Claims by Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface that some players of the senior national team of Nigeria are not committed when they play for the team hasn’t gone down well with a lot of the players.
Boniface in an interview last week lamented the attitude of some of his teammates, while on international duty saying they don’t care if the team wins or loses.
“If some of my teammates are going to the national team, they feel like, we go, we play, whether we win or lose, it doesn’t matter,” Boniface said on The Culture League podcast.
“I am always trying to say to them, we are millions in Nigeria. I think in Africa, we have the highest population.”
Reacting to his comments, a senior player in the team said it’s the most unfortunate thing that anyone should say of his teammates, especially in a time like this when the team is in a difficult position in the world cup qualifiers, and trying to push on with a new coach.
” The comments only got to most of us a few days ago. Nobody should talk about his teammates that way, but since he didn’t mention names I won’t respond with my name as well but I will say some things about his person”, he told OwnGoalNigeria.com.
” In the AFCON qualifiers game against Rwanda in Uyo at half time, a senior player in the team almost slapped Boniface for his lack of efforts. You can ask other players what happened before the second half.
• In Russia he was yanked off at half time and posted that he has quit the team, only for him to delete it afterwards. If there is anyone who is not serious and doesn’t seem to care it’s Boniface, who is the first to go downstairs or to social media after a defeat most times.
” When Austine Eguavoen was interim coach. I know the amount of times he lamented Boniface’s lack of commitment when playing for the Super Eagles. He was probably speaking about himself not any other player in the team”, he concluded.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
