Excluding Gift from Falcons’ squad is scandalous, says Izilien

Countries go to war with their available soldiers and it is unfortunate that Nigeria has not learnt that lesson, former Super Falcons’ coach, Godwin Izilien, has told the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Reviewing the list of players available to Nigeria for the Africa Women Cup Of Nations (AWCON) billed to hold in Morocco, Izilien said it was scandalous on the part of the coaches chose to exclude the reigning top scorer in the just-concluded Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Super Six Championship and the player of the season, Monday Gift, from the championship.

He said the FC Robo Queens striker, who was loaned to Bayelsa Queens in the outgoing season, deserves to be among the 32 players listed for the competition.

He wondered why the Falcons’ technical crew would ignore a top striker like Gift, whose outstanding performance at the Women’s league and NWFL Super Six Championship propelled Bayelsa Queens to the NWFL title.

He charged the Falcons’ coach to yield to the public outcry and invite Gift to fight for shirt in the national team, explaining: “One of the hallmarks of the Super Falcons is that they identify talents in the domestic league and invite them to the national team.

“The Falcons team have won laurels in the past with players discovered in Nigeria. So, I don’t understand why Gift, a skillful striker, who scored all her goals in the league and the NWFL Super Six Championship in an outstanding manner, should not be in the Super Falcons’ team preparing for the Women Championship in Morocco.

“At this moment, she is one of the best women players in the Nigerian league, yet, she was not invited to the national team. This is a clear reflection of sentiments in the Falcons’ technical crew and the NFF.

“This is