Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, was inconsolable last week as Nigeria’s head coach, Gernot Rohr ommitted him from the Super Eagles 23-man roster for the forthcoming Africa Nations Cup in Egypt.
Rohr had previously dropped Iheanacho from a get-together prior to the final Afcon qualifier against Seycheless, citing the player’s unprofessional attitude at training ground. However, the German trainer noted Iheanacho’s improved conduct during the Afcon camp in Asaba to raise the hope that he might be included in the squad for the Egypt showpiece.
When the list of 23 was made public and Iheanacho and Semi Ajayi were excluded.
”I have never seen Iheanacho in that mood,” a camp source told Sportingtribune.com.
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”We were seeing his flip side, he wept like a baby, he lost control so much that it was difficult to approach and console him. He is such a funny character that makes the camp lively. To see him in such mood was not a spectacle”
Ajayi remained calm and showed maturity but the source said that the Rotherham defender must have been utterly disappointed.
”He had told his agents to delay any new contract for him until after the Nations Cup. He was so sure that he would make the 23-man squad that he had told a photo agency to give him adequate coverage of game time which will be useful in negotiating new deal.”
The source however added that the fact that Ajayi took to the social media to wish the Eagles well at Afcon meant that he had overcome the disappointment of being dropped.