The decision of head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro to keep Francis Uzoho as his first choice goalkeeper hasn’t gone down well with some players in the team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.
Uzoho hasn’t been at his best lately for the senior national team of Nigeria with two high profile errors in the test games against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique respectively.
Prior to the games, it was his error that cost Nigeria a spot at the 2022 world cup in Qatar, when he let a weak shot from Thomas Partey to beat him for the goal that gave Ghana the lead and also the platform to qualify on away goals rule.
Despite the costly errors , Peseiro is still adamant that the Omonia Nicosia shot stopper has what it takes to be the first choice, and will be in goal against Lesotho and Zimbabwe respectively when they begin the quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
” Personally I know some of the players feel he has been treated differently. The other goalkeepers haven’t been given a fair chance to push for his spot especially Leye ( Adebayo Adeleye). He is doing very well in Israel and even did well away to Sierra Leone but still dropped to the bench for a goalkeeper who has kept more matches for Nigeria than for his team in Cyprus”, a member of the backroom staff told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
” The thinking is that if an outfield player can be kept out of the team for poor performance why not Uzoho. There is no competition and that hasn’t helped him”.
Ade Emmanuel
