Former Enyimba defender Ogbonnaya Okemmiri has criticized the selection of the Nigerian team for the 2024 African Nations Championship.
Placed in Group D with Senegal, Sudan, and Congo, Nigeria started the tournament with high hopes.
However, a late mistake against Senegal allowed the opponents to score and secure a win. The second match proved even tougher as Sudan scored four goals, confirming Nigeria’s early exit from the competition.
Despite the poor start, the team finished on a brighter note with a 2-0 win over Congo. Goals from Sikiru Alimi and Yusuf Anas gave the team some consolation, but it was too little to save their tournament hopes.
Best Players Overlooked
Speaking after Nigeria’s early exit from the tournament, Okemmiri said the team’s poor performance was a result of wrong choices. He argued that many deserving players were left out despite proving themselves during the league season.
“For me, that was not the best we have in the country,” Okemmiri said. “There are players who should have been in that team but were left out. I know the league well, and I know the talent that can compete internationally.”
Okemmiri stressed that a proper selection process should include the best players from each club. He recalled how teams were chosen fairly during his playing days with the Super Eagles B.
Okemmiri highlighted several players who were ignored by the selectors. He questioned why few Rivers United players made the team and mentioned a central defender from Abia Warriors who played almost every game with maturity and calmness but was not included.
He believes the technical handlers of the team failed to recognize these proven performers. “The right players were overlooked,” he added. “It is clear that the selection did not reflect the league’s quality.”
Coaching Decisions Under Fire
The former defender also criticized the appointment of Malian coach Eric Chelle to manage the CHAN Eagles. Okemmiri said Chelle lacks knowledge of the NPFL players and should have focused on the senior Super Eagles team. He suggested that the assistants who guided the CHAN team through qualification should have been given the head coach role.
Call for Transparent Selection
Okemmiri called for a clear and merit-based selection system in future tournaments. He believes that Nigeria can only compete successfully at CHAN if the best players are chosen fairly.
Nigeria finished third in their group and failed to reach the knockout stage. The team won 2-0 against Congo but lost points to Sudan and defending champions Senegal. Okemmiri insists that with proper selection, such exits can be avoided, and the country can showcase its true football talent.
