Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has defended his decision to include Kano Pillars captain Ahmed Musa and nine other players from the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) in his squad for the upcoming Unity Cup exhibition tournament and an international friendly against Russia in the United Kingdom.
The four-nation tournament, designed to foster unity through football and cultural exchange, will feature Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago. Chelle named a 26-man squad for the event, and according to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), 22 players have already arrived at the Super Eagles’ camp in London.
The Unity Cup is scheduled to take place from May 27 to 31. The opening match between Caribbean rivals Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago will be played later tonight, while Nigeria will take on their long-time rivals Ghana on Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated clash against the Black Stars, Chelle explained the rationale behind his selection of several home-based players.
“We have a lot of players in Nigeria, so we need to give them a chance to show us their quality,” Chelle stated. “It’s difficult for me to talk about anything outside the pitch. But I can tell you one thing: we are focused. We have a game project. We want to build a team and create an identity with this project and tactical plan.”
He emphasized the importance of testing new players during the Unity Cup as part of preparations for competitive fixtures later in the year.
“We need to bring in players who can quickly understand and adapt to our system. The Unity Cup is a great opportunity to test some of them and try out different tactical approaches so we can be fully ready by September,” he added.
Chelle also noted that he had recently visited Nigeria, where he watched NPFL matches and closely studied domestic players.
“I spent time analysing these players. That’s my job. I believe they have quality and deserve a chance. I’m confident they’ll bring intensity, aggressiveness, and a strong desire to represent the country,” he said.
On Ahmed Musa, Chelle was emphatic: “I’ve selected 10 players from the national league. I can tell you that they are good players. For example, I think Ahmed is a very good player — in fact, a great one. Every Nigerian knows that. For me, this is a fact.”
