Abuja –  Home-based Super Eagles players deserve support and encouragement to be able to compete with their foreign-based counterparts, two ex-internationals said in Abuja on Wednesday.

In separate interviews the Eagles’ chief coach Stephen Keshi and Lobi Stars FC chairman Dominic Iorfa said home-based players had a lot to offer.

“From what I have seen of the players in camp with me presently, I am impressed and can say they hold a lot of promise when compared with their foreign-based counterparts.

“I believe they have something to offer, and will be able to give us something to ponder over when it is time to pick players for the team to play in competitive matches,’’ Keshi said.

He said the home-based players that had been camping in Abuja with him and his assistants since Dec. 19 impressed him with their attitude.

“ I can tell you that the difference between the home-based and foreign-based is their deficiencies in tactical awareness, but they have shown good attitude,’’ Keshi said.

The coach, whose team defeated the Premier League club, Lobi Stars 3-1 in a friendly match at the National Stadium’s main bow, however, pointed out that the home-based would need more support.

“They need to be supported and encouraged by all, especially the media. That’s something they need to put in more and rise to the level of the foreign-based,’’ he said.

Keshi noted that such support and encouragement would give the players more confidence and enhance job of the national team coaches.

“They only need encouragement to excel, because they are more than grass roots players now as my job is not to develop them from that level.

“My job is not that of a grassroots coach, but to assemble them. Right now, we are doing extra job of imparting basic football knowledge. However, they have made up for their deficiencies in good attitude,’’ he said.

Iorfa, then, called for more opportunities for home-based players in the national team.

“My impression and experiences as an administrator gives me the understanding that football is improving, and that is what we have seen from this match.

“Against our team today (Wednesday), I saw that we need to give the home-based players that opportunity because they can do it if given the necessary chance,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Eagles team had beaten the Premier League side 3-1 in a match of contrasting halves, played before a virtually empty stadium.

Sunday Mba had given the national side a sixth minute lead, while Kabir Umar extended the lead in the 34th minute in a half the Eagles dominated.

Lobi Stars held their own, thereafter, to restrict the Eagles and score their lone goal in the 87th minute through Anthony Abawula.

This was about a minute after Izu Azuka had scored against the run of play for the national side. (NAN)