Barely two weeks to the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, coach Eric Sekou Chelle , has released a 39-man list for the two upcoming Super games. Erstwhile BCC Lions and Shooting Stars defender, Bolaji Douglas believes only the Franco- Malian can defend the bogus squad in a conversation with TUNDE LIADI.
Former frontline defender on the domestic football scene, Bolaji Douglas has advised Nigerians to adopt a watch-and-wait attitude after Super Eagles’ coach Eric Sékou Chelle unveiled a 39-man provisional squad for this month’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
The Super Eagles are already in trough with three points from their opening four matches in their Group C section and Douglas reckoned that Chelle has a big task to prune down the list to a sizeable number before the March 21st and 25th ties respectively in Kigali and Uyo .
“He probably has his reasons for this list. But there are names on that list that have no business being there based on their form,” Douglas, who won the now-rested Cup Winners Cup title with BCC Lions in 1990, told NationSport. “Which begs the question what is the criteria for selecting players to the national team these days?
“I don’t know how this list was arrived at or what informed the choice of the players, so it is best one sits back , wish the team well and watch what unfolds.”
The former tough tackling central defender faulted the invitation handed to Kano Pillars winger, Ahmed Musa and Middlesbrough’s attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho, adding these two have blocked spaces that could have been occupied by some other in-form players.
He said both players have past their prime and should not have been invited in the first place since the national team is not a rehabilitation centre.
“It is easy to spot the names. Ahmed Musa has served the nation very well; i don’t see what he is still doing there. He is blocking someone’s position. Kelechi Iheanacho has struggled this season. Those two readily come to mind,” Douglas added.
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“The national team should never become a rehabilitation centre or a place to come and wind down from the hectic demands on the players by their clubs season.
“While it may be said that now is not the time to experiment with new players, it can equally be said that there should be no room for those not on top of their games,” he said.
He added that considering the precarious situation of the Super Eagles in the World Cup qualifiers, it won’t augur well for Chelle to experiment with the Eagles that would face Rwanda and Zimbabwe, both games they must win if they still harbour World Cup hope.
He pointed out that players in the new look Super Eagles should be called up on current form and not based on sentiments if Nigeria is eager to stage a comeback in the qualifiers.
The winning skipper of the 1993 and 1994 FA Cup with BCC Lions , acknowledged that the coming of Chelle may help rekindled Super Eagles World Cup aspirations as the players would be eager to convince the new coach but stressed there are no margins for errors.
“ Chelle must bring his top game to show doubters that he is the best person for the job,” he stressed.
He said the first step towards ensuring a new order is for Chelle to stamp his authority as the head coach and not allowing external forces to run his team.
The Kwara Water Corporation graduate said that the new coach must show he is fully in charge for the players to close ranks and know that it is different from the previous norms, adding that Chelle must instil his philosophy and ensure it is easily understood by the players enough for them to play to their potential and do well in the upcoming games.
“There is always a bounce effect as a result of a new coach, but i think this is not automatic, the coach must first demonstrate that he has come to run changes on the team,” Douglas, who was in the Nigeria’s contingent to the 1987 World University Games in Zagreb, Croatia, disclosed.
“It shouldn’t be the old order where the players feel it is the same old song. If it is like that, they will simply resort to the old norm.
“Chelle has little or no room for error. One can only hope that he knows enough about our team and players to step in and bring out the best in the players.
“I want to believe he took the job because he has a plan in place, he should go in carry out the job believing in his own convictions , football first , shenanigans later,” he concluded.
Nigeria’s provisional list of 39 players for Rwanda, Zimbabwe
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United); Maduka Okoye (Udinese); Amas Obasogie (Singida Blackstars); Adeleye Adebayo (Enosis Paralimni); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood ); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos); Gabriel Osho (Auxerre); Calvin Bassey (Fulham ); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest); Zaidu Sanusi (Porto); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague); Jordan Torunarigha (Gent ); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Enugu Rangers )
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg); Alex Iwobi (Fulham); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton); Anthony Dennis (Goztepe SK, Turkey); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe ); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze ( Milan); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough); Victor Boniface (Leverkusen); Simon Moses (Nantes); Sadiq Umar (Valencia); Nathan Tella (Leverkusen); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers); Tolu Arokodare ( Genk); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla); Paul Onuachu (Southampton); Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars); Jerome Akor Adams (Sevilla).
