Since returning from AFCON duty with Nigeria, Calvin Bassey has found himself on the bench at Fulham, raising questions among fans.
Nigeria secured third place after defeating Egypt on penalties, with Bassey playing his part during the tournament. However, upon his return to club football, Fulham manager Marco Silva was asked about the defender’s reduced role.
Silva made it clear that Bassey’s time on the bench is not disciplinary but performance-based, pointing to Jorge Cuenca’s strong form and describing the situation as healthy competition within the squad.
Softfootball is closely monitoring the development, as some fans have begun comparing the situation to that of John Mikel Obi during his Chelsea days.
John Mikel Obi faced a “frozen” career situation at Chelsea after captaining Nigeria to a bronze medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics, with manager Antonio Conte punishing him for missing pre-season. Despite heroic efforts to secure team travel, he was allegedly never reimbursed for personal expenses, later leaving for China.
While there is no indication that Bassey’s situation mirrors that scenario, the timing of his bench role following international duty has sparked debate among Nigerian supporters.
For now, Marco Silva insists it is purely football-related competition, but Fulham fans will be watching closely to see whether Bassey regains his starting position in the coming matches.
