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Austin Eguavoen Disappointed Over Absence of NPFL Players in Super Eagles’ AFCON Squad
Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Technical Director Austin Eguavoen has expressed disappointment over Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle’s failure to include players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) in the squad for the recently concluded 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Eguavoen made his views known in an interview with Footy Africa, noting that there were quality players in the NPFL who merited consideration for selection in the final squad.
“I felt disappointed that we did not include some NPFL players in the AFCON squad,” Eguavoen said. “Some players in the team may not even get a minute of action, so why couldn’t we include a few players from the local league? At least three or four would have been better.”
He stressed that poor outings in past competitions should not automatically disqualify NPFL players from national team consideration.
“The players are not bad, and just because we didn’t do well at CHAN doesn’t mean we should throw the baby out with the bathwater,” he added. “This is something we need to look into because it speaks volumes when players come directly from the local league into a major tournament like AFCON.”
Despite his reservations, Eguavoen was quick to clarify that the NFF does not interfere with squad selection, insisting that the final decision rests solely with the head coach.
“There is an issue, but the selection of players for the Super Eagles is the responsibility of the coach,” he explained. “We can only advise him; we cannot force players on him.”
He revealed that discussions have already taken place with Chelle regarding the integration of NPFL players, expressing confidence that opportunities would come for deserving talents.
“I must also say that he has a lot of respect for the players and wants to see how he can gradually bring them through. We have discussed this a few times, but the timing has to be right,” Eguavoen said.
The former Super Eagles coach also urged Chelle to spend more time in Nigeria to closely monitor domestic talents.
“One thing I would like us to push for is for him to stay more in Nigeria,” he added. “If he stays in the country more often, he will have better opportunities to visit venues and watch players. If he doesn’t, it becomes more difficult.”
