Ex-CAF Coach Of The Year Warns Pinnick, Dikko: Don't Impose Home-Based Players On Rohr

Enyimba’s 2003 CAF Champions League-winning coach, Kadiri Ikhana has warned the President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick as well as the Chairman, League Management Company ( LMC), Mallam Shehu Dikko not to impose home-based players on Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

Ikhana, himself a former national team coach, says Rohr should be given a free hand to choose his players ahead of the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup.

''If a player is not qualified to be in the World Cup it is not by force, allow the coach to do his job so that we will be able to shift blame to anywhere we want to shift it to,'' the 2003 CAF Coach of the Year said.

Ikhana added : ''If we say because we have local players playing in the league and one or two is to follow I don't think that is good for the coach and it is not good for the team and it is not good for Nigeria as well.''

Enyimba netminder Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Akwa United striker Gabriel Okechukwu were the two home-based player named to the Super Eagles squad for their friendlies in March against Poland and Serbia.

In previous World Cups, only seven players classed as 'home-based' - Austin Ejide, Vincent Enyeama, Femi Opabunmi, Ejike Uzoenyi, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kunle Odunlami and Chigozie Agbim - have been included on the rosters.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel