Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has once again left out Middlesbrough forward Chuba Akpom from the list of players called up for the AFCON qualifiers game against Sierra Leone, OwnGoalNigeria.com understands.
27 year old Akpom ended last season as the top scorer in the English Championship after scoring 29 goals. He was also voted as the best player in the English second division despite the failure of his team to gain promotion to the English Premier League.
The former England youth international has been given the all clear by FIFA to play for Nigeria but he is yet to get a call up and it appears he will have to wait a little longer before he will get his chance with the team.
In a statement on the international round of games coming up later this month, Middlesbrough announced the invitation of Akpom’s teammate Kamil Conteh by the coach of the Sierra Leone team but made no mention of Akpom.
It means Akpom won’t be part of the team once again, further cementing Peseiro’s position that although he has mutual respect for what the talent of the former Arsenal prospect but he has faith in other players ahead of him.
Osas Mahawi
