Former Nigeria international and Atlanta 1996 Olympic gold medalist Obafemi Abiodun has warned that club commitments could seriously disrupt preparations for Nigeria’s crucial U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures against DR Congo, with several invited players potentially unavailable for national duty, Sports247.ng reports.
Speaking ahead of the Olympic Eagles’ important double-header, Abiodun expressed concern that the timing of the qualifiers could make it difficult for the technical crew to assemble its preferred squad, particularly with domestic league clubs depending heavily on their players.
“Honestly, this time of the season, it’s going to be very difficult for him to get, you know, 100 percent compliance,” Abiodun explained.
“Majority of the players may not honour the invitation because of their club commitments.”
The former international stressed that the situation could present a significant challenge for the coaching staff, who must prepare a competitive team despite uncertainty surrounding player availability.
However, Abiodun remained optimistic about the quality of footballers invited to camp, insisting that Nigeria possesses promising talents capable of making an impact.
“The quality I saw there is good, especially this is an opportunity for them to be seen too,” he stated.
He explained that many of the invited youngsters have been waiting for an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities on the international stage.
“These are boys that have been looking for this opportunity,” Abiodun added.
The former defender nevertheless maintained that the biggest concern remains whether clubs will release their players for the national assignment.
“The question is whether their teams will release them,” he warned.
Abiodun also acknowledged that having several invited players based in Nigeria could offer some advantages in assembling the squad and coordinating preparations.
Despite the uncertainty, he believes the Olympic Eagles have sufficient quality to compete effectively if the invited players are made available.
With qualification for the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations and Nigeria’s Olympic ambitions at stake, the technical crew faces the difficult task of balancing squad selection, preparation and player availability.
For Abiodun, Nigeria’s challenge is not a shortage of talent, but ensuring that the country’s best available youngsters can answer the national team’s call when it matters most.
