7th October, 2013
Only one foreign-based and five home-based players were in camp on Monday a day after Nigeria’s Super Eagles opened camp ahead of Sunday’s 2014 World Cup Qualifier in Addis Ababa.
The camp for the 13 October game had opened on Sunday, 6 October in Abuja.
The Eagles are to face the Waliya Antelopes of Ethiopia in the first leg tie of their 2014 FIFA World Cup Africa Qualifiers Final Round pairing.
Emmanuel Attah, the Super Eagles Co-ordinator, told NAN however that other invited players were on their way to the team’s camp.
Coach Stephen Keshi had earlier invited to camp 23 players, made up of 18 foreign-based and five home-based.
“We are still expecting them in Abuja after a busy weekend schedule in their various league competitions. We know they are all on their way,’’ Attah said.
He said the players in camp as at Monday evening included Solomon Kwambe of Sunshine Stars FC of Akure and Francis Benjamin of Heartland FC of Owerri.
“The others are the trio of Azubuike Egwuekwe, Sunday Mba and goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim from Rangers International FC of Enugu.
“The only foreign-based player in camp as at this evening is Uche Nwafor, who is on loan to Herenveen FC of The Netherlands from VVV Venlo FC, also of The Netherlands,’’ the team co-ordinator said.
He said the team’s training was not likely to commence in the morning of Oct. 8 in view ofr this development.
“The players are just arriving. But training is likely to begin in the evening tomorrow, when a handful of the players must have arrived,’’ Attah said.
He said the team’s technical crew members, such as Keshi and Daniel Amokachi, the assistant coach, were already on ground to prepare the team for the encounter.
NAN reports that the match has been scheduled to take place at the 28,000-capacity Addis Ababa National Stadium, with the second leg game scheduled for Calabar on 16 November.