• Nigeria will be without Victor Osimhen and Ekong

• Finidi has now named 3 NPFL based players in his squad for the WCQs

• Nigeria is third in Group C behind Rwanda and South Africa

Former Nigeria international Dimeji Lawal has advised Super Eagles head coach Finidi George to prioritize selecting the best players available, regardless of their league.

Because you see, most of the times we say these things with our mouth, we don’t mean it.

Speaking to Brila.net, Lawal emphasized that while there are quality players in the NPFL, the pressing need for results requires a focus on the highest caliber players, many of whom are based in Europe.

“Telling Finidi what to do with the local players, I don’t think it is right,” Lawal stated.

“Let him go around everywhere and see the kind of legs he wants, the players he wants to play with. Because you see, most of the times we say these things with our mouth, we don’t mean it. And I don’t have that in my blood, I don’t deceive myself.

“Put those 11 players playing European football and put 11 players in our league together and see who will replace who among them.”

Dimeji Lawal further highlighted the significant gap between local and European-based talents, using examples like Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman to illustrate his point.

“Do we have a striker in the Nigerian league that can be compared to Osimhen? Lookman that just won the UEFA, scoring a hat trick.”

He acknowledged the presence of good players in the local league but cautioned against imposing a mandate on Finidi George to select them.

“I’m not saying there are no good players in the local league. But he should not be enforced, that is what I’m saying. If you have a talent that is better than the one coming from Europe, why not?

“If you have a striker in a regular league that is better than Osimhen, go for it, but compelling him that he must work with local league players, when you give him 12 months to win the major tournaments, I think it’s a very difficult task.”