Eguavoen namechecks four coaches that helped him draw up list of players for Mexico friendly

Super Eagles coach for the upcoming friendly against Mexico, Austin Eguavoen has reacted to criticism regarding the players invited to the national team for the upcoming friendly taking place in the United States.

The ex-Super Eagles captain namechecked four local coaches that advised him on the players to be picked, namely Ladan Bosso, Salisu Yusuf, Stanley Eguma and Abdul Makaiba, as he cleared the air on how the squad comprising only Nigerian Professional Football League players was assembled.

Eguavoen and his assistant for the upcoming game, Paul Aigbogun were at the various stadia in the country to check out potential invitees before the roster was announced.

Some pundits are of the opinion that some of the best players in the Nigerian top-flight have been omitted from the roster but Eguavoen has indicated that the naysayers didn't do their homework well.

"It was a bit difficult, information came a little bit late but even at that it is our country," Eguavoen told reporters on Wednesday.

"I have been to few league games, the NPFL and of course the NNL, even the NLO and we penciled down a lot of players and I had to also rely on information from coaches that I know in the league.

"It wasn't that easy because I have seen a lot of criticisms in the pages of newspapers and of course electronic media but it is okay.

"The only thing is that people have to do their research first before they speak, everybody is entitled to his or her opinion, it's not a problem at all."

The 1994 Africa Cup of Nations-winning defender added : "Like I said before coach Paul saw some games in the league, I saw some games in the continent and the league as well and I relied also on a lot of my colleagues that are also in the league.

"I'm going to mention names. When you give me a player from Enyimba I ask Stanley Eguma, I ask Bosso, I ask Salisu, I ask Makaiba so if three out of all these speak well of the player it is okay.

"When you give me a player from Plateau United, I deviate from Makaiba and ask other coaches and when positive things are said about this player I feel that's the right way to go about it.

"Even as at yesterday I was still speaking with Salisu, this morning I spoke with Bosso and Makaiba, they can testify. Everybody can't come here at the same time."

Eguavoen made it clear that the players left out of the current roster would be given opportunities in subsequent squads, adding that the American embassy asked for a specific number of players to apply for visas.

"My apologies there is one player that is not here. Olisema, he was my player in Gombe United , I know him very well in and out but in these positions we have a lot of players, but this is only game one, other games will come.

"I might not be the next coach but this is actually the Eagles because the other guys are busy now.

"CHAN competition will come and everybody will have equal opportunity but if we have left some players out this time they shouldn't feel so bad and before people do or say something they should do their research.

"A lot of players are on the list, we submitted about 35 names but we have to cut it down because of the process of getting visas.

"The American Embassy wanted some certain number of players to be submitted at a certain date so it was a bit difficult," he concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel