John Obuh, former coach of the Nigerian national under-17 team, has criticized the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for continuously excluding local players from the Super Eagles, according to The PUNCH.
The head coach of the Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, decided not to include any home-based players in the inconsequential final game of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sao Tome and Principe in September, despite already securing qualification with a game to spare. Although four Nigerian Professional Football League players were part of the squad that defeated Sierra Leone in Liberia, they did not get the opportunity to play.
After the 3-2 victory over Sierra Leone, Peseiro stated in a post-match interview that he needed to maintain consistency and organization within the team in preparation for AFCON, implying that introducing new faces could disrupt the progress. While this raised concerns among football fans, John Obuh defended Peseiro, stating that coaches operate according to their contracts and the coach’s comments were in line with his professional obligations.
Obuh further emphasized that the focus should not be on blaming the coach, but rather on the Nigeria Football Federation. He suggested that if the federation wants to promote the use of local players, they should include specific requirements in the contracts of foreign coaches, such as mandating the invitation of at least five local players and having three of them play in the team. Obuh pointed out that it was essential to provide clear guidelines within the coach’s contract to ensure the inclusion of local players, as was the case in his contract when he coached the youth team.
Therefore, Obuh believes that instead of directing their anger at the coach, home-based players should express their dissatisfaction to the federation, as it is their responsibility to establish the necessary provisions in the coach’s contract to support the development of local players.
