Izuchukwu Okosi
Super Eagles interim coach, Austin Eguavoen has given reason why striker Odion Ighalo may not be replaced in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations squad after his Saudi Arabian side Al Shabab refused to release him for the tournament.
Ighalo’s club insists that the Nigeria Football Federation did not send letter of invitation within the period specified by FIFA for receiving players’ call-up letters.
Eguavoen stated that Nigeria will not be able to replace Ighalo in the Super Eagles’ squad for the AFCON because the rule guiding the replacement of players made it impossible for Nigeria to name a replacement for Ighalo.
The former Nigeria international however added that the striker is doing everything possible to join the team in Cameroon.
Eguavoen disclosed this while speaking with NFF media after their first training on in Garoua on Thursday, “CAF said a player can only be replaced based on injury and or on health ground. That’s the only reason holding us back.
“We know he’s okay health wise and can’t wish him bad because we want to replace him with another player.”
Eguavoen added that he thought of replacing the striker with either Nasarawa United striker, Silas Nwankwo or Amoo Akinkunmi.
He continued, “Either the boy from Nasarawa United, Silas Nwankwo or Amoo Akinkunmi would have replaced him. Silas a good striker no doubt but Amoo is not a striker. Odion is doing everything to join us here and the federation is also doing everything to get him to the camp.”
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) had confirmed on Thursday that striker Odion Ighalo will not be available for the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon because his club Al Shabab refuse to release him.
According to FIFA regulations, countries must inform clubs of call-ups 15 days before the start of a tournament.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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