Hull City manager Sergej Jakirović has expressed concerns about the fitness of defender Semi Ajayi as the player joins Nigeria’s Super Eagles for their upcoming international friendlies, NaijaFooty reports.
Ajayi, who is still recovering from an injury sustained during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), faces the dual challenges of travel and the physical demands of representing his national team at this stage of recovery.
The inclusion of Ajayi in Nigeria’s 23-man squad for friendlies against Iran and Jordan comes at a critical juncture in his season. Since returning from injury, he has been steadily rebuilding his match fitness, starting two of Hull City’s last three matches. However, Jakirović has been carefully managing his workload to ensure a full recovery.
During a pre-match press conference, Jakirović acknowledged the complications international duty could bring for players like Ajayi. He pointed out the potential strain on fitness due to long-haul travel and rigorous match schedules.
He said, “We might face some challenges when players return from international duty. For example, Ivor Pandur (Croatia) is heading to South America, Semi Ajayi (Nigeria) has matches in Jordan (via Turkey), and Liam Miller is traveling to Toronto with Canada. We’ll have to assess their condition upon their return.”
Ajayi was instrumental for Nigeria during AFCON, standing out as one of the squad’s top performers until he picked up an injury that forced him off late in a game, with Chidozie Awaziem stepping in as his replacement.
While pleased with Ajayi’s gradual progress at Hull City, Jakirović remains understandably cautious. He’ll be closely watching how the international fixtures impact the defender’s recovery and overall fitness as Hull look to maintain momentum in their campaign.
