Criticism of Daniel Bameyi Super Eagles invitation, who should play for the Super Eagles

The invitation of Yum Yum FC and Flying Eagles captain Daniel Bameyi in the latest Super Eagles squad has been criticized by some Nigerians. Caretaker reviews this comments and offers his opinion.

THE LEAGUE OF CRITICS

On the 23-man squad list released by the Nigeria Football Federation on Thursday, were three home-based players Victor Sochima from Rivers United, Kingsley Aniagboso Nigeria National League club Giant Brillars and Flying Eagles skipper Daniel Bameyi of Non-league side YumYum FC.

The invitation of youngster Daniel Bameyi has generated criticism from some Nigerians who are unhappy with his current status as a player from a non-league side Yum Yum FC.

Some of the top comments in this League of Yum Yum critics as first compiled by JOHNNY EDWARDS are presented below.

Lolade Adewuyi, a Nigerian journalist based in Germany, alleged that an official of the Nigerian Football Federation was influencing Bameyi’s invitation in view of making financial gains following his transfer.

“Someone from @thenff is looking to profit by pushing this young man, Daniel Bameyi, through the shopping window as much as possible,”

“Daniel Bameyi plays for YumYum FC, a non-league side nobody seems to know about. He was part of Nigeria’s B team that played Costa Rica last year. He captained the U-20s in Egypt. Now he makes a Super Eagles 23-man squad after a bad outing at (U-20) AFCON.” Adewuyi claimed.

Veteran broadcaster Charles Anazodo also wrote, “…an invitation to the Eagles seems like someone is trying too hard to get him (Bameyi) a deal. It smacks of indecency.”

Toyosi Afolayan joined in , “I won’t be surprised if Daniel Bameyi earns a move to Europe after this Super Eagles call-up. This is the highest racketeering of the highest order.”

UK -based David Doherty, a contestant for the presidency of the Nigerian Football Federation in 2022 wrote, “Bameyi’s club Yum Yum FC was just created on Transfermarkt a day ago (Friday) and the only player they have is Bameyi.

“Until some people and their cronies are made scapegoats, this nonsense and corrupt practices will not stop in Nigerian football.”

Adebanjo Adeniyi @deniyiclement extended the criticism to the invitation of Flying Eagles goalkepeer Kingsley Aniagboso “In the @NGSuperEagles players have been capped who are based in the lower divisions and in China, players who are unattached as well have been invited but not academy players, this is the first for Kingsley Aniagboso (Giant Brillars) and Daniel Bameyi (YumYum FC). We are heading for disaster.”

From the comments above plus my observation of the social media reactions, the main reason for the criticism is the club he plays for and not the quality of the player.

This brings us to the question, What do some Nigerians really want.

WHAT DO SOME NIGERIANS REALLY WANT 

For every one comment criticizing the invitation of Daniel Bameyi, I get even more confused on what Nigerians really want from the National team coaches.

We once had a Coach Austin Eguaveon that was vocal about the Inclusion of home-based players in the Super Eagles until his appointment as replacement for Genot Rohr.

The Super Eagles team under Coach Austin Eguaveon was no different and Nigerians were vocal in criticism of him failing to integrate the home based players into the team as it was always a foreign based contingent with a sprinkle of one home-based reserve goalkeeper.

How do we criticize the over dependence on foreign based pros and suddenly turn to attack the inclusion of a youngster who just recently played all the games for the National U-20 team and was even skipper of the team.

It would have been a different story if the criticism was targeted at his quality, but hanging on the status of his club in my opinion is a sign of confusion. We don’t know what we want.

WHO SHOULD PLAY FOR THE SUPER EAGLES

I am not one of those who think invitation to the National team should be shared between Foreign and home based players.

For me, only the best legs should be given opportunity to wear the green white green per time.

If the best legs are in Europe, give them the shirts, if they are in Nigeria, then let them play for us.

Daniel Bameyi has impressed Super Eagles Head Coach Jose Peseiro enough to get the Invitation, but as Nigerians, we will always look for avenues to criticize, especially when our interests are not on the table.

Bameyi was part of the Nigeria Super Eagles B team for the International friendly vs Costa Rica. The youngster was a mainstay in the Flying Eagles team to the U-20 AFCON and will all things being equal lead the Flying Eagles to Indonesia for the World Cup, is there any offence in furthering his development by inviting him to the Super Eagles ?

As long as he is not a bad player, whether he plays for Yum Yum FC or Tom Tom FC at the moment shouldn’t be subject of criticism afterall he is only 17, who knows the pre-contract agreement he has already waiting for his 18th birthday.

How do we explain to other nationals that we criticize age-cheating and also attack early development plans for our youngsters.

The age-grade teams are opportunities for our youngsters in various academies and non-league clubs like Yum Yum FC to shine and announce themselves to the world.

Daniel Bameyi should be allowed to grow in peace.