Former Nigeria goalkeeper Greg Etafia has voiced strong criticism of Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle after the decision to exclude Stanley Nwabali from the squad for the Unity Cup. Etafia’s main argument is that call-ups for international competition matter, particularly for a goalkeeper who is currently not attached to a club, insisting that representing the national team can play a key role in maintaining match sharpness.
Nwabali, 29, has been without a club since his contract was ended by mutual agreement with South African Premier Soccer League outfit Chippa United in February. After that separation, talks over a move to Tanzanian powerhouse Simba SC ultimately broke down at the end of the process, with the negotiations collapsing amid disagreements over wages.
Speaking to reporters, Etafia suggested that even if Nwabali is not expected to start matches, the environment of a national team camp would still be beneficial. He stressed that Chelle’s staff could have used the training period to keep the goalkeeper involved at a high level, highlighting the value of having a keeper integrated into elite rotations even when official playing time may be limited. Etafia pointed to the practical advantages of keeping him in top-intensity preparation with the squad.
Chelle’s approach, however, was to omit Nwabali from the Unity Cup roster altogether, leaving him out of the four-team London tournament group. Instead, the coach chose to focus on assessing goalkeepers who are currently active within domestic football and other alternatives based outside the country.
