Former Super Eagles goalkeeper, Ike Shorunmu has called for a closer look at the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for more shot-stopper in the national team, as he believes the domestic championship has many talents to offer the side.
The former Stationery Stores of Lagos and Shooting Stars of Ibadan keeper, however, also admitted that domestic league players need to do more and league must improve to bring out top quality players for the national team.
While harping on the need for NPFL players to get opportunities in the Eagles, Shorunmu also urged the technical adviser, Gernot Rohr to keep being on the lookout for fresh talent in the net minders’ department, as he believes there are many good keepers in the NPFL.
Shorunmu, who also starred for FC Zurich of Switzerland and Besiktas of Turkey, said further that Rohr will have no worries over who to man the Eagles’ posts, if more keepers are discovered and groomed over the years.
He noted that apart from Francis Uzoho, Daniel Apeyi, Vincent Enyeama and Carl Ikeme, the country does not have enough credible keepers plying their trade in Europe big clubs.
“The coaches need to keep searching for more keepers to have enough to pick from in the future. We cannot continue with this goal-keeping problem in a country like Nigeria.
“Apart from Uzoho, Apeyi, Enyeama and Ikeme, the country does not have goalkeepers that could be reckoned with in Europe.
“We have to look inwards to produce better keepers. Getting standard keepers needs patience and encouragement.
“Over relying on a particular keeper is not healthy, efforts should be made to get more keepers in the future.
“The AFCON qualifiers is by September-October, so, this means the coaches have to stick on the existing keepers and plan ahead to discover more,” Shorunmu submitted.
