football body to be mindful of how they play with the feelings of millions of football-loving Nigerians.
“I was not too impressed with the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation to have prosecuted the international friendly game against Mexico with Home-Based players without some of the notable foreign-based players.
“We really don’t have any excuses to give as per why the Foreign-based players were exempted from the game because from the onset when the friendly was announced, everybody believed the game will be prosecuted by the main team in order to keep them in shape for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
“The truth is, we must take the team seriously if we have to overcome the challenges ahead of us. We played a very good Mexico side without some of our big players and we expect magic during the qualifiers. My point is, the NFF and Rohr should have mixed the team with the Home-based and foreign-based players for the game.”
