World Cup playoff: Amunike opens up on NFF imposing players for Ghana match

Former Super Eagles assistant coach, Emmanuel Amunike, has dismissed reports that top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, imposed some invited players for Nigeria’s 2022 FIFA World Cup double-leg playoff against the Black Stars of Ghana.

Reports had emerged a few hours after the Black Stars defeated Nigeria by away goal at the MKO Abiola Stadium in Abuja that top officials of the NFF imposed some players on Super Eagles coaching crew, adding that it was one of the reasons the national team was defeated by Ghana.

Recall that the World Cup playoff second leg match between Ghana and Nigeria in Abuja ended 1-1, thanks to goals from Thomas Partey and William Troost-Ekong.

Both West African giants drew 0-0 in the first leg in Kumasi last week.

However, speaking on the development, Amunike debunked the reports, insisting that the coaching crew headed by Austin Eguavoen made the final decision on the team selection against Ghana.

Amunike told Brila.net, “We all had opinions about the invited players.

“We had a conversation with Austin Eguavoen, who is the head of the technical crew and of course, he has the final say over the list because he is the man in charge.”

Meanwhile, the NFF had on Thursday sacked Eguavoen, Amunike and all the Super Eagles technical coaching crew after failure to qualify for Qatar.