Pinnick urges Keshi to give younger players a chance

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, has called on Stephen Keshi to field younger players in the future.

Pinnick was a member of CAF’s Organising Committee, at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations and was impressed by the youthful footballers on display.

Keshi in the past, has refused to call up youngsters like Kelechi Iheanacho, claiming that he needs experienced heads in his squad.

“In Equatorial Guinea I saw young and talented players. I saw zeal, national morale and selflessness as well as the hunger to excel. They were hungry, you could see that there was no [Samuel] Eto’o, no [Didier] Drogba, no [Sulley] Muntari and no Michael Essien, may be apart from Yaya Toure and Asamoah Gyan, there was no such other big name,” Pinnick said.

“In fact when you see these players on television you think they are very old but seeing them in person revealed that they are very young, as a match commissioner I went into their dressing rooms with their captains and referees and you see these players are young.”

“In fact, I asked one about his age and he told me he is 18 years and truly he looks it so I am telling you these are players that are hungry, people between the ages of 18 to 22 and that is what we possibly lack in the Super Eagles.” 

...DailyPost