By Fidelis Ebu, Abuja
Just when prominent Nigerians were calling on handlers of the national team to reconsider the country’s dependence on foreign-based footballers in the prosecution of its international duties, captain of the Eagles, Joseph Yobo has risen strongly in defence of his colleagues in foreign leagues, pointing out that home-based players were not yet ripe for the challenges in the team.

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He went further to expresse the need to call back the old timers to the fold.While arguing for the inclusion of the oldies in the team’s subsequent qualifying games to ensure qualification for the 2012 African Cup of Nations finals in Gabon , Yobo stated that there is a limit to the level of responsibility that could be placed on the shoulders of the “inexperienced” home-based players.He observed that the home-based players were not yet ripe for the Eagles.

“There is a measure of responsibility you place on the shoulders of the home-based. There is every need to bring back those players that made the team thick for us to succeed”, Yobo said shortly before he led the foreign legion back to their respective bases.

The Everton centre back who is on loan to Fenerbahce said that the Eagles who lost 1-0 in Conakry were not strong enough to outwit the Syli National.

He blamed the technical crew for poor selection. “The technical crew did not select top flight players to Guinea . If we have had those experienced players in the team, we would have been talking of our victory in Guinea ”, Yobo said.