Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi
Super
Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi has invited a total of 30 players for the
team’s hectic mid-year schedule with the team captain Joseph Yobo still
missing from the list. The Fenerbahce defender was not called for the
match against Kenya last month – a development that brought about a
public spar between the player and the coach.
The Nigeria Football Federation officials though has moved to settle the rift between them.
But while Yobo has still not been
recalled, South Africa 2013 top scorer Emmanuel Emenike is back to the
fold. He was also not called for the match in Calabar against Kenya but
on account of the injury he sustained at the semi-final stage of the
Africa Cup of Nations. Midfielder Kalu Uche also returns after 16 months
on the sideline.
A notable fresh inclusion is Anthony
Ujah who stars for FC Cologne of Germany. The striker is actually on
loan to Cologne from Mainz of France.
The Eagles have a busy schedule of
about 10 matches between the end of May and mid-July. The African
champions have an international friendly against CONCACAF champions
Mexico in Houston, Texas, USA on the last day of May, before two World
Cup qualifying matches in Nairobi and Windhoek. Those games are billed
to hold just before the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup tournament in
Brazil.
Nigeria will play Tahiti, Uruguay and
Spain in Brazil in the first round of the Confederations Cup. They will
return to Africa for a 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying
fixture against Cote d’Ivoire. The African Championship is strictly for
African-based league players.
In all, there are four goalkeepers, eight defenders, seven midfielders and 11 strikers.
The delegation of 12 home-based players
and staff will depart Abuja for the training camp in Nuremberg, Germany
on May 15 while the overseas-based professionals are expected to join
the team in Germany later.
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama
(Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel);
Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland,
Nigeria)
Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic,
Scotland); Elderson Echiejile (Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den
Haag, The Netherlands); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria);
Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Benjamin Francis
(Heartland, Nigeria); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey
Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)
Midfielders: John Mikel Obi
(Chelsea, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude
(Valerenga, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal); Reuben
Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria); Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves, Nigeria);
Emeka Ezeh (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA
Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses
(Chelsea, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Michael
Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (AS Varese
1910, Italy); Anthony Ujah (Cologne, Germany); Kalu Uche (Kasimpasa,
Turkey); Gomo Onduku (Sharks, Nigeria); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland,
Nigeria); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars, Nigeria).
Source:... Punch
