AFCON: Jay Jay Okocha Berates Peseiro Over Super Eagles Player

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Latest Headlines, Sports News Saturday, January 13th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Nigeria football legend, Jay-Jay Okocha has slammed the national team over the treatment of Maduka Okoye after his blunder at the last Africa Cup of Nations describing it as “strange”.

The African Examiner recalls that Okoye was at fault for Tunisia’s winner in Cameroon that sent the Super Eagles out of the 2021 edition of the tournament.

Ever since then, the 24-year-old has not been called up to the national team and will not feature at this year’s AFCON which kicks off tomorrow, Saturday.

Jose Peseiro has since installed Frank Uzoho as his first choice for the past one-and-a-half years.

Accompanying Uzoho to man the sticks are Stanley Nwabili of South African Premier Soccer League outfit Chippa United and Enyimba’s Olorunleke Ojo.

However, Okocha has kicked against the omission of Okoye.

“[Okoye] is the one keeper who has the type of training and football upbringing that we need in a goalkeeper in the national team. But he is excluded. It’s strange,” Okocha told BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana.

“The way he was handled [after the Round of 16 game against Tunisia] talks about the quality of player management in the national team.”