The controversy surrounding the recently released list of players for the senior national team of Nigeria for the AFCON qualifiers against Guinea Bissau has taken another dimension.
Head coach Jose Peseiro released a 23 man list for the back to back games against Guinea Bissau starting with the first leg at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja from 5pm on Friday, 24th March, and the reverse tie at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Monday, 27th March, also starting from 5pm.
The list has generated a lot of controversy with the decision of the Portuguese coach to call up some players who have been inactive at the expense of other players, who have been getting regular run of games.
In the midfield, he called up the quartet of Alex Iwobi, Wilfred Ndidi, Joe Aribo and Frank Onyeka. The biggest issue isn’t about the decision to call just four players in a key department but of that fact only Iwobi can be said to be a regular.
That decision took a rather funny twist when French Ligue 1 side Lorient confirmed the invitation of Innocent Bonke, who has played 19 games this season but last played for Nigeria in the friendly game against Mexico in May last year.
Since that 1-2 loss he hasn’t been named in any squad but in tha last two call ups, his team announced on their official website that he will be in the Nigerian team, but on both occasions his name wasn’t in the official list when it was made public.
Below is the club’s statement on his invitation for the games against Guinea Bissau alongside other players who were called up by their respective national teams for the international break.
