Super Eagles Goaltender, Stanley Nwabali has come out to say he doesn’t see any reason for competition between himself and superb in-form Maduka Okoye as Nigerians debate who should get a starting shirt between the pair. Bobo was a huge discovery during the 2023 AFCON tournament, despite being his debut with Super Eagles of Nigeria.
He won the hearts of football lovers by his calmness, composure, consistency, organisation of his backline and ability to call players to order regardless of their status or seniority in the team. He marked a complete departure from the old order. Not to forget, he kept four clean sheets and saved two crucial penalties at the continental competition.
However, Okoye’s return after a remarkable season at Udinese FC in the Italian Serie A has sparked an interesting discussion about Nwabali retaining the Number 1 shot-stopper spot he occupied before now. Some believes Finidi might start him considering he is a first-choice goalie in one of the top 5 leagues in the World, churning out man-of-the-match performances for his club.
Back to Nwabali; when asked about this development, he said “There’s no debate. If Maduka can give what he’s giving Udinese to the country, then he should play. It’s not like a club side, where you see a new signing and you talk about fighting, No. This is the country we are playing for, we are representing this green, white green, and we want to see everyone happy.”
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