The Unity Cup in West London is not just another set of friendlies. For the Super Eagles, it is a litmus test, a chance for head coach Eric Chelle to separate passengers from contributors ahead of a vital World Cup qualifying stretch.
With games against Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago, there’s no excuse for sentimentality. Performance, not reputation should shape the squad.
Some names have hung around for too long. Others were never ready in the first place. These five players have no business wearing the green and white in May.
William Troost-Ekong
Troost-Ekong has worn the captain’s armband with pride, but the badge no longer hides the cracks.
AFCON 2023 felt like his last heroic stand; an ageing warrior emptying the tank. Since then, his club form has nose-dived in Saudi Arabia’s top tier with Al-Kholood.
Leadership matters, but the Super Eagles backline is evolving. Calvin Bassey is now the defensive reference point, adapting seamlessly to both three- and four-man systems.
Pairing him with a younger centre-back, be it Igoh Ogbu or Gabriel Osho offers freshness and athleticism. Against Zimbabwe last time out, it was Bassey who stood tall, while lapses from more experienced Ekong proved costly.
Victor Boniface
Injury robbed Boniface of his momentum, and since returning, he hasn’t looked the same.
He can’t buy a start at Bayer Leverkusen, and his Super Eagles record reads one goal in 12 caps; a brutal indictment for a striker with his profile.
Even when fit and firing, Boniface has struggled to impose himself at international level. The talent is real, but this isn’t the window for rehabilitation.
Chelle needs strikers who are sharp, confident, and scoring. Right now, the 24-year-old is none of those things.
Joe Aribo
Aribo was once an indispensable part of the Super Eagles midfield under Gernot Rohr, bringing drive and verticality to the Super Eagles midfield, but those qualities have long vanished.
The former Rangers man can’t nail down a starting spot at Southampton, who are now Championship-bound. That says it all.
And even when called up in March, didn’t play a single minute across two matches.
At this point, keeping him in the squad feels more like nostalgia than necessity. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s return to full fitness should make the decision easier.
Samuel Chukwueze
Chukwueze’s name still carries weight, but his game rarely does these days. Five goals and two assists across 34 matches for AC Milan is a damning return.
More worrying is his inability to read tactical situations, drifting inside aimlessly, disrupting team shape, slowing transitions. He was poor against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in a central midfield role, his game-winning assist aside.
If Chelle wants structure and balance, he can’t afford a wildcard whose flashes of brilliance are outweighed by decision-making lapses. Left-footed or not, Chukwueze should sit this one out.
Sadiq Umar
There was a time when Umar looked like the perfect plan B, a mobile target man with finesse. But that version hasn’t been seen in a long time.
The former AS Roma youngster was invited in March but didn’t play a single minute, and his form at club level has also been poor.
There is no justification for inviting a striker out of rhythm, especially when others are hitting double figures in Europe. This slot can be better used on someone who brings energy, urgency, and a genuine threat.
