Beg no foreign born player to play for Nigeria, Sylvanus Okpala tells NFF

By Saheed Afolabi

Former Nigeria international Sylvanus Okpala has urged the Nigeria Football Federation not to beg any player born outside the country to play for the country.

The West Africans have recorded influx of foreign-born players since 2014, during the eight-year reign of Amaju Pinnick led board and the former Rangers of Enugu midfielder advocates for the local and foreign born or based players to be give equal opportunity to fight for a chance to represent Nigeria.

“One thing that must be corrected for the Super Eagles is to return to it’s glorious days, for coaches and the NFF not to beg any player to play for the team,” Okpala told media.

“When a player turns down the offer of playing for the Super Eagles, he should be left alone. A player can’t give his best to the team if he is pressurised to play for the Super Eagles. Commitment level of players is very important in a team. Even if you have the eleven best players in one team, and there is no 100 per cent team spirit, the team will not succeed.”

Okpala, who was part of late Stephen Keshi inspired Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations triumph in South Africa, further admonishes the NFF to focus on the grassroots and map out a program to reposition the national teams.

“Begging players to play for Nigeria is one of the factors that is killing the Super Eagles. We have talents everywhere that can motivate any overseas-born player to play for Nigeria,” he continued.

“When I was assistant coach to Stephen Keshi, we used both foreign- based and domestic players. The foreign-based players fought for a place in the team, and that is why the commitment level of the Super Eagles was high at that period.

“The present Super Eagles handlers should work hard to get credible players who are hungry for success into the team.”