Former Lokomotiv Moscow president Nikolai Naumov has strongly criticized the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for failing to bring key Super Eagles players for the upcoming international friendly against Russia.
The match, scheduled for Friday evening at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium, will not feature several of Nigeria's star players including Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, Wilfried Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze, and Ola Aina.
"Very Bad" Decision by NFF
Naumov expressed his displeasure with the Nigerian football authorities, describing the situation as "very bad" and referring to the Super Eagles squad traveling to Russia as "beach footballers."
"The non-arrival of key [Super Eagles] players for the friendly match against Russia is very bad," Naumov told Championat. "When we [Russia] agree [to play a friendly match] with any national team, we incur significant expenses for flights and accommodation."
The former football executive emphasized that such international arrangements should include clear agreements about fielding the strongest possible teams, barring injuries or emergencies.
"[As a result of] such expenses, we [Russia] must clearly indicate what line-up the opponent should've. Only the strongest players [from the opponent] are needed, except for injuries or other emergencies."
Management Responsibility
Naumov placed the blame squarely on the NFF's management, suggesting they failed to properly coordinate with players before committing to the friendly match.
"When the Nigerian national team agrees to such a match, the management [NFF] must discuss this issue with their players in advance and now they are bringing beach footballers," he concluded.
While specific reasons for the absence of several players weren't detailed in Naumov's comments, reports indicate that Ndidi and three other Super Eagles players left camp for various reasons ahead of the friendly match.
The international friendly between Russia and Nigeria will proceed as scheduled on Friday despite the controversy surrounding the Super Eagles' squad selection.
