Ajibade Babalade is relieved Jordon Ibe has committed his international future to England, saying Nigeria coach Sunday Oliseh should bring out the best in Victor Moses and Ahmed Musa.
Babalade insists on-loan West Ham’s Moses can strike up a potent partnership with CSKA Moscow’s Musa if Oliseh believes in them.
Oliseh confirmed on Twitter on Sunday Ibe, who has represented England at Under-18, Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 levels but also qualifies to play for the Eagles through his father, had pledged his international future to England.
Oliseh had made a personal approach to try to persuade the explosive Liverpool winger to choose Nigeria over England, but the Tunisia ’94 Africa Cup of Nations winner gave up on the 19-year-old after he chose to play for the Three Lions.
“Jordon Ibe’s family informed me by a telephone call that he was giving priority to an England call-up. We wish them well,” Oliseh wrote.
And Senegal ’92 Africa Cup of Nations bronze medallist Babalade is backing Ibe for choosing England over Nigeria, saying his decision should be respected.
The former Shooting Stars defender insists the Eagles can do without the London-born forward, urging Oliseh to believe in his players.
“I’m sick and tired of hearing every day about Oliseh or the Nigeria Football Federation making efforts to get Ibe,” Babalade, who is popularly called Kunde, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday.
“I’m happy Ibe has finally chosen England – and nobody can fault his decision. In fact, we should respect his decision.
“The player must have consulted his family, friends and club before choosing England.”
The Shooting Stars team manager added, “We have Moses and Musa. They can give us what we have seen in Ibe. They are better players.
“Like Ibe, Moses and Musa are fast and strong. We just have to believe in them to get the best out of them. They can torment the strongest defence in the world on a good day.
“We won’t miss Ibe because we have better players.”
Babalade heaped praise on Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Carl Ikeme for opting to represent Nigeria.
Ikeme, 29, made his international debut in the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on September 5. The game ended in a goalless draw. The England-born keeper remained in between the sticks in the 2-0 defeat of Niger Republic in a friendly affair three days later — and pulled off another clean sheet.
Babalade said, “Ikeme has been fantastic. He proved himself in his two games for the country.
“We need players who are ready to play for the country. We could have forgotten Ikeme if he had not shown an interest in playing for the country.
“We shouldn’t force any players to play for the national team.”
He called for the NFF to arrange more friendly matches for the Eagles “to enable the players to understand Oliseh’s philosophy”.
The former Austria-based player urged Turkey-based defender Kenneth Omeruo to play with confidence, lamenting the on-loan Kasımpasa player had turned in below-average performances in his recent games for the Eagles.
Babalade said, “Omeruo should be commanding the defence. He doesn’t appear like a player who has won the Africa Cup of Nations (in 2013) and played at the World Cup (in Brazil last year).He should play with confidence.”
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