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Former Nigerian international Dike Udi has raised concerns over the form of certain Super Eagles players, stating that not all players performing well for their clubs should be called up to the national team.
Udi pointed out that some players in the Super Eagles squad are struggling to adapt to the national team setup.
Despite their club performances, they have failed to replicate that form on the international stage, leading to mounting pressure as they seek to prove themselves.
One notable example is Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, who has been in excellent form for his club this season, scoring 8 goals and providing an assist.
However, his international record is less impressive, with just 1 goal in 11 appearances for Nigeria.
Speaking in on No holds Barred interview with Ifeanyi Udeze on Brila FM, Udi was blunt in his assessment of the situation.
“There are some players in the super eagles squad now, that Eguavoen will know that they are only good at club side they are not good for the national team. About five players now.”
He went on to compare the current situation to past experiences under former head coach Clemens Westerhof, who was quick to recognize when certain players weren’t cutting it at the national level.
“This also happened with Westerhof, but he had the brains to notice and stop calling up those players.
Some players can be flashy and doing well in Europe, but the African terrain is a different terrain. African football is different from European football.”
Udi praised Victor Osimhen for his ability to perform in both European and African contexts, a rare quality among players.
“Some players succeed in both Africa and Europe, and Osimhen is one of them. He can adjust to any environment, but some players can not.”
As a coach, Udi emphasized the importance of taking risks and trying out new players to see who can perform at the international level.
“So what do you do as a coach? You try other players, Nigeria has players around the world who are doing well, give them chance!
Football and coaching is about risk. Once you start fearing the unknown, you can’t be a good coach.”
