Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has told Nigerian players at big clubs, to try and get more playing time by going out on loan.
The national team boss said he was worried that some of his key men like Victor Moses and John Mikel Obi, were spending more time on the bench.
“The football in our nation has never been so low,” he told BBC World Service.
“The only philosophy I think I can have now is to try to get the players to get results as a team and not individuals.
“Players not playing regularly at their clubs is a huge problem because they might struggle with the rhythm.
“I’ve spoken to the majority of the players that may come into the reckoning to play, to be in the first pool of players that we are building, but they have to do something about it.
“They are still young; they need to think about playing now and it might not be bad for them to go out on loan and play and maybe get to a level where Chelsea will have them back to play and not just sit and watch.
“The player will decide his fate, it’s not for the national team to impose but I would advise them to play as much as possible.
“They will have to try and play as much as possible”.
Oliseh also confirmed his plans to speak to players of Nigerian heritage, to play for the Eagles. Some of the names on his list include Arsenal duo of Chuba Akpom and Alex Iwobi and Liverpool’s Jordon Ibe.
He said: “You can bet your money that I’m looking at players with Nigerian heritage who have been born or brought up in other countries, I have no choice.
“Most of these players, let’s be honest, very few of them get to play in other nations for a long time, whereas with Nigeria, these players have the chance of regularly, if they are good, to play in the World Cup.
“It’s definitely something we are looking at and we’ve started making moves.
“They are welcome with open arms and we’ll do all we can to put them in the best situation if they decide to play for Nigeria because Nigeria needs them and they also need Nigeria to become top, world class players”.
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