Former Nigerian international, Godwin Okpara believes the upcoming Unity Cup presents a crucial opportunity for Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle to assess home-based talent and potentially integrate them into the national team setup.
Okpara noted that since Chelle’s appointment, there has been a limited opportunity to observe domestic players in a competitive setting.
With the Unity Cup offering a structured platform, the former defender is optimistic it can serve as a valuable scouting ground.
“They have to test and check to know what is working. They can’t get it right if they don’t,” Okpara said in an interview with Brila FM.
“This tournament is the perfect moment for him to see some areas he didn’t have the opportunity to see then, to look at home here in Nigeria, to see players that can do something for the nation.”
Okpara emphasized that the goal should not be to identify just one standout but to find several domestic players capable of challenging their foreign-based counterparts for starting positions.
“Not just one player, we need several players to bench foreign-based players,” he added.
The 2025 Unity Cup is scheduled to run from May 26 to 31 at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium in London.
This year’s tournament will see four teams participate: Nigeria, Ghana, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The semi-final fixtures kick off with Trinidad and Tobago facing Jamaica on Tuesday, May 27.
On Wednesday, May 28, Nigeria will lock horns with arch-rivals Ghana in what promises to be the standout fixture of the round.
The tournament will conclude on Saturday, May 31, with the third-place playoff and final. For Chelle and his coaching staff, it’s a chance to deepen the squad’s pool, prepare for World Cup qualifiers in October and begin shaping the next generation of Super Eagles.
