Rohr should have invited NPFL stars for friendlies, says Fuludu

The 1994 Afcon winner claims Nigeria topflight players should have been called by the Super Eagles handler for this month's international games

Former Nigeria international, Edema Fuludu believes coach Gernot Rohr should have injected a couple of Nigeria Professional Football League players in his 25-man squad for this month's friendly games against Senegal and Burkina Faso in London.

Ikechukwu Ezenwa is the only home-based player in the list, and the 1994 AFRIfcon winner says that is not good enough for the image of the players in the domestic
league.

Edema also added that the national team captain, John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo can be excused from these games to give the coach a chance to test other players' abilities for proper competitive matches.

"I feel he should have invited some home based players so that we can encourage the local based players aspire to play for the national team," Edema told Goal.

"It is not until they travel abroad before they can be considered worthy to play for the national team.

"During our time, we played for the national team before we even traveled abroad, but I think for the growing Nigerian league in terms of publicity and performance, it would have been good enough to show the talents the league is breeding through these friendlies.

"Mikel and Ighalo not coming for the friendlies due to the move to their new clubs in China is not a problem, because I believe if the coach have a need of them, distance or not, they would have been invited because it is through preparation that you can know what you are expecting in real life situation.''