Second Vice-President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Shehu Dikko has cleared the air on the circumstances surrounding the retirement of Chelsea star Victor Moses from the national team in August 2018.

Dikko stated that Moses had to call time on his international career because he wanted to focus solely on his club football as his place in the starting line-up was no longer guaranteed following the appointment of Italian manager Maurizio Sarri as replacement for Antonio Conte.

''Victor Moses was very honest, he called everybody that he wanted to take this decision, that he had a new coach coming to his team, the tactics is being changed and he needed to sit up, focus and sustain his position in the first team,'' Shehu Dikko said.

''We respected his decision, at least we didn't hear it from the media like some players did.

''He did it the proper way, discussed with his coach, the President, the team and some of us that he trusts, that this is what he wanted to do.

''We gave him our own advice, at the end of the day we have to respect his decision.''

Dikko further added that Moses's absence has been a blessing in disguise as it has led to the discovery of new wingers in Samuel Kalu and Samuel Chukwueze.

''They say as one door closes, another one opens. Probably if Victor Moses was still in the team, Samuel Kalu won't have been given a chance.

''If Victor Moses decides to come back tomorrow, at least we know we have a backup. Samuel Chukwueze also received an invitation and he's just 19.

''If Victor Moses was there, those young boys would not have gotten a chance, Chukwueze is in the first team of Villarreal.

''He gave us two different options that we don't have before, he's not a conventional right winger, left footed from the right,'' added Dikko.

Victor Moses has fallen out of favour under Maurizio Sarri with only one start to his name from a possible nineteen matches across all competitions.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel