Taiwo Awoniyi will not wear green and white this June, and for once it has nothing to do with a hamstring.
The Nottingham Forest striker, fresh from scoring twice at Stamford Bridge on May 4 to mark his 100th club appearance, told SportsBoom he deliberately turned down Eric Chelle's call for the Unity Cup and the friendlies against Poland and Portugal.
"I was supposed to be in the Super Eagles camp, but I opted out because of personal reasons I have to attend to," Awoniyi said. He did not elaborate on the private matter, only stressing it was his decision, not the coach's.
It is a rare voluntary withdrawal for a player who has spent the last two seasons fighting his way back from groin and calf setbacks. Chelle is using the London tournament — Nigeria face Ghana on May 28 at Brentford's Gtech Stadium, with the final set for May 31 to blood home-based forwards, with Poland (June 3, Warsaw) and Portugal (June 10) next on the calendar.
Awoniyi douse any talk of a rift. "We have lots of talents in the Super Eagles, so for me, everyone that is in the team for the June friendlies is as good as me, just as I'm as good as them," he added.