Why Cardiff Stopped Collins From Eagles Friendlies
Cardiff City boss Erol Bulut says protecting Jamilu Collins is paramount hence the need to have the player withdrawn from Nigeria’s upcoming international friendlies against Saudi Arabia and Mozambique.
Nigeria take on the Green Falcons of Saudi Arabia in the city of Portimão, Portugal on Friday, October 13 before a clash with Mozambique in the same city three days later.
Collins was a major doubt for the friendlies but surprisingly, Super Eagles Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro invited the left-back for the game.
It was, however, confirmed on the team’s X handle on Monday that the 29-year-old won’t be available for the international break, with Peseiro forced to invite Chidozie Awaziem in his stead.
The official Super Eagles X account posted the left-back had struggled with fitness leading up to the international break.
The former Paderborn player missed a total of 45 games for Cardiff last season after he suffered a cruciate ligament injury against West Brom in August 2022.
The injury forced Collins out of action for nine months before he began training in June and has been able to fight his way back into the team.
Following the announcement that Collins had been removed from the Nigeria squad to face Saudi Arabia and Mozambique, a UK publication, walesonline, wrote that the Bluebirds boss had last Thursday had plans to hold talks with the Eagles coach to have Collins withdrawn from the team.
“Maybe I have to talk with the national team manager, because he [Collins] will get injured,” Bulut was quoted as saying.
“Neither side wants that. The club doesn’t need it, the national team doesn’t need it, we have to protect him.”
Collins has already featured in nine Championship games this season and has one assist to his name. The player will now be afforded a fortnight’s rest, which will do him a world of good.
