Technical Committee Drops League Players -Paul Bassey Kicks Against Keshi Latest List -Want Only Overseas Stars Against Malawi By Remi Sulola, Abuja Controversy has hit the latest list of Super Eagles’ invitees announced by head coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, as egg heads in the technical committee of Nigeria Football Association (NFF) are against the handler’s decision to include home-based players in the squad to battle Malawi in next month’s World Cup qualifier. In what could be a massive blow to efforts by Keshi to keep building the Nigerian league with several invitees from clubs in the domestic championship, while also laying ground for a stronger outing at next year’s Championship of Africa Nations (CHAN), a member of the technical committee, Paul Bassey told SportsDay that the list announced yesterday will have to be withdrawn. Although Nigerian soccer fans have apparently come to accept Keshi’s rebuilding process as the right way forward for the national team and local league, the NFF technical committee is now toeing a line earlier made by ex-Eagles’ skipper, Sunday Ogorchukwu Oliseh, who complained about the large number of home-based players the gaffer listed for the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. It is now left to be seen what Keshi’s reaction will be, as Bassey hinted in a chat with SportsDay that the think-tank will write him to withdraw his latest list and ensure he rolls out a better squad that would make Nigerians proud in the September 7 World Cup qualifier against Malawi, which the NFF technocrats believe should be the main focus for now. “We took a look at Keshi’s list and we have decided that, for now, the home-based players should be dropped. We should be focused. “We want an harmonized list for the world cup we want him to send us a 23-man list that will prosecute the Malawi match for now. We will write him to do that,” said the one fondly called ‘Sports Bassey.’ KESHI’S HOME-BASED INVITEES Goalkeepers: Chigozie Agbim (Rangers); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland), Defenders: Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars); Umar Zango (Kano Pillars); Benjamin Francis (Heartland); Kunle Odunlami (SunshineStars); Chibuzor Okonkwo (Rangers); Yinka Adedeji (Sharks); Ganiyu Ogungbe (Kwara United); Midfielders: Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers); Solomon Jabason (Akwa United); Olufemi Oladapo (Shooting Stars); Etebo Oghene (Warri Wolves); Rabiu Ali (Kano Pillars); Moses Orkuma (Lobi Stars); Forwards: Muhammad Gambo (Kano Pillars); Ifeanyi Edeh (Enyimba); Mbah Ezekiel (Akwa United); Barnabas Imenger (Lobi Stars); Izu Azuka (Sunshine Stars); Dimgba Stanley (Kwara United); Osadaiye Joseph (Warri Wolves).
Posted on: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 19:57:17 +0000
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