1994 AFCON-Winning Midfielder Backs Chukwueze For Super Eagles Duties Over U20 World Cup Place

1994 Africa Cup of Nations-winning midfielder Edema Fuludu has urged the Super Eagles coaching crew headed by Gernot Rohr and the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, to back down on plans to have Villarreal forward Samuel Chukwueze be part of the Flying Eagles to the U-20 FIFA World Cup in Poland instead of playing at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.

Spanish side Villarreal who are battling to remain in the La Liga have expressed their reservations about the young forward playing in both tournaments with the season in Spain ending almost at the time the U-20 FIFA World Cup will begin, May 23.

"Samuel Chukwueze I think is a fast rising fantastic player that will be useful for the Afcon. I hope the technical crew and the NFF look deeply into his inclusion in the Super Eagles and not the U-20 for the World Cup," the onetime Julius Berger FC of Lagos player told allnigeriasoccer.com.

"We have more than enough players in each category and the truth is we do not have a graduating policy so let those who will be in each category do their best at that point in time.

"Some Nigerians have suggested that we have a few of the U-17 boys in the U-20 side to gain some experience before the U-17 World Cup start but I feel that shouldn't be because we've got enough players in all these categories.

"Let the coaches in each national team get to work and scout  more players. We have so many talented youngsters in Nigeria that we don't have to use others that's suppose to be in another age grade tournament for theirs," Fuludu concluded.

The Flying Eagles will face Qatar, USA and Ukraine in the group stages of the U-20 FIFA World Cup.

Izuchukwu Okosi