Watford manager Claudio Ranieri has said Emmanuel Dennis is not going to the AFCON after all because besides the administrative bungling by the NFF over his invitation, the winger also wishes to stay back to help the club escape relegation.
Watford were not notified of Dennis’ selection on the provisional squad to the AFCON because he was not on the original list submitted by now sacked Gernot Rohr to CAF in November.
Dennis, according to the Watford manager, also wants to help his club stay clear of relegation.
“He wants to go (to AFCON), but he also wants to help Watford,” Ranieri explained.
He has scored eight goals and provided five assists thus far in his first season in the Premier League.
The Watford boss he has accepted the decision for the winger not to feature at the AFCON after both his club board and the NFF discussed the issue at length.
Dennis has now been replaced by Czech Republic-based Peter Olayinka on the Eagles squad to Cameroon.