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Akor Adams, Calvin Bassey, Stanley Nwabali, Wilfred Ndidi during the Africa Cup of Nations AFCON match between Nigeria and Tanzania. Photo by Segun OgunfeyitimixImago<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle<\/a> has been backed to snub Stanley Nwabali<\/a> in Nigeria’s upcoming fixtures at the Unity Cup and the friendlies in June, Soccernet.ng reports.<\/strong><\/p>\n Nwabali has a brilliant outing at the AFCON 2025 tournament in Morocco, keeping three clean sheets in six games as he helped the Super Eagles to a bronze medal, even denying Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush from twelve yards.<\/p>\n After the tournament, the 29-year-old waited till the winter transfer window slammed shut before parting ways with his club side Chippa United, a decision that left many stunned.<\/p>\n Get Our Sports News First \u2013 Join Our WhatsApp Channel Now!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Eric Chelle didn’t give a call-up to the one-time NPFL winner last month. Instead, Maduka Okoye, Francis Uzoho and Adebayo Adeleye were all invited, and all three had cameos in the March International friendly games against Jordan and Iran.<\/p>\n Ahead of the 2026 Unity Cup games in London, former Super Eagles midfielder Duke Udi, weighed in on the goalkeeping situation, categorically stating that players without clubs shouldn’t have a reserved spot in the National team.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to learn from the English and Senegalese national teams. With all due respect to Nigeria, how do they pick their players?<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes when you do things your own way and it\u2019s not working, you have to look at those doing it better and learn from them,\u201d the 49-year-old said in an interview with Brila<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cIf you look at the Senegal national team, they pick players based on merit and who is in form. You must prove yourself to get called up.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery Nigerian who wants to play for the Super Eagles should be chosen on merit, not based on where he comes from or who he represents.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you are qualified, good enough, and performing well at your club, then you are entitled to play for the national team.<\/p>\n \u201cThe national team isn\u2019t a rehabilitation centre. Nwabali isn\u2019t a bad goalkeeper, but for now he is clubless so how do you bring a clubless player into the national team?<\/p>\n \u201cAs I always say, \u2018I get am before no be property.\u2019 You should always pick based on form,\u201d Duke Udi concluded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n South African giants Kaizer Chiefs and Tanzanian side Simba SC have registered interest in the 34-cap Super Eagles goalkeeper<\/a>, but nothing concrete has ensued so far.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"Soccer](\"https:\/\/soccernet.ng\/thumbor\/M3xfiosNy7DFNRaH4AjpwJAmL50=\/4256x2832\/smart\/https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.soccernet.ng%2Fmain%2F2026%2F02%2Fimago1071398275.jpg\")
Soccer Duke Udi tells Eric Chelle to snub Nwabali for Super Eagles’ games<\/h2>\n
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