Super Eagles of Nigeria iconic legend Austin Jay Jay Okocha has expressed his disappointment over the management of Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okeye since after the 2021 AFCON.
Nigeria got eliminated in the round of 16 by Tunisia after winning all three group games but faulted to a defeat in the hands of Tunisia with the only goal of the match judged to have been a goalkeeper error.
Udinese goalkeeper Okoye was the man between the sticks for Nigeria in that match and has since then been sent to exile as he lost his place in the National team.
Okocha in an interview with BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana said,
“[Okoye] is the one keeper who has the type of training and football upbringing that we need in a goalkeeper in the national team. But he is excluded. It’s strange,” Okocha told BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana.
“The way he was handled [after the Round of 16 game against Tunisia] talks about the quality of player management in the national team.”
Nigeria plays their first group game on Sunday against Equatorial Guinea and Francis Uzoho is widely expected to be the man between the sticks and he himself is not excluded from a list of goalkeepers who have cost Nigeria important games with simple blunders.
