Nigerians on social media have slammed the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) and Super Eagles coach, José Santos Peseiro for inviting Ahmed Musa and Kenneth Omeruo for this month’s 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against the Djurtus of Guinea Bissau.
Peseiro on Thursday invited team captain, Musa, in-form forwards, Victor Osimhen and Terem Moffi as well as 20 other players to the Super Eagles’ camp as Nigeria face Guinea Bissau at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Friday, 24th March and the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau on Monday, 27th March.
Spain-based defender, Omeruo returns to the Super Eagles’ fold despite his lack of regular football for CD Leganes in the La Liga SmartBank so far during the 2022/23 campaign.
Musa may be the most-capped player for Nigeria but he is yet to score or even make an assist for relegation-threatened Sivasspor this season after he was dumped by another Turkish Super Lig club, Fatih Karagumruk for non-performance.
Meanwhile, two other attackers such as Gift Orban and Victor Boniface who have been painting Europe red with goals and assists week in, week out were snubbed by Eagles’ gaffer, Peseiro.
Orban scored as many as four goals, including a spectacular freekick, in a Belgian First Division A encounter on Sunday night to help KAA Gent hammer Zulte Waregem 6-2 at the Elindus Arena.
He then got a second consecutive hat-trick on Wednesday to help Gent destroy İstanbul Basaksehir 4-1 away, thereby, sending his club into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa Conference League. It was the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competition history.
Boniface on the other hand registered an assist to help his club-side, Union St.Gilloise defeat Union Berlin 3-0 and thereby make it into the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League.
While Orban has netted 12 goals in nine appearances in all competitions for Gent whom he joined only in January, Boniface has netted 14 times in 38 games since joining USG during the summer transfer window.
Peseiro was expected to put up his best squad for the AFCON qualifiers against Guinea Bissau only for Nigerians to see that Orban and Boniface were snubbed while Musa and Omeruo were invited which has left them hugely disappointed.
They thus took to Twitter to slam both the NFF and Peseiro for calling up Musa and Omeruo this time around: “Musa only returns to the world when it is time for Super Eagles to play,” @zachywhacky_ tweeted.
@a_oluwadunsin wrote: “Lol. How’s Musa still getting in this squad? How?” @AlexSilveruche tweeted: “Wetin Musa still dey do there?” @Mansur_Ibro posted: “Ndidi, Aribo, Omeruo and Ahmed Musa getting called up in 2023?”
@Detribalized_1 tweeted: “Omeruo over Olisah Ndah. What’s all this?” @Chelsea_2580 wrote: “Even squad list, INEC don rig am!!! Haba Can’t we ever get anything right in this country ni!!! What’s Musa and Omeruo doing on this list when we have good and exciting players in the NPFL, Aribo does not even make the bench at Southampton, Frank Onyeka just came back from injury! Nawa.”
@MrJapola wrote: “Nigeria is not a serious country. No merit. How do you call up Simon Moses, Musa and ignore Gift orban of Gent who scored 7 goals in 2 goals. Had his hat-trick just 2 days ago in UEFA competition. Akpom ahead of Paul Onuachu. That man (Peseiro) has added absolutely nothing to team.”
@teefresh_mic asked: “What is Musa doing in this squad, he has paid his dues, let him allow other young players serve their fatherland na.” @DatDami_Dee tweeted: “God, what is Musa still doing there? Is this because he’s from the north?”
@Bestdgooner wrote: “Is that Ahmed Musa? I mean the Ahmed Musa? How old is he now? Should be 100.” @TMaykah typed: “MUSA & OMERUO shouldn’t be in this team if we’re to be HONEST WITH OURSELVES.”
@Ade15026 posted: “Even if Ahmed Musa clocks 50, he will still get invited.” @dat_teewhy asked: “What’s Ahmed Musa doing in this team?” @kwenyerechukwu_ wrote: “Unpopular opinion, Ahmed Musa isn’t needed in the team anymore!”
