Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Alloy Agu has urged Nigerians not to panic over the fitness of Stanley Nwabali ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa.
Nwabali suffered an injury during Chippa United’s 1-0 defeat to Richards Bay earlier this week.
His early substitution in that game immediately sparked concerns about his availability for the national team.
However, Agu insists it is premature to rule him out, noting that the true extent of the injury is yet to be determined.
“I don’t think we should panic. It’s football, and he has not been ruled out of the game,” Agu told Brila.net.
“You never can tell — maybe before that game he will get better. So it’s not something we should start panicking about.”
The former Super Eagles goalkeeping coach also reassured fans that Nigeria has reliable alternatives if Nwabali fails to recover in time.
With the likes of rising goalkeeper, 15-year-old Ebenezer Harcourt, and other emerging shot-stoppers in contention, Agu believes the squad remains well-equipped.
“The other goalkeepers are also well capable. They are waiting for their chance to showcase what they have,” he added.
“Nigeria should not panic at all. We should keep praying for Stanley so that he can recover quickly. Who says he cannot recover and play? He has done it before, and he can still do it again.”
Nigeria will host Rwanda in Uyo before traveling to face South Africa in Bloemfontein.
The Super Eagles have won only one of their six qualification matches, and Nwabali’s injury scare comes as a potential big blow ahead of these decisive fixtures.
