•Ikechukwu Uche, Brown Ideye snubbed.
Ahead of FIFA’s May 10 deadline for the submission of final list of players selected to represent their countries at next month’s World Cup in Brazil, the Nigeria Football Federation Tuesday released a provisional list of 30 Super Eagles players for the mundial.
Keshi said the provisional list will be forwarded to FIFA ahead of the May 13 deadline for submission, while the substantive 23-man squad that will represent Nigeria at the World Cup will be announced on June 2 during the team’s training tour of America.
National captain Joseph Yobo, Joel Obi and Osaze Odemwingie were restored to provide experience for the team after they were frozen out for long period, while Shola Ameobi, Ramon Azeez, Michael Babatunde, Uche Nwofor and Michael Uchebo were also on the provisional list.
Kunle Odunlami, Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwueke and Daniel Akpeyi are the home based players that made the initial cut.
Villareal of Spain’s forward- Ikechukwu Uche, Brown Ideye, Leon Balogun, Chinedu Obasi, Ezekiel Umoh, John Ogu and Fegor Ogude -are the major names deemed surplus to requirement.
The Provisional List:
GOALKEEPERS: Vincent Enyeama , Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim, Daniel Akpeyi
DEFENDERS: Joseph Yobo, Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Ambrose Efe, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo and Kunle Odunlami
MIDFIELDERS: John Mikel Obi, Onazi Ogenyi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba, Reuben Gabriel, Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi and Micheal Uchebo
ATTACKERS: Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, Michael Babatunde, Uche Nwofor, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Emmanuel Emenike, Osaze Odemwingie and Obinna Nsofor.
The list which was read out by the Head Coach of the team Stephen Keshi was released after he held a three-hour meeting with the NFF Technical Committee at the Glass House in Abuja.
Last Monday Keshi had insisted that he was not arm-twisted by members of the Nigeria Football Federation to include or drop any player in the list.
He said he had a free hand from the NFF to select the best players for the World Cup, but he was not averse to taking advice from well-meaning Nigerians on squad composition.
According to him:, “The NFF is our parent body and should be concerned about team composition for the World Cup, because the body is made up of well-meaning Nigerians. But to be honest to Nigerians, nobody in the NFF has come to me to say pick player A or B. They respect my job as the head coach and I respect them as my employers and there is no clash of interest.”
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MIDFIELDERS: John Mikel Obi, Onazi Ogenyi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi, Sunday Mba, Reuben Gabriel, Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi and Micheal Uchebo
ATTACKERS: Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, Michael Babatunde, Uche Nwofor, Nnamdi Oduamadi, Emmanuel Emenike, Osaze Odemwingie and Obinna Nsofor.
The list which was read out by the Head Coach of the team Stephen Keshi was released after he held a three-hour meeting with the NFF Technical Committee at the Glass House in Abuja.
Last Monday Keshi had insisted that he was not arm-twisted by members of the Nigeria Football Federation to include or drop any player in the list.
He said he had a free hand from the NFF to select the best players for the World Cup, but he was not averse to taking advice from well-meaning Nigerians on squad composition.
According to him:, “The NFF is our parent body and should be concerned about team composition for the World Cup, because the body is made up of well-meaning Nigerians. But to be honest to Nigerians, nobody in the NFF has come to me to say pick player A or B. They respect my job as the head coach and I respect them as my employers and there is no clash of interest.”
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