Former Super Eagles defender Abbey George has lent his support to the inclusion of home-based players in the national team ahead of the upcoming Unity Cup in London, but with a clear caveat—selection must be based strictly on merit.
Speaking in a recent interview, George cautioned against calling up domestic league players simply to tick a box. Instead, he emphasized the importance of identifying talent capable of holding their own against their foreign-based counterparts.
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“If they’re good enough, give them the opportunity. I’m not one to say home-based players should be picked just for the sake of it,” George stated. “When we played, we had some home-based players in the team. Vincent Enyeama was playing for Enyimba when he came in. He was good enough and earned his shirt—and kept it.”
George acknowledged he doesn’t actively follow the Nigerian league but stressed that it is the responsibility of the national team coach to scout local players diligently.
“The coach must do his due diligence—scout the league, identify the talents, and assess whether they’re ready to compete for spots with the foreign-based players,” he said.
With the Unity Cup offering a platform to blend local and international stars, George’s comments underline the need for performance, not sentiment, to guide national team selections.
