Former Super Eagles’ midfielder, Friday Ekpo has sent out strong words of caution to the Nigerian team’s coach, Eric Chelle, to be careful with how he infuses new players into the squad.
Speaking against the backdrop of Chelle’s decision to invite seven previously uncapped players and recall four others for this month’s crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, Ekpo said the tactician has to be smart with how he blends all classes of players in his team.
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Sports247 reports that Nigeria’s most capped player ever and top scorer at the World Cup, Ahmed Musa, who is still Eagles’ captain but now back in the domestic league with Kano Pillars FC, has been recalled to the national squad alongside three other home-based lads – Ifeanyi Onyebuchi of Rangers, Papa Daniel of Niger Tornadoes and Remo Stars goalkeeper, Daniel Bankole.
They are joined on the roster by five first time invitees – Czech Republic-based Igoh Ogbu, Anthony Dennis from Turkey, Chrisantus Uche of Getafe, Akor Adams of Sevilla and Tolu Arokodare of RKC Genk aa well as some other previously called up rookies.
Ekpo, who was part of Nigeria’s bronze-medal winning squad to the 1992 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, but never played at the World Cup, conceded that it is good seeing Chelle invite many fresh legs, but warned that the Franco-Malian tactician must not rush any of the new comers into his mainframe for the upcoming matches.
The former dazzling midfielder added, “He has to bring in new ones and keep old ones. Personally, for me, I would advise that he should stay more with the old ones. He can also pick some of the ones he’s going to see newly, once he sees that they can give him what he wants. He should inject them and gradually begin to call them into play.”
The former mercurial schemer posited with an observation that the onus is now up to Chelle to make his preferred choices for the March 21st game away to Rwanda and at home with Zimbabwe four days later in Uyo.
“He should know what to do and begin to plan from there, not just calling in anybody to come and play. We all need the three points. We all need everything that is at stake for us to turn it right. They need to play the best of the game for us to win,” Ekpo pointed out.
