Former
Golden Eaglets star Olusegun Fetuga has advised coach Manu Garba not to
consider foreign-based players for the team, saying there are quality
players of the right ages at various football academies in the country.
Fetuga, who featured in the team at
Canada’87 and Scotland’89, is not happy that some of the players invited
for camping in the team are from the Nigeria Premier League.
The team had suffered criticism in
recent past on the true ages of the players and Fetuga believes a focus
on players from secondary schools and football academies can solve some
of the problems.
“We shouldn’t open the team to similar
criticisms again. We have good players who are below 17 years that can
feature in the team; we only need to look in the right places,” Fetuga
said on Sunday.
“If the coach goes to the league to
select players, there’s the likelihood he’ll get those who will be above
the age bracket. This cannot develop our football and it will open
Nigeria to ridicule.
“I understand there are teenage Nigerian
players abroad but that will mean there’s no hope for the youngsters in
Nigeria. In my time, we were discovered at secondary school
competitions and given the opportunity to play in the Eaglets.
“Some of the football academies may not
have the features similar to their counterparts in Europe but they still
have players young enough to be in the Eaglets.”
Fetuga added that having players from
Nigeria in the team could be an advantage for the coach who would need
their aggressiveness in some crucial games.
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