Peseiro reveals why he didn’t call-up Gift Orban, Victor Boniface to Super Eagles squad

Gift Orban of KAA Gent poses for a photograph with the Match Ball after scoring a Hat-Trick during the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 leg two match between Istanbul Basaksehir and KAA Gent at Basaksehir Fatih Terim Stadyumu on March 15, 2023 in Istanbul, Turkey. (Photo by Jan Kruger - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Super Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has defended his decision not to call up inform Belgium-based Nigerian strikers Gift Orban of Gent and Victor Boniface of Union Saint Gilloise.

Peseiro had come under heavy fire from fans and stakeholders following the release of his 23-man Super Eagles squad for the African Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone which omitted both attackers

Gift Orban had lit up the Belgian Jupiler Pro League and the Europa Conference League scoring a stunning 15 goals in 16 league appearances after making the move from Danish side Staebek in January 2023, while Boniface although didn’t get such impressive numbers, he struck a respective 9 goals for USG in the league, and 22 in all competitions, this past season.

So it is no surprise their absence ticked off fans of the Super Eagles, considering captain Ahmed Musa was called up despite scoring no goals in 17 games in Turkey for Sivasspor.

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Following the uproar, Peseiro in a bid to defend his action told reporters he couldn’t call up Orban, Boniface, and other foreign-based players due to a ‘financial situation’.

He said, “Orban and Boniface could come for the camp, even I spent my own money visiting them,”

“I was in France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, and England. I spent my own money. For that, I like to call them but if I call them I need to put some of these players out. I only called 19, I believe in the players but due to the financial situation, I called only 19 foreign-based players.

“If I could invite more, of course, Orban, Boniface, or others would have been called up. I understand the situation and have to help the Nigeria Football Federation, for that, I called 19.

“If we have a decisive match, it’s better I call the players that I know better. Normally they work with me, these nineteen players, all the time. Boniface and Orban, the others, have time for sure because I believe in them and for that, I visited them. They did a fantastic job.

“They may be sad after playing very well and were not invited, but Taiwo Awoniyi played well also for Nottingham Forest, and Osimhen also. Musa is a winger, not a striker. You cannot compare Musa with Orban or Boniface.”