By Akinwale Kasali
For the second time in less than nine weeks, soccer analysts and enthusiasts have queried the inclusion of Kano Pillars and Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa, in the 24-man team that will play the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in an international friendly in Vienna, Austria.
Coach Gernot Rohr named a list of 24-Players mostly European based for the encounter later in June, but Rohr’s decision to include his mercurial Captain into the squad has been widely condemned.
It would be recalled that Rohr named Musa in the list of players that prosecuted the 2021 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers against the Squirrels of Benin Republic and the Crocodiles of Lesotho in March, 2021, leading to Criticism from different quarters, especially Ex-Internationals who are of the opinion that the former CSKA Moscow Football Club of Russia does not merit to be in the squad, having failed to be attached to any club side for over a season.
Musa recently signed for Kano Pillars Football Club of Nigeria in the second half of the Nigeria Football Professional League, NPFL, but he has just made an appearance, putting in doubt his fitness level and the rustiness he has shown in previous international duties.
Lekan Joseph, a soccer analyst and Manager of Kosach Football Academy is of the opinion that Rohr shouldn’t have invited the former Leicester City Football Club player because he has proven why he should be included in the team.
“We are always sentimental in Nigeria and I don’t appreciate Rohr for his actions. How can you invite a player that hasn’t played active football for over a year? This is ridiculing. No player is superior, if he has not been playing regularly and performing brilliantly, then he should be left out.
“Let’s put aside him being the Captain of the team. He doesn’t merit to be in the team, then leave him out. When he is in form, he can be invited. A player that is selecting matches to play for his Club because of his status, is not worth to be in the national team. We celebrate mediocres. There are other players that have performed well this season, why don’t you invite them rather you invited a player that doesn’t worth it”, he said.
Esther Johnson, a football journalist and sport analyst said he wasn’t expecting Rohr to invite Musa, so it came as a shock to her.
“What has Musa played this season for Kano Pillars to merit a call up? A players that hasn’t played up to three matches for his Club is been invited shows how our coaching crew think. Musa doesn’t deserve to be in that team.
“We understand that he is the Captain of the team, but he has been awful and has not played active football for a long time, so why calling him. I don’t know the criteria used by Rohr in his selection, but he has always said that in form players will always get a call up. But Musa is not in form and has been match Rusty and also added weight. So what was the measures used in bringing him on board”, Johnson queried.
Rohr had trimmed his initial 31-man squad to 24 players for next month’s friendly against Cameroon.
Deputy Captain William Troost-Ekong who recently led Watford Football Club of England back to the English Premier League from the Championship amde the cut, surprisingly, Kenneth Omeruo has been axed from the team.
Home-based trio of Musa, John Noble and Anayo Iwuala are included in the squad.
Interestingly, the duo of Simeon ‘Simy’ Nwankwo and Peter Olayinka made a surprise return back into the national team with a call up for the friendly encounter.
THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (APOEL Nicosia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)
Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (FC Boavista, Portugal); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Tyronne Ebuehi (FC Twente, The Netherlands); Valentine Ozornwafor (Galatasaray FC, Turkey)
Midfielders: Oghenekaro Etebo (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Abdullahi Shehu (Omonia Nicosia, Cyprus); Frank Onyeka (FC Midtjylland, Denmark); Abraham Marcus (CD Feirense, Portugal)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars FC); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Peter Olayinka (Slavia Praha, Czech Republic); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Anayo Iwuala (Enyimba FC); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France); Paul Onuachu (KRC Genk, Belgium); Simy Nwankwo (Crotone FC, Italy)
