Eguavoen reveals what transpired between NFF and Watford over Dennis invitation for AFCON

Super Eagles interim head coach Austin Eguavoen has revealed what really transpired between Nigeria and Watford over the invitation of Emmanuel Dennis.

Dennis will no longer be participating at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after the Nigeria Football Federation ‘excused’ the player and acussing the Premier League club of baring fangs.

The club had claimed that Dennis’ invitation for the competition came late hence their decision not to release him.

The 24-year-old has since been replaced in the 28-man squad on Friday by Slavia Prague’s Peter Olayinka, but Eguavoen said the player was actually forced to pull out.

“Dennis told me that his club had done everything humanly possible for him not be at the Afcon,” Eguavoen told NFF TV.

Read Also: Super Eagles can only play casual warm-up games ahead of AFCON —Eguavoen

“I can’t force it, I reported the matter to authority and they also tried, that was why we had to wait until the last second before we pushed the button.

“Dennis said he wanted to come but the club are threatening him. What do we do if a player does not want to come, we have to play with what we have. Based on that, I like the enthusiasm because I only informed Onyekuru once and he was happy about it.

“Initially, he has been an integral part of this team and I felt bad that some of them wouldn’t be around but decisions have to be made.

“Onuachu, Onyekuru, Ebuehi, and few other ones and as soon as that opening was there, Shehu Abdullahi also said that the report came out that he’s been injured and he’s going to be out for 10 days to two weeks and we reached out to Tyronne and he was happy too.”

The Super Eagles will begin their AFCON campaign with a clash against the Pharaohs of Egypt on 11 January. They will facr Sudan and Guinea-Bissau in their other group games.

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