The Moment (London)
Martin Odiete, Abuja
24 December 2011
HEARTLAND FC player, Julius Ubilo has dismissed submissions in some quarters that players invited to the national soccer team from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) are training materials.
His comments come in the wake of Super Eagles’ 1-0 victory against the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in a friendly played on Friday at the practice pitch of the National Stadium in Abuja.
Ubilo, one of the 30 home-based professionals currently in the Super Eagles camp in Abuja, declared that players in the NPL have made up their minds to give their foreign-based counterparts stiff competition for shirts.
He said they are responding well to the training supervised by the Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, arguing that save for sentiments, they are equally good as any player from any other place.
‘We are going to seize this opportunity to establish ourselves in the team; gone are the days when we were looked at as mere training materials. We are capable of making the team,’ he said.
‘Take away sentiments, and if the coaches would use merit to select the team, several of us have what it takes to break into the Super Eagles Team.
‘All we are praying is that a level playing ground be given to all of us. Let me ask you, who is the best right-back in the country today? Is it not a home-based player? That means that there are several other good players that can make it in the team.’
Meanwhile, the national team paraded different sets of players in both halves, beat the FRSC, a National League Division One side, in their first test since they resumed camping.
Parading the likes of Chigozie Agbim in goal, Azubuike Egueke, Gbenga Arokoyo and Sunday Mba, the Eagles started the game on a rather jittery note, with several begging chances wasted by the strikers, but gradually played themselves into the match.
The Coach Gbenga Onifade-tutored FRSC side did not take sit back, as they stood up to their opponents with right-winger, who spotted number 7 jersey the tormentor-in-chief.
The only goal of the match was scored in the 40th minute, when rampaging Mba was hacked down in the opponents’ 18-yard box and the referee promptly pointed to the penalty spot.
Skilful Bathlomew Ibenegbu stepped forward to tuck it away neatly.
Despite playing better in the second half and having more possession with the likes of Ejike Ejike, Kalu Uche and Youth Corps member, Stephen Morah holding sway, the half did not produce any goal to the chagrin of Coach Daniel Amokachi.
Speaking to the players after the game Amokachi said they were wasteful and too sluggish on the ball, thus allowing the opposition to take the ball away from some of the national team players.
He demanded for improvement and vowed that more of such games will be organised to knock the team into shape.
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