Football stakeholders are furious over the 23-man list released yesterday by Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro following his refusal to invite enough home- based players.
The Portuguese invited only one Nigeria Premier Football league player- Victor Sochima of Rivers United along with two Academy players who featured for the Flying Eagles at the just concluded Africa U-20 AFCON.
However, keen followers of the domestic league, including some of the administrators of the NPFL, argued that Peseiro is not doing the country any good with his stand on domestic league players.
“The league is now better than before, and we have quality players that we have to encourage and expose for higher challenges but Peseiro is not ready to do that; this is sad,” one aggrieved person said.“For example, Bendel Insurance striker Imade Osarenkhoe has been banging in goals this season and deserves to be on the list to at least understudy Osimhen and co.”
A Kano-based administrator also argued that since the Eagles are up against Guinea Bissau, Peseiro should have saved resources by inviting just 15 foreign and eight home based.
It was authoritatively learnt that the NFF insisted on not less than six home-based but the Eagles manager reportedly declined.
“Peseiro is stubborn, and one wonders who is the boss between him and the federation,” he said.“ We need to help our league because this time last year, Ghana came to Nigeria and edged us out of the World Cup with a blend of domestic and foreign players, we must correct this before it’s too late. The “NFF must stamp its foot down on issues relating to the development of the game,” he added.