Former Nigerian international goalkeeper Greg Etafia has expressed his thoughts over the decision to leave Stanley Nwabali out of the Super Eagles squad for the ongoing Unity Cup competition.
Nwabali, who established himself as Nigeria’s first choice goalkeeper during the last Africa Cup of Nations, has remained without a club since ending his contract with South African side Chippa United by mutual consent in February.
Despite his current free agent status, Etafia believes the 29 year old still deserved to be included in Éric Chelle’s squad, especially considering his recent contributions to the national team.
The former goalkeeper explained that inviting Nwabali to camp would have helped him maintain fitness, confidence and sharpness while he continues his search for a new club.
Speaking in an interview with Brila FM, Etafia insisted that the goalkeeper’s situation should not completely shut him out of the national team environment.
Nwabali Should Have Been Called Up to Train with the Team
“Every player wants to play and Nwabali isn’t different from that,” Etafia asserted.
“Unfortunately, things happened to him at Chippa; he is a free agent now. There are lots of clubs looking at him.”
Etafia also stated that the Super Eagles coaching crew could still have included the goalkeeper as part of the squad, even if he was not expected to feature in matches.
“I think the goalkeeper coach and the head coach should have called up Nwabali to train with the team for the Unity Cup because of what he has done in the past.”
“Even if he is not among the first three goalkeepers, make him the fourth one to come to camp. He knows he isn’t going to play official games with the team, but the training will help him a lot.”
The former international further revealed that he has remained in close contact with Nwabali and is confident the goalkeeper will soon return to club football.
According to Etafia, the shot stopper still remains one of Nigeria’s best goalkeepers despite his current situation.
“For next season he will play. He is a top goalkeeper and has done so well for the Nigerian national team in the two AFCON tournaments he has played.
“He is the number one goalkeeper, but because he doesn’t have a club, I think the coaches feel they have options and want to give opportunities to others.”
Stanley Nwabali played a key role in Nigeria’s run at the last AFCON tournament, where the Super Eagles finished third and his performances earned widespread praise across the continent.
Meanwhile, Chelle has continued to experiment with fresh faces during the Unity Cup as part of the ongoing rebuilding process within the national team setup.
