Fans urge Victor Moses to reconsider retirement

Football fans in Ebonyi have urged Chelsea FC of England’s Victor Moses, to reconsider his retirement from the national team.

NAN reports that on Aug. 15, Moses announced his international retirement from the Nigeria national football team, much to the shock of anyone and everyone involved.

The fans interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Sunday, were reacting to Moses’s snub by Coach Mauricio Sarri in the team’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, a streak witnessed since the start of the current season.

Bright Igboatu, Former Chairman of Chelsea Fan Club Abakaliki branch, noted that Moses was misguided by thinking that retiring from the Eagles would make Sarri look his way.

“The problem is not due to Moses’s commitment with the national team but because Sarri is employing a system different from that of former Coach, Antonio Conte which made the player tick.

“Conte employed a 3-5-2 formation which made Moses combine both defensive and offensive roles at the right wing but Sarri employs a 4-3-3 formation which features players on both the right-full back and outside right positions.

Jude Omagwe, defunct Jasper United of Onitsha player supported this assertion, arguing that featuring for the national team would even enhance Moses’s chances of breaking into Sarri’s main team.

“Chelsea’s blistering start to the season would make it difficult for Sarri to drop any play from this group that have adapted to his new system.

“Matches in the Europa league, Carabao and Federation Cups in which Moses and other fringe players can feature, are not played regularly as the focal attention is the premier league,” he said.

Chika Nwangele, Ebonyi United of Abakaliki Captain advised Moses to realise the impact playing for the national team could make in his dire situation.

“Luca Modric of Croatia has recently overthrown Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to emerge Europe’s best player and this was due to his scintillating performance at the world cup.

“Moses should realise that established players such as Cesc Fabregas, Adreas Christensein among others are facing similar situations as the national team affords him the opportunity of being match-fit,” he said.

Samuel Chukwuemeka, A Soccer historian, recalled that the national team afforded several Nigerian stars not playing regularly at their clubs, the avenues of being relevant.

“The world acclaimed ‘USA 94’ team for instance, had several players that had no clubs or were not regulars at their clubs during the world cup qualifiers and competition proper.

“Late Uche Okafor and Stephen Keshi fell out with their clubs management while Peter Rufai, late Wilfred Agbonavbare among others were not regulars,” he said.

Mrs Chidinmma Akanno, Youth Activist and football enthusiast however urged Nigerians to continue praying for Moses to reclaim his first team place at Chelsea.

“I am optimistic that by the time Moses starts playing regularly for Chelsea, he would be motivated to reconsider his stand of retirement from the team,” he said

(NAN)