Former Super Eagles forward Femi Opabunmi has issued a strong warning to head coach Eric Chelle as Nigeria gets ready to battle for its first-ever African Nations Championship (CHAN) title.
Opabunmi urged the coach to focus strictly on performance and not fall into the trap of favoritism when picking his team.
The former national star’s advice came shortly after Chelle revealed his 23-man squad for the tournament. Nigeria will be taking on some of the toughest teams in Africa, including defending champions Senegal, in Group D.
The competition will be held across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Opabunmi, who played for Nigeria at the 2002 World Cup, spoke plainly about the need for fairness.
“Pick the Best, Not the Popular”
Opabunmi, in an interview with All Nigeria Soccer, noted that only the most in-form players should make the matchday list. According to him, choosing based on popularity or personal liking will only hurt the team.
“I don’t want them to use feelings when selecting players. That is the key thing,” he said. “If you select the top performers from the league, they will give everything. Sentiment should not enter into team selection.”
Chelle’s squad includes some exciting players like NPFL top scorer Anas Yusuf, as well as Remo Stars pair Sodiq Ismaila and Nduka Junior. Sikiru Alimi, who recently featured in the Unity Cup, also made the list.
But for Opabunmi, names mean nothing without merit.
Opabunmi also praised the rising standard of the Nigeria Premier Football League. He noted that the league has become more balanced, with teams now able to win both home and away games, something that was rare in the past.
“The league is now more exciting. You can even win away now, unlike before when only home wins were possible,” he said.
Professionalism Needed for Glory
In his final words, Opabunmi reminded the coach of the importance of staying neutral and acting professionally throughout the tournament.
“The coach must do what is right at the right time. Sentiment has no place in this job,” he added.
Nigeria, who won bronze in the 2014 edition of CHAN, will open their campaign at the Amman Stadium in Zanzibar.
They face tough tests against Senegal and Sudan before wrapping up the group stage with a game against Congo in Dar es Salaam.
