The chairman of Anambra State Football Association, Chikelue Iloenyosi has added a new angle to calls for home-based players to get invitations to the Super Eagles, as he believes the domestic league will first have to get stronger.
Iloenyosi’s verdict is contained in the concluding segment of a three-part exclusive interview with Sports247, in which the former defender fondly known as ‘General’ spoke at length about hurdles facing football development in Nigeria.
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He also lamented over the death of youth football competitions like Manuwa-Adebajo Cup and the advent of recommendations of players to the national teams without taking merit into consideration.
Iloenyosi added in the long chat with Sports247, “For home-based players to be invited to the Super Eagles, the league has to be very strong. The league has to be strong for you to have good players who can be invited to the national team.”
While thanking some corporate moguls, administrators and politicians for lending support to his vision of enhanced youth and grassroots football development in Anambra State, Iloenyosi praised Eagles’ coach, Eric Chelle for carrying home-based players along in his operations.
“I like what the coach did last time out, when he invited home-based players for the Unity Cup in London. That was a great moment to show that our league is improving.
“I’m very happy with how it happened, because I am one of the people who canvassed to make sure that home-based players are tried out in the national team,” Iloenyosi posited.
Other issues addressed by Iloenyosi in the ‘Unscripted’ interview with Sports247 include details of his playing days, exodus of Nigeria’s talents to Europe, taking youngsters away from social vices, his acts of philanthropy and many more
