URS FISCHER, manager of German Bundesliga side, Union Berlin, says the club will not stop Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi if he is invited by the Nigeria Football Federation for the Super Eagles’ 2021 Africa Cup of Nations assignment.
Awoniyi has been in superb form for Union and has scored eight league goals in 12 games and 13 in 20 appearances in all competitions already this season, making him the club’s top scorer in the ongoing season.
Despite his impressive display for Fischer’s side, the 24-year-old has often been overlooked by the Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, and has slipped further down in the pecking order following the return of Odion Ighalo to the national team.
The 2013 U-17 World Cup winner made his senior debut in the Eagles’ home defeat to Central African Republic last month but was not invited for this month’s last two World Cup qualifiers matches against Liberia and Cape Verde.
The Union manager remained hopeful that Awoniyi’s recent form was enough to earn him an invitation into the national team for the AFCON scheduled to hold in Cameroon next year.
If given the nod, Awoniyi would miss four Bundesliga matches against Bayer Leverkusen, Hoffenheim, Borussia Monchengladbach and Augsburg, plus the derby against Hertha Berlin in the DFB Cup.
“We don’t worry about it and of course we have it on our radar,” Fischer said in an interview with a German newspaper, Berliner Kurier.
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“What could be nicer than representing your colours? Even if he doesn’t help us, we would be happy for Taiwo.”
Fischer also believed that despite the improvement by the former Liverpool player, there is still room for improvement.
He added, “This week, too, graduations were on the agenda. He has learned to stay calm in the pit and can withstand the pressure better there. I do believe that Taiwo has worked on himself.
“When I think of the chance in Cologne shortly before the break, it should have been 3-1 .”