Non-invitation of NPFL Players To Eagles' Austria Friendly Matches Saddens Akuneto

Non-invitation of NPFL Players To Eagles' Austria Friendly Matches Saddens Akuneto

By Emediong Silver

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday released a list made up of all foreign-based Nigerian players in preparation for the friendlies against Cote d’Ivoire and Tunisia on October 9 and 13 respectively. The friendlies will take place in Austria. It will serve as a springboard to an all important African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Sierra Leone in November.

However, Heartland FC of Owerri midfielder, Chijioke Akuneto, has since come up to express his displessure on the call-up process as there was no player from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) shortlisted by Coach Gernot Rohr.

He said " I feel so bad that none of us in the NPFL made it again for the friendly games next month in Austria; not even goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa was considered because our league is yet to resume due to the coronavirus.“Some other countries’ leagues have since resumed, but the Nigerian leagues have not started as the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 refused to give the go-ahead for football, which is one of the contact sports banned. “I believe by the time our leagues start probably, two to three players will be part of another friendly game. The non-invitation of the home-based players was not the fault of the players,” he said

Back here in the country the ban on contact sports is yet to be lifted. As it stands,there is no authentic date to when the NPFL will kickstart officially.