Newswatchnigeria can report that the duo of Chelsea’s Victor Moses and Watford’s Isaac Success may have played their last games for the national team as the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) wielded stick for failing to honour invitations for the last World Cup qualifying squad.
Both players were withdrawn from the Nigeria squad after the football federation received letters from their clubs saying they were injured.
Those who should know hinted that they have repeatedly watched Moses last game, stressing that “We hyaven’t seen where he sustained any injury.”
There were reports that Nigeria’s football federation will report both players to FIFA, which would mean they could be prevented from playing for their clubs this weekend, but NFF first vice president Seyi Akinwunmi said the federation is doing no such thing.
“There are no plans to report any player to FIFA,” he told ESPN FC.
Nigeria may not be reporting the players to FIFA, but that is not to say they will escape sanction. Top officials at the NFF told ESPN FC that the players might be banned from being selected.
“Moses always seems to pick up an injury when there is a difficult game to play,” one senior official said. “If he cannot be committed enough to playing all the games like everyone else, then he will have to stay away. We can’t have players choosing which games to play.”
Success’ issue is more straightforward. Despite the medical report from his club, officials say he refused to come when he was asked to buy his own ticket and get a refund while in Nigeria.
“That is our standard practice, everyone buys their own tickets and they get their refunds. But he refused to.
“He will not be treated differently from the others. If he can’t do that, then he is not needed.”
With both players absent, Nigeria beat Zambia 2-1 to shoot to the top of their World Cup qualifying group after Cameroon drew 1-1 at Algeria.
