Coach of Sunderland David Moyes has dropped a big hint regarding the international future of power playing Nigerian forward Victor Anichebe who has been linked with a return to the Nigerian national team under new coach Gernot Rohr.
As exclusively reported by Owngoalnigeria. Com, the former Everton player is among the list of players under consideration by Rohr for the upcoming friendly games of the Super Eagles against Ivory Coast and Senegal next year.
Moyes said: “Victor would love to play for Nigeria, I’m sure, but not now! “Nigeria have good players and a good squad. “It shows how well he is doing, though. “You would be very hard placed to replace him given the quality he has shown.”
Anichebe has 11 caps for his country but last played for them five years ago in an African Cup of Nations qualifier in Madagascar in September 2011. It is no surprise Nigeria are keen to bring him back into the fold. But that will have to wait, with third-bottom Sunderland’s need more pressing.
Anichebe’s arrival has added another dimension to Sunderland’s play, given they finally have someone who can hold the ball up, giving time for others to break forward and join the attack. Moyes has tended to play him on the left-hand side, supporting Defoe from out wide. And the Sunderland boss is conscious they may have to alter his role in the side over the coming months to keep opposing teams on their toes.
Moyes added: “We need to be mindful, we don’t want teams to work him out. “We might have to change his roles and positions at times. “He has given us a starting point as a team which we have not really had.”