Peseiro's Camp Explains Why NPFL Players Were Ignored During His Tenure As Nigeria’s Coach, Report

• The Nigeria team has seen a notable decrease in the presence of homegrown players in recent years
• An influx of foreign-based players have continued to dominate the ranks of the Super Eagles' squad
• Jose Peseiro's camp explained why he opted against selecting home-based players during his tenure

The call for homegrown talent to represent the Super Eagles, as witnessed in the past, has been a passionate plea from Nigerian fans.

Since the departure of former coach Stephen Keshi in 2015, successive managers of the Nigerian team have frequently chosen not to include players from the Nigeria Football Premier League (NPFL) in their squads.

In recent times, managers like Gernot Rohr and, more recently, Jose Peseiro, have often overlooked NPFL players, sometimes only selecting goalkeepers from the league to supplement their numbers.

Pep Guardiola's ex-assistant emerges favourite to land Super Eagles Job, Report

Football

However, in a recent report, a representative from the camp of coach Peseiro elaborated on why he rarely featured any NPFL players during his 22-month tenure with Nigeria.

Peseiro on NPFL players

In the report captured by media outlet OwnGoalNigeria, the Portuguese coach representative explained the rationale for not selecting NPFL players.

"We watched several Nigerian league games, even more than the previous coach, but we never identified anyone who could compete for a spot in the team.

The second idea was to call up a young player who could develop and benefit from the experience of training with the senior team.

However, the perceived age and lack of pace among these players worked against them."

The manager's representative, however, urged managers of the Nigerian league to prioritise recruiting young and fast players, as it would enhance their chances of featuring for the Super Eagles.

Frank Onyeka highlights the qualities the next Super Eagles coach must possess

Football

Osimhen, Boniface’s partnership could spell trouble for Nigeria

Sports Brief in another report stated that former Super Eagles defender, Efe Ambrose, has warned that the duo of Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface could cause trouble for the Nigerian team.

The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner emphasised the potential trouble that the improved form of the duo could pose for the national team coach.

The Super Eagles have been without a head coach since the departure of Peseiro, following the expiration of his contract at the end of February. Nigeria is set to face South Africa's Bafana Bafana on June 5.