The Technical Adviser of Warri Wolves, Evans Ogenyi has said if given the chance, talented players who abound in the Nigeria Professional Football League, NPFL, would beat the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone in the forthcoming 2021 AFCON qualifier.
On Wednesday, the NFF released the list of 24 players picked by Super Eagles technical adviser Gernot Rohr for the double header with the Leone Stars.
As usual, only one home based player, Ikechukwu Ezenwa who is the goalkeeper of Heartland FC made the list.
In a chat with Daily Trust yesterday, the former Nasarawa United and Lobi Stars coach said instead of inviting foreign professionals, Rohr should have given players in the NPFL the chance to beat the Leone Stars.
“I don’t think we need foreign professionals to prosecute the 2021 AFCON Qualifier against Leone Stars of Sierra Leone. This is a job that can be done by players in the NPFL.
“I remember how Clemence Westerhof took mostly home based players to Algiers 1990 and what the team achieved.
“Super Eagles lost the preliminary round 0-5 to host Algeria but they went all the way to the finals where they lost by only 1-0 to the Desert Foxes in the finals.
“A home-based player, Moses Kpakor of the then BCC Lions made a name when he successfully neutralised Algerian dangerman, Rabber Majer.
“The same local players who are overlooked at home excel in European clubs as soon as they move abroad. So I believe the home-based players have what it takes to beat Sierra Leone,” he said.
Ogenyi also said he was surprised by the decision to leave out home based players considering that the domestic league is in full swing.
He, however, expressed hope that in future the technical crew of the Super Eagles would give opportunity to local players to fight for shirts in the senior national team.
“Once could understand with the coach when he said he couldn’t pick players in the NPFL because the league wasn’t in progress.
“This time around, the NPFL is up and running so I don’t know what would be his reason for not inviting the home based players.
“I believe that when the next Home-based Eagles team is assembled, he would have lots of players to select from. I don’t think Rohr has anything against local players,” said the coach who is popularly called ‘Mourinho’.
