With only a day to the deadline for the submission of a final list of national teams to the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola, Nigeria yesterday pruned down the list of players invited to the Super Eagles camp in Durban South Africa.
Coach Shaibu Amodu had invited 32 players to the team's camp which opens today ahead of the African soccer show.
But even as the invited players were yet to kick the ball, team selectors yesterday trimmed the down the list to 24 from the initial list of 32 players earlier announced by Head Coach Shaibu Amodu.
The dropped players are made up of all three home-based and five foreign-based. They are Bayelsa United duo of Bassey Akpan and Chibuzor Okonkwo and Heartland's Bartholomew Ibenegbu.
The foreign-based who were also axed by the selectors are Greg Etafia, Dele Adeleye, Olubayo Adefemi, Olufemi Ajilore, and Joseph Akpala.
Nigeria Football Federation Chief Media Officer, Ademola Olajire said in a statement yesterday that after a meeting involving the NFF leadership, members of the NFF Technical Committee and the Super Eagles' technical crew at the NFF Secretariat in Abuja yesterday morning, eight players were dropped from the playing body for the final training camp that starts in Durban, South Africa tomorrow.
Team Captain Nwankwo Kanu is set to make his sixth appearance in the continental showpiece, with his deputy Joseph Yobo and other 'senior' players like Oluwaseyi Olofinjana and Yakubu Ayegbeni also listed.
The three goalkeepers who were at the last competition in Ghana earlier last year also head to Angola, with youngster Elderson Echiejile countenancing his first African Nations Cup.
THE FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama, Bamidele Aiyenugba, Austin Ejide
Defenders: Joseph Yobo, Danny Shittu, Obinna Nwaneri, Taye Taiwo, Elderson Echiejile, Yusuf Mohammed, Chidi Odiah, Onyekachi Apam
Midfielders: Nwankwo Kanu, Mikel Obi, Dickson Etuhu, Sani Kaita, Yusuf Ayila, Oluwaseyi Olofinjana, Kalu Uche
Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Osaze Odemwingie, Michael Eneramo, Obinna Nsofor, Obafemi Martins, Chinedu Obasi.
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we need obafemi martins in every match in angola.
ReplyDeleteTrue talk there Kenny...Martins has to be our best player at the moment. Just hope he's recovered 100% from that injury!
ReplyDeletei have seen the final list of the squad. but the cocach have to put his best and also the players to enable them lift the trophy. may the good LORD be with you all especialy JOHN MIKEL OBI. THANK YOU
ReplyDeleteI'm not contended with d dropin of adeleye,I felt sanni wil not have any & shd hav been dropped
ReplyDelete