Former Nigerian forward, Jonathan Akpoborie has warned the interim coach of the Super Eagles, Austine Eguavoen to handle Victor Osimhen’s health situation with care at the fast approaching 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Recall that the Nigerian international suffered a fractured eye socket and cheekbone after a head collision with Inter’s Milan Skriniar in a Serie A clash which ended 3-2 in favour of the Italian champions.
Following the surgery carried out on him, medics in Italy told Napoli that their prized striker will be out of action for three months.
However, Osimhen made a shock return to training and has declared himself fit for the bi-annual tournament.
In an interview with Completesports.com, the former Wolfsburg striker stated that Eguavoen must not rush Osimhen despite declaring himself fit for AFCON 2021.
“It will be a great delight to have Victor Osimhen for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations considering the fact that he’s one of Nigeria’s most prolific strikers in Europe.
“However, Eguavoen must be careful not to rush him too fast into the Super Eagles because his situation must be well monitored. I am sure he will make it to AFCON but they must handle his condition with care.”
Osimhen has scored crucial five Serie A goals and four more in the Europa League for Napoli this season. He netted four times in six games to help Nigeria reach Africa’s World Cup play-offs scheduled for next March.
The former Lille player also finished as joint-top scorer in qualifying for the delayed Nations Cup with five goals.
13 Comments
Nobody knows who’s in charge of the Super Eagles or which players are going to AFCON!!!
Nobody
We hope Osimhen is medically fit to go back playing otherwise he should leave going to camp to join his international colleagues at least until he’s well enough to do so.
I understand the zeal to represent his country but you can only do that when you are at your best to give maximum output.
But if he’s medically certified to join the rest of his colleagues then we have a proven number 9 and a big boost for the Afcon trophy.
Let’s tread cautiously. I think Egu should leave Osimhen out of AFCON and bring him in during the WC playoffs.
Osihmen should see out this Afcon to fully recuperate physically and mentally from all his recent mishaps. For all the best intentions in the world, rushing him back to play for Nigeria might prove counterproductive for his general mental health and may further strain his relationship with Napoli who are his primary employer and who are vehemently against him representing Nigeria.
Napoli were starting to reap the rewards of their faith and financial investment in Osihmen before his latest bout of mishap.
I will strongly encourage him to reduce the pressure on his shoulders by strategically signing himself out of the Afcon to channel his club career back on track and introspect on his career to date.
It’s understandable why many fans would want to see Osihmen kit out for Nigeria at this Afcon. If we are to be truly brutal, Osihmen and Ndidi are the only near-world class players that the Super Eagles can boast of at this moment. He is all-action, fiery and full of punch and a most exciting center forward.
But for me, his mental and psychological well-being comes first as well as measures geared towards elongating his promising career.
And I strongly believe that mental convalescing and focus on club football (and Nigeria’s crucial world cup qualifiers in March) should be on the priority plate of Osihmen now rather than the shortsighted and somewhat blinkered intentions of seeing him feature in an Afcon having not fully recovered from recent mishaps.
I totally agree with Deo, Greenturf and KangA on this Osimhen issue.
If there exists an iota of doubt regarding Osimhen’s health and wellbeing, he should stay away from the Afcon and football in general, until he’s fully healed.
Hopefully, he would have healed before the world cup playoffs in March. He will then be 100% available to help us qualify.
If he goes to Afcon and aggravates his injury, we not only lose him for the rest of the Afcon, we also risk losing him for the world cup playoffs.
Most important, his life could also be at risk.
I hope the people closest to him are giving him good advice.
A LIVE DOG IS BETTER THAN A DEAD LION.
With just few days to afcon. We are yet to release and send ivs to players to begin preparations in earnest. All other countries (Egypt, Ghana, Cameroun, Senegal, Algeria etc) who want to make an impact at the mundial have already released theirs but we are yet to even know the players who would represent us. The entire football family and country at large have been thrown into total confusion and darkness bcs of the irrational decision of a few idiots. Odegbami the ex cricket international should come and write his usual garbage now that we are yet to see our own list. He’s suddenly lost his pen. When we told u people that these people do not have our interest at heart some thought we were talking nonsense but see am, e don gbege! You people thought rohr was ur problem but never knew that the real Satans were covering their faces with veils and made an innocent man a scape goat. How are u feeling now with the way things are going, very very happy I guess.????? After all, rohr is outta way. Hurray!!! We saw the writing on the wall and wailed against this impending disaster but some chose to press the self destruct button and decided to sail and fail with our own. This is the height of absurdity and wickedness I have ever seen in my life. To jimmyball, omo9ja and their group of “progressives”, hope u guys are now enjoying the ride, huh? Hehehehe…. PS, we have to win next years nations cup. The cup must come home, that is all we want. After all, you sacked rohr bcs of this. Merry Christmas
You are very stupid to say odegbami was an ex cricket international… Na your age mate abi….
U are as useless as him, The ex cricket international, odegbami. Make I no see u for my thread again. Anu offia
cry cry baby, go and bring back Rohr, if dem give u the list now, you go use am cook stew
Hahaha…. Who is crying???? I cant cry bcs i made the most of the smooth ride and good times when rohr was around. My reservoir of happiness is full and overflowing Don’t worry, very sooon na una go begin cry like bush baby. Hahaha.. Ndi “let us fail with our own”. The stage is already being set. Una go fail so teey una no go get mouth to talk again.
Eguavoen is not a surgeon.The doctors at Napoli have the final say.
THE FINAL LIST IS OUT…
Nigeria name Musa, Ndidi, Osimhen, 25 others in 28-man final list for AFCON 2021