Udeze said the new coach left the home based player out because he is under pressure to win his first match
By Mosope Michaels
Ex-Nigeria defender, Ifeanyi Udeze, has made a case for the new Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, after he left out the home based players from those to prosecute the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Sierra Leone on Thursday, June 9.
He made the justification while talking to Complete Sports on the upcoming qualifier, saying the gaffer is under pressure to win his first game and can only play players he trusts for now.
Peseiro has lost the two games he played since taking charge in May. The Eagles Super lost 2-1 to Mexico and 1-0 to Ecuador in international friendlies played in the United States.
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Four home-based players got the chance to make their debut for the Eagles in the friendlies.
However, Peseiro snubbed them while putting together his 27-man squad for the clashes against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.
Udeze while defending him, said the coach left them out because he was under pressure to deliver, and urged the home based Eagles not to be disillusioned because he (Peseiro) will eventually bring them on board.
He said, “I think, for now, he just wants to do with foreign-based players for now, and see, it does not mean he does not have confidence in the home-based players, but I think, for now, he is under pressure, he put himself under pressure because he wants to get his first win, which will be very, very important to him.
“The home-based players should just calm down, I think they will have their own opportunity to play some games.”
