Technical director Augustine Eguavoen voiced regret Friday over the absence of home-based players in the national team’s Africa Cup of Nations lineup, urging a rethink on integrating local league talent despite respecting coach Eric Chelle’s autonomy in selections.
Eguavoen, a 1994 AFCON champion, argued that overlooking Nigeria Professional Football League stars undermines opportunities for domestic development, even as the Super Eagles progressed in the 2025 tournament.
“I felt disappointed that we did not include some NPFL players in the AFCON squad,” Eguavoen told Footy Africa.
“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 dismissed notions that poor showings at the African Nations Championship justified exclusion, stating: “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.”
“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,” he added.
While critical, Eguavoen affirmed the Nigeria Football Federation’s hands-off approach, saying: “We can only advise him; we cannot force players on him.”
“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 noted.
The comments come amid Nigeria’s campaign in Morocco, where Chelle’s squad, drawn largely from overseas-based professionals, has faced scrutiny over its composition and performance.
