Head coach of the U20 team of Nigeria Ladan Bosso has taken a sly dig at the coach of the U23 team of Nigeria Salisu Yusuf as he get set to name his final list of players for the U20 World Cup taking place in Argentina.
Yusuf called up bench warmers and players from non league side including one from a 9th division team in England to the Nigeria U23 team, that failed to make it to the U23 Africa Cup of Nations losing the ticket to Guinea after losing 0-2 away from home.
The call up from Yusuf generated heated controversies and also backlash, something Bosso said he intentionally avoided, when making his decision on invitation of foreign based players to the camp in preparation for the World Cup.
“What we’re trying to do is to put the finishing touch to our preparations. What are the finish touches; Which is to try to blend the professionals (foreign-based) we’ve invited”, he explained.
“Thank God, everything about the professionals has been positive. We’ve been able to Google and download and get the statistics of the appearances of the foreign players we have invited, in the last ten matches.
“So. if you’re not a regular player in your team, you can’t be here. All we are trying to do is to avoid the mistakes made by the Under-23.
“Because it’s a grave mistake inviting players that you don’t know their form. So, we have to take our corrections from there. And I think all things being equal, we are on the right way.”
Osas Mahawi
