The South Africans accumulate pressure on the coach to release the player with the Nigerian father from the World Cup qualifying list

The coach of the national senior team of South Africa Hugo Broos faces criticism for his decision to include Defender IME OKON in his preliminary list of players called the team for their next World Cup qualifying games in September, reports Owngoalnigeria.com.

Broos on his preliminary list chose at the age of 20 a Nigerian father and a South African mother in her team for games against Lesotho and Nigeria, respectively. He was raised by his mother after losing his father at a very early age.

In the past, former Supersport United said he was open to play for Nigeria before Broos gave a first time call to the South African team.

Now, in the German team of the Second Division Hannover 96, it is expected to do the main team for a competitive game during the first times after two previous lost opportunities.

That said, its inclusion has not gone well with a section of the football community in South Africa, who feels that the defender is not completely exhausted in his project, but plays for them because Nigeria did not consider it.

They feel that he is not committed enough to play in such high profile games that they will potentially decide their destination in the World Cup qualifiers, but the legendary goalkeeper and former captain of the Andre Arendse team feels different and praised the quality of the defender.

“IME Okon is a super talent, but we better be careful not to lose it,” Arendse said. “It is definitely one for the future. I know what I am talking about because I have had the privilege of playing behind some of the best defenders in South Africa.”

Inside Emmanuel