AFCON: It Is Strange – Jay Jay Okocha Slams Peseiro Over Super Eagles Player

Jay-Jay Okocha, the Nigeria football legend, has described the treatment of Maduka Okoye after his blunder at the last Africa Cup of Nations as “strange”.

Okoye was at fault for Tunisia’s winner in Cameroon that sent Super Eagles packing in the 2021 edition of the tournament.

The 24-year-old has since not been called up to the national team.

This means Okoye will not feature at this year’s AFCON which kicks off Saturday.

Jose Peseiro has installed Frank Uzoho as his first choice for the past one-and-a-half years.

Uzoho will be joined by Stanley Nwabili of South African Premier Soccer League outfit Chippa United and Enyimba’s Olorunleke Ojo in Ivory Coast.

However, Okocha has criticized the omission of Okoye.

“[Okoye] is the one keeper who has the type of training and football upbringing that we need in a goalkeeper in the national team. But he is excluded. It’s strange,” Okocha told BBC’s Osasu Obayiuwana.

“The way he was handled [after the Round of 16 game against Tunisia] talks about the quality of player management in the national team.”