THE decision of Musa Muhammed to leave the camp of the Nigeria U23s in Abuja without informing officials is an issue that has come under intense scrutiny in the last two days.
Goal reported on Wednesday that the 18-years-old player had left camp to travel to Europe in order to sign a contract with a yet to be known club.
While the Nigeria Football Federation has said it would punish the Flying Eagles captain and everyone involved in his decision to leave camp, could there be more to it than meets the eye?
Professor Patrick Omo-Osagie, a sports management professional, teacher and Goal Nigeria columnist delved into the issue to try and explain the likely reasons for Muhammed’s action.
“Six months is definitely not enough time for this new NFF to build a culture of trust with players and coaches, so I am not surprised that a player like Musa, with all his national responsibilities, will abscond from a national assignment,” Omo-Osagie told Goal.
“When you don’t trust the people around you to make the best decision for your future, you put that decision in your own hands and that is what Musa has done.
“Will this turn out to be the best decision for him, time will tell. But the fact that this was a recent call up to the U23 team makes it also very interesting. He probably had this trip scheduled before now and the sudden call up was least expected.”
A veritable rising star in the right-back position, Muhammed had just captained the Nigeria U20 team to lift the African Youth Championship title in Dakar, Senegal last month where he finished top scorer with four goals.
He was also captain of the Golden Eaglets when they won the Fifa U17 World Cup in 2013.
Omo-Osagie also said that it is crucial how the NFF handles this issue in order not to scare young players away from playing for the country.
“Many see player welfare as paying good money only; player welfare must also include knowing the individual and what they want out of life.
“How Musa, a World Cup team captain, will fly out of this country without informing anyone in the NFF should tell us one thing; players are frightened by the NFF.
“And with the NFF saying openly that Musa will be disciplined again shows exactly why the next player to get this chance will not communicate with the NFF,” he said.
Musa has been named in Nigeria’s provisional 35-man squad for the Fifa U20 World Cup that will start at the end of May.
Would he hold on to his place as influential captain of the Flying Eagles? Time will tell.