Another one gone! Super Eagles dream shattered as Nigeria loses CHAN hopeful to Israeli move

The Nigeria Super Eagles’ local-based squad, preparing intensively for the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), has suffered a major setback.

Ikorodu City captain and standout defender Waliu Ojetoye has completed a season-long loan move to Israeli Premier League side Hapoel Jerusalem, with an option to buy per this post from club director OgaNla.

Ojetoye’s departure comes as a blow to Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle’s CHAN ambitions. The tournament, exclusively featuring players active in domestic leagues, now excludes Ojetoye from eligibility, weakening Nigeria’s defensive options ahead of the competition.

Last season, Ojetoye was instrumental for Ikorodu City in their stunning Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) debut.

The youthful right-back stood out for his dynamic ball-carrying ability, marauding runs, and leadership as club captain, helping the “Oga Boys” finish a close fourth – just missing out on a CAF competition spot.

His statistics underline his influence: one goal and 10 assists in the NPFL campaign, showing his balance between solid defending and offensive support.

This level of performance earned him a crucial role in the home-based Super Eagles team that secured qualification for the upcoming 2024 CHAN tournament.

Ojetoye was also included in the Super Eagles squad for the recent Unity Cup in London, where he competed for a starting spot against Remo Stars’ Ismail Sodiq, a one-cap Super Eagle currently favoured in the right-back position.

Coach Eric Chelle has been working tirelessly with the locally-based squad in Ikenne, Ogun State, preparing rigorously for CHAN 2024.

Ojetoye’s exit leaves a gap in the right-back slot, forcing Chelle to rely on alternate options and potentially altering the team’s dynamics ahead of the tournament.

His loan move abroad highlights an ongoing challenge for Nigeria’s CHAN squad: retaining domestic talent amid lucrative foreign offers.

The loss of such gifted players could impact Nigeria’s chances of capturing the coveted all-local African Nations Championship title.

Nevertheless, the transfer to Hapoel Jerusalem marks a significant step in Ojetoye’s career, offering exposure to international football and higher competitive standards.

For the NPFL and Nigerian football as a whole, it shows both the quality of homegrown talent and the risk of losing them prematurely to foreign leagues.

As Ojetoye adapts to Israeli football, Nigerian football lovers face the challenge of balancing player development with the desire to keep talents available for local competitions like CHAN, which Nigeria has never won.