Eagles Coach: No Cause for Alarm Over Injured Goalkeeper

Super Eagles assistant coach, Salisu Yusuf has allayed fears over the goalkeeping situation at the senior national team.

Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme has not played competitively since March 18 is not expected to play again this season as a result of injury.

Nigeria’s most capped footballer, Vincent Enyeama was recently touted to make a return to the national team but the speculations have been muted as the experienced goalkeeper has also been side lined with an injury which will keep him out for the rest of the season.

It leaves the Eagles with South Africa-based goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa who plays for local side, FC IfeanyiUbah as the main options in the department but Yusuf says there’s no need for Nigerians to lose sleep.

Yusuf in a chat with sport reporters said “When Ikeme was not playing we had Akpeyi from South Africa.”

“We also have Ezenwa from home….somebody must take responsibility.

“Also, Akpeyi has played in the last three matches and we won two and drew one of those matches.

“(The current situation) is a concern but I know we have good goalkeepers that will do the job for us,” he said.

Speaking on Nigeria’s upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against South Africa in Uyo in June as they seek to reach the finals of Africa’s premier football showpiece for the first time in three editions, Yusuf explained that domestically-based talent will be given a chance while overseas-based stars will be asked to forfeit their summer holidays.

His Words “We will open camp in France on May 23 and we are inviting about four-home players for the game against South Africa.

“The Europe-based players will be on break at that time but we will not want them to go on holidays.

“We want everyone to be in the best conditions for that game against the Bafana Bafana.”