Door is open for Victor Moses return – Nigeria coach

by Graeme Jackson

Thursday Jan 24, 2019. 10:00

Nigeria national team manager Gernot Rohr says he is open to the prospect of having Victor Moses back in the Super Eagles’ set-up.

However, the German manager has warned that the Chelsea man will have to work hard to get back in the team following the rise of young wingers such as Samuel Kalu and Samuel Chukwueze.

Moses went into international retirement after the 2018 World Cup in Russia, insisting he wanted to focus on his club career.

However, with the winger very much a peripheral figure under Maurizio Sarri at the Blues, the prospect of a return to Nigeria has been mooted.

“Victor Moses is a player with lots of quality but stopped playing for the National team after the World Cup. We have to respect his decision not to play again,” Rohr is quoted by Nigeria’s Punch.

“If he wants to come back to the team, it is okay but he must show a lot of motivation, he must show that he is fit to play for the team because we have other players playing well in his position now.

“Moses has to be strong to come back to the team because we have more options on the wings now like Samuel Kalu, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi and Ahmed Musa. All these players are on his wings.”

Rohr added that he will select the fittest available team for the upcoming 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the Seychelles and a friendly with Egypt, and suggested that he is keeping an eye on the local leagues as well.

“With the level at which some of the players are now in their different clubs, I believe they should turn that form to the national team,” explained the manager.

“For the local based players, the ones that are good among them will surely be invited to the team. I regret that the league had a long break after the last season which affected the fitness of the players.”