According to reports, Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle was taken aback when one of his star defenders declined an invitation to play for Nigeria in the forthcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Benin Republic and Lesotho.
Before finalising his squad list, Chelle had reportedly called the player for a talk, only to find out that the defender was recovering from an ailment and would not be ready for selection, according to reports from OwnGoalNigeria.
But when the same guy played the entire ninety minutes for his team over the weekend, the coach was taken aback. According to a team source, the player’s refusal was partially motivated by his displeasure with the way he was handled during his most recent national team call-up, where he did not show up and was not included in the matchday roster.
There was an instance where a player claimed to be injured yet continued to play for his team. He wasn’t happy about not performing the last time he was asked, we later learnt,” the insider stated.
According to reports, the player’s choice has left the Super Eagles shorthanded ahead of the pivotal qualifiers.
