'KAITA RUSTY FOR EAGLES'

Super Eagles' assistant coach, Salisu Mohammed, has dismissed speculations linking the Kano Pillars' former midfielder, Sani Kaita, with a possible return to the current Samson Siasia-tutored squad, stressing that he is match rusty to make the team.

Coach Salisu, who passed the verdict while fielding questions from Daily Sunsports at the Glass House recently, argued that the Eagles technical crew would incur the wrath of many Nigerians if the team extends invitation to the embattle midfielder, adding that if he is good enough, his European club would not have sent him on loan twice.

Asked if he was making case for his return as a fellow northerner, Coach Salisu thundered: 'One thing that has worked for me in the coaching job was that I have never cared about where a player comes from.

I have never considered a player based on tribe or religion but I take a look at his quality, potentiality and output.' As for Kaita's return, I can't make case for him because for a player to earn invitation to the current Super Eagles, our senior national team, he must be playing actively and regularly in a club.

We also have to consider the country and the quality of the league even if he is playing regularly.

'Why should anyone make case for him when we don't even know the club he plays for now.

We cannot invite him because he is not playing now and if his club did not consider him good enough to play, sending him out on loan twice now, how can he be good for the national team. He needs to be playing regularly before we can invite him to play for the Super Eagles.'We need those playing regularly in their clubside and in a good league for the national team because we are not into development programme.

What we currently need now are quality players. We cannot call a player without a club. If I may ask, when last did Kaita play a league match to earn invitation into the Super Eagles?

'However, if he starts league action and records show he can play, we will certainly invite him.

Our major concern is to get a quality central defender, who can defend and develop attack. Most central defenders in the top leagues do score goals now and try to overlap.

But, since we don't have, we have to keep improving the ones we have now,' he noted.