Coach Eguavoen’s attitude to NPFL players excites Akuneto

Rivers United attacking midfielder, Chijioke Akuneto, believes Super Eagles Interim Coach, Augustine Eguavoen’s presence at local league venues will bode well for home-based players.

The Super Eagles manager has been moving round Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) during match days since he returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroun.

Akuneto, a former Mountain of Fire and Miracles Football Club (MFM FC) star, has been one of the shinning lights in the domestic league this season.

Speaking with The Guardian, he said the target of every NPFL player is to play for the Eagles and have the breakthrough to also feature for clubs in Europe.

“I was glad when I heard that the new Interim coach has begun visiting league venues to watch matches and scout for possible national team materials.

“I have always believed we have good players, if not better ones, who can match the foreign-based players skill-for-skill. The coaches, for long, have concentrated their searchlight on players in European leagues, while we have been relegated to nothing as far as the senior national team is concerned.

“I think we too need to be encouraged and given the chance to feature for the Eagles. If they don’t do that, how can we be truly assessed? Some of the players at the last AFCON play in their countries’ leagues. I don’t see any reason why our coaches can’t also put their trust in us here,” he said.

Akuneto refused to comment on MFM, which is last in the NPFL table, saying, “For now, I am a Rivers United player and it will be unwise to answer any question outside my club.”