2023 AFCON: Super Eagles 40-man List Mere Formality, Peseiro's Main List Ready, Says Babayaro

2023 AFCON: Super Eagles 40-man List Mere Formality, Peseiro's Main List Ready, Says Babayaro

By Precious Oham

Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games gold medalist, Emmanuel Babayaro says the Super Eagles 40-man provisional list to the 2023 AFCON is a mere formality and a charade, BSNSports.com.ng reports. 

Speaking on Citizen's Sports programme, the former Plateau United goalkeeper stated that Coach Jose Paseiro already has the final 27-man list which is expected to be released on January 3, 2024.

He decried the non-inclusion of home based outfield players in the 40-man provisional list describing it as a shame on football administration in the country. 

He said: "Some of us who are in the know will tell you this, that they already have their main list. Their main list have absolutely nothing to do with the camping. That is how they have been doing their thing for a while now. 

"They will never come publicly to tell you that is what they have done. They already have the list and that is why it's easy for them to go for three to four days camping before the nations cup. Everything other thing you see is a formality.

"We submitted 40-man list which is the provisional list. It's not the main list and within that we already have the main list. It's quite unfortunate how football is run in this country. We have been talking about it and have been complaining and nothing is done about it. Unfortunately nobody seems to listen. Nobody is being held accountable.

"The major thing for some of us is the lack of the inclusion of the home based players and it's a shame that some people parade themselves as administrators of football in this nation while the home league that signifies how well the administration is working is totally in shambles. 

"It's a shame that we have an NFF that sits and watches and nobody is included within the local league. It's an indictment on the local league and a deflection on the administration of football in the country because it's the local league that represents football administration in this country."