Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh’s first major selection dilemma would be whether or not to invite striker Emmanuel Emenike for Nigeria’s African Nations Cup qualifier in Tanzania in September, reports AfricanFootball.com.
Oliseh is a long-term admirer of Emenike, but the striker’s recent switch to the backwater league in Dubai on loan from Fenerbache may now go contrary to his recent declaration that he will only pick players from credible leagues for his new Eagles.
Emenike is on Oliseh’s provisional list of foreign-based stars for the match against Tanzania. In 2013, Oliseh was a pundit for pay television station SuperSport when Nigeria against all odds won a third AFCON crown courtesy of goals by Emenike.
“Oliseh is a big fan of Emenike and has not wasted any time in picking the striker for the AFCON qualifier in Tanzania, but he will most certainly be grilled by the media if he goes ahead and invites the striker who will in the new season play in the UAE, which is not by any definition ‘a credible league’,” said a top source.
However, another top official has already jumped in defence of the new Eagles coach, saying he will be on track to call up Emenike because his declaration excluded players, who have already established themselves in the national team as well as players from the age-group teams.
“Oliseh when he made his declaration of his yardsticks for selection, he also made a caveat to exclude players, who have already established themselves in the Eagles as well as those who are in the various junior national teams.
“That should cover a player like Emenike, who has done so much for Nigeria within a short time.”
Oliseh will announce his list of foreign-based players for the Tanzania trip by the third week of August.
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