Iwobi Aware He's Not Guaranteed Starting Spot: It's Up To The Coach

Published: October 05, 2017

Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi is ready to add to his international caps for the Nigerian national team in their World Cup qualifier against Zambia, but he is fully aware that he's not guaranteed a starting spot on Saturday.

The Hale End Academy product missed the clashes with Cameroon in September, and is thought to have fallen down the pecking order of strikers in the Super Eagles at the moment.

In Iwobi's absence, four of the seven strikers named in the latest roster in the shape of Odion Ighalo, Victor Moses, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses Simon wrote their names on the score-sheet against the Indomitable Lions.

''It was a great team performance (against Cameroon). It is a team game, at the end of the day the coach will decide the best players for the team,'' Iwobi said at Thursday's press conference attended by allnigeriasoccer.com.

''If I am called upon to represent my country I will be ready and prepared but it is up to the coach.''

Assuming Super Eagles manager Gernot Rohr doesn't want to run any risks and sticks with the same starting line-up in both matches against Cameroon, it would be the first time in nineteen months that Iwobi has been omitted from the starting XI.

The last time Iwobi started on the bench for a Super Eagles fixture was back in March 29, 2016 when he was introduced in the 73rd minute against Egypt, ignoring games against Tanzania and Cameroon which he didn't attend due to injury.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel