Former Super Eagles winger Baldwin Bazuaye has praised national team coach Eric Chelle for integrating players from the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) into recent international matches. He believes this move will encourage competition and ensure that overseas-based players remain motivated.
Chelle recently invited ten NPFL players for the Unity Cup in London and retained several for the friendly against Russia. Bazuaye noted this blend of local and foreign-based talent would create a healthy battle for spots within the team.
“Let him keep trying them to get his best,” Bazuaye said, pointing to Chelle’s decision to use separate squads for the Unity Cup and the Russia match as a deliberate strategy. “He wants to see what kind of players he has and if they have the quality to be in the national team.”
Bazuaye, who starred for Nigeria’s U16 side that won the 1985 World Cup in China, said Chelle must have closely observed these home-based players in the league before making his selections. “Being in the national team depends on what the coach wants you to play,” he explained. “Maybe he has seen one or two home-based players who can do better than those in Europe.”
He added that the inclusion of local players sends a clear message to established stars: no position is guaranteed. “Inviting the home-based players at this stage is a challenge for them to give their very best,” Bazuaye said. “The foreign-based professionals should note that there are others from the Nigerian league pushing for their places.”
Having played for clubs like Bendel Insurance, Julius Berger, and Greece’s Ionikos, before turning to coaching roles at Insurance FC and Lobi Stars, Bazuaye concluded that Chelle may have finally found the balance that will inspire peak performance across the squad.
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Editorial
For far too long, the Super Eagles’ squad selection has been the exclusive preserve of Europe-based professionals, many of whom have grown too comfortable in their roles. Baldwin Bazuaye’s comments reflect what many of us have believed for years a national team must be a mirror of its entire football ecosystem, not just its exports.
Eric Chelle deserves credit for challenging the status quo by giving home-based players a real opportunity. These decisions are not merely symbolic they represent a paradigm shift. Nigerian football has depth, and the NPFL, though often overlooked, continues to produce capable talents who only lack exposure.
We’ve seen what complacency does to a team. Without real competition, performances drop. Now, with hungry, ambitious players from the local league snapping at their heels, the so-called ‘foreign stars’ will be forced to elevate their game or risk being replaced. That’s the kind of pressure that breeds excellence.
The old idea that quality only resides in Europe is not only flawed — it’s disrespectful. Football is a dynamic game, and sometimes the freshest energy comes not from the biggest clubs but from those fighting hardest to be seen. Chelle’s approach of testing and comparing both sets of players on merit is what Nigeria needs if it is to truly harness its footballing potential.
This isn’t about pitting home-based against foreign-based. It’s about national pride and merit. It’s about creating a team that earns its badge through performance, not passport. Chelle’s inclusive strategy could well be the beginning of a stronger, more competitive Super Eagles — and we fully support it.
Did You Know?
- Nigeria’s 1985 U16 World Cup win in China was the country’s first-ever FIFA tournament title.
- The last time more than five home-based players started a Super Eagles competitive match was during the 2018 CHAN qualifiers.
- Bendel Insurance, one of Bazuaye’s former clubs, was founded in 1972 and remains one of Nigeria’s oldest football teams.
- The NPFL has produced talents like Stephen Keshi, Sunday Oliseh, and Finidi George before their international stardom.
- Eric Chelle previously coached Mali’s national team before switching to Nigeria, making him one of the few Franco-African tacticians in West African football.
