The Interim coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Augustine Eguavoen has admitted he is worried due to the fact that a majority of European clubs don’t want to release players for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), on time.
Africa Daily News, New York recalls that a number of managers of top European clubs with African players have recently criticised the timing of AFCON, even as the fourth wave of COVID-19 creating more fears.
Eguavoen, who replaced Gernot Rohr as coach of Nigeria national team, said he is worried because he has a list and if he doesn’t release it, then it will be difficult for him to put a team together before the AFCON kick-offs on January 9.
Nigeria is in Group D alongside Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.
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Asked to comment on the issue of European clubs not wanting to release players for AFCON and if it bothers him, Eguavoen told NFF TV: ‘Yes, of course, everyone should be bothered because there is a list out there and if you don’t release the majority how do you put a team together.
‘I remember in 2011 just before the Olympic games London 2012, we won all the games, blowing teams up 5-1 like that and 95 percent of the players were from Europe, players like Nosa Igiebor, Nnamdi Oduamadi.
‘But when it was time to go to Morocco (for the U-23 AFCON) out of the players who featured during the qualifiers for the U-23 AFCON, I only got like five of them, so it was a problem. So if European clubs are now saying we can’t release them, it will be a problem and to put another team together at this time would be tough.’
Africa Daily News, New York recalls that Eguavoen had a few days ago released a 28-man provisional list for the 2021 AFCON.
