Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro was in the headlines in the past week over unpaid salaries.
His long-awaited squad for a high-profile friendly against his native Portugal in Lisbon Thursday will ensure he remains the talking point for a few more days.
The appointment of the Portuguese coach in May was received with a lot of skepticism going by his undistinguished CV.
He is now already halfway through a performance-based contract that will only be renewed based on results.
But so far there is not much to write home about the Eagles results under his watch – Won 2, Lost 3, Drew 1.
The team lost to Mexico, Ecuador and Algeria, while the two wins were against minnows Sierra Leone and Sao Tome & Principe.
The draw was with the Algerian CHAN team.
Against such a backdrop, it is understandable why he has to quickly get his act together or else he will soon be history as it concerns his work in Nigeria.
Peseiro has at least not joined in massaging the ego of Ahmed Musa by extending another call-up to the Eagles captain especially as he only recently returned from an injury that required surgery.
He further showed he means business by inviting three of the country’s on-form strikers, Victor Osimhen, Paul Onuachu and Terem Moffi.
Winger Ademola Lookman has also been rewarded for his goals and assists at Atalanta in Serie A.
He is now ahead of Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze in the pecking order.
Kelechi Iheanacho lost his place on the team no thanks to a patchy form with Leicester City and Taiwo Awoniyi will need to do more and his case has not been helped by the fact that the Nottingham Forest manager has yet to make him his first-choice striker.
The other highlight of Peseiro’s latest squad is the invitation of uncapped defenders Bruno Onyemeachi and Bright-Osayi Samuel.
Injury and lack of game time have collapsed the ‘Oyibo Wall’ of William Ekong and Leon Balogun and as such the invitation of Boavista left-sided central defender Bruno Onyemaechi, 23, is truly refreshing.
The new boy has made nine appearances in the Portuguese top league this season since his debut after he previously featured in the lower league with Feirense.
Should he take his chance in the middle of the back four, it could signal the end of a 10-year run for Kenneth Omeruo in the national team.
Good enough Ekong has regained his place in the Watford first team in the English Championship and so could still play a part in the current set-up.
But his long-term replacement is Calvin Bassey from Ajax Amsterdam, who though needs to cut out the rough edges in his defensive play if he were to be the pillar of the Nigerian defence.
Osayi Samuel has transformed from the direct-playing winger in England to an eye-catching right wing back at Turkish giants Fenerbache.
He could be the solution in a problematic right back position that is currently manned by Ola Aina.
In midfield, Alhassan Yusuf has again been shut out from the Eagles despite his consistency at Belgian club Antwerp.
Frank Onyeka has benefited from a long injury list at Brentford to play more regularly in the Premier League this term, but Alhassan brings more energy and creativity, and ought to have been considered ahead of him.
𝗕𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗢 𝗜𝗡 🇳🇬🔥
— Boavista FC (@boavistaoficial) November 11, 2022
Bruno Onyemaechi estreia-se nos convocados da seleção da Nigéria 💪#InvictaDeXadrez pic.twitter.com/vx0Btf9n8q
The omission of Raphael Onyedika after his debut in Algeria in September is also rather strange.
The young enforcer has already justified the 10 Million Euros Club Brugge shelled out for him to join up from Danish club FC Midtjylland with some top displays in both the UEFA Champions League as well as the Belgian Jupiler Pro League.
But overall, Peseiro has for the time being sounded the big warning that no more fooling around in the Super Eagles.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers: Maduka Okoye (Watford FC/ENG), Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia/CYP), Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem/ISR)
Defenders: William Ekong (Watford FC/ENG); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates/RSA), Calvin Bassey (Ajax FC/NED), Kevin Akpoguma (TSG Hoffenheim/GER), Chidiebube Duru (Rivers United), Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC/ITA), Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC/POR), Bright Osayi Samuel (Fenerbahce FC/TUR)
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC/ENG), Alex Iwobi (Everton FC/ENG), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City/ENG), Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC/ENG), Oghenekaro Etebo (Aris Thessaloniki/GRE)
Forwards: Moses Simon (FC Nantes/FRA), Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal/SPA), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/ITA), Terem Moffi (FC Lorient/FRA), Paul Onuachu (Genk/BEL), Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli/ITA), Emmanuel Dennis (Nottingham Forest/ENG)
