Nikolai Naumov, former president of Lokomotiv Moscow, has strongly criticised the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the absence of several key players in the Super Eagles squad for their upcoming friendly match against Russia.
The game is scheduled to take place on Friday at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow.
Naumov described the situation as very bad, stressing that when Russia agrees to host a friendly match, significant resources are invested in travel and accommodation.
He argued that such arrangements should be met with the participation of the opponent’s strongest team, except in cases of injuries or emergencies. The absence of prominent players like Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfried Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ola Aina has raised serious concerns about the integrity of the match.
He further criticised the NFF for what he called poor communication and planning, suggesting that the federation failed to coordinate with the players well in advance.
Naumov went as far as comparing the remaining squad members to “beach footballers,” implying that the team lacks the quality and professionalism expected at the international level.
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cc: Daily Post Ng
