By Augustine Akhilomen
Super Eagles Chief coach, Salisu Yusuf has confirmed that the players playing in the Nigeria Professional Football League still have a place in the senior national team.
He made this statement after two of the Nigerian clubsides booked their place in the round of 32 of the CAF Champions League qualifying stages, where Enugu Rangers held JS Saoura of Algeria to a goaless draw to qualify on the away goal rule after playing a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Algiers while Rivers United smashed AS Real Bamako from Mali 4-0 in Port Harcourt on Sunday.
Having managed teams such as Enyimba FC and El Kanemi Warriors in the NPFL, Salisu pointed out to Soccernet.com.ng that Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr has not abandoned the home based players despite putting more faith in the foreign pros.
“I don’t believe on this idea that the home based players have been abandoned by the Super Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr. I am of the view that some of the home based players will still play a major part in the team’s World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series,” Salisu told Soccernet.com.ng.
“Rohr has always love to give every players equal opportunity to play in the senior national team regardless of your club status and I am so sure they will be given a look in if they continue to improve their standard.
“Besides, you can observe that even the standard of the Nigerian league has improved, something which has caught the attention of the technical adviser and also myself. Mind you, I am the eyeball of the NPFL and I won’t be happy if we ignore the NPFL stars.”