AFCON 2023 (Q) Nigeria: striker selections a source of controversy
Nigeria's squad has been mired in controversy over the choice of forwards for the match against Sierra Leone
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To choose is to leave someone out. Jose Peseiro, Nigeria's head coach, has therefore left out players such as Gift Orban and Victor Boniface, two strikers who have shone this season in the Jupiler Pro League. For this important match against Sierra Leone, he has called up Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Victor Osimhen, Taiwo Awoniyi and Ahmed Musa. The picks have been heavily debated, mainly on social media.
Ahmed Musa has borne the brunt of the fans' criticism. Many would have backed the Belgian league's breakout players of the season, or Chuba Akpom. So much so that Musa, hurt by the comments, posted a message on Twitter. "Love me or hate me, one day you will tell your children a story about Ahmed Musa MON."
Read more on the same subject: Nigeria: Ahmed Musa responds to criticism over his selection
Taiwo Awoniyi, in red-hot form at the end of the season with Nottingham Forest, also sent out a message, probably to defuse the row over the squad list. Between the lines, he showed how hard it is to pick a squad given Nigeria's wealth of talent. As proof, he himself had been absent since September. "The Super Eagles are not a home for everybody. You can't stay there forever, because it is not for one player. You can be there today and not be there tomorrow. (…). If you look at the Premier League, the Bundesliga, LaLiga and other leagues, we have a lot of Nigerian players doing well. But the important thing is that you do your best when you get the chance."
Read more on the same subject: Nigeria-Awoniyi: "the national team is nobody's home"
Peseiro forced to explain his selections
The Portuguese coach also had to address the absence of the season's breakout players. "If I could invite more, of course, Orban, Boniface or others would have been called up," he stressed.
"I believe in them. They still have to work hard at their clubs. They have the opportunity to play for the national team because they are quality players," he added. He went on to say: "I can't pick five strikers ".
Addressing the choice of Musa ahead of Gift and Boniface, the most controversial of the selections, the coach explained that the players have different profiles. "Musa is a winger, not a striker. You can't compare Musa with Orban or Boniface," he explained.
He finished by insisting that he was counting on these fan favourites in the future, if they repeat their performances. "Boniface and Orban, the others, have time, that's for sure, because I believe in them, and for that reason I went to visit them. They did a fantastic job."
🇳🇬 The Super Eagles squad to face Sierra Leone! #sna #football #nigeria pic.twitter.com/MjRv585vGr
— Sport News Africa (@snewsafrica) June 9, 2023