dyton mupawaenda
HEAD coach of the senior national football team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has sounded a note of warning to the stars of the senior national team of Nigeria calling for total commitment ahead of the World Cup qualifiers games against Rwanda and Zimbabwe respectively in March.
Super Eagles will travel to Kigali for the game against Rwanda on March 21 before hosting Zimbabwe at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo four days later.
Chelle will be in the dugout for the first time with the Nigerian team in both games, aiming to turn around the team’s poor fortunes in the qualifiers where they are four points behind the leaders Rwanda, after failing to win in any of their first four games.
The coach is optimistic that the Super Eagles have what it takes to win their remaining six games and make it to the world cup, and sounded it out to the star players during his conversation with them upon the confirmation of his employment as coach.
He told the players he has a winning mentality and expects that to be the same with every player in the team, that those who think otherwise or doubt their ability to win all of their remaining games shouldn’t bother turning up for the games.
His warning is deemed out of the fact that he believes the team currently has the best available players than most teams in Africa, hence should be doing better in the world cup qualifiers.
Hinting that their poor run is more of a mental thing than a lack of ability.
Meanwhile, Chelle has included Ahmed Musa and three Nigeria Premier Football League stars in his provisional 39-man squad for the Rwanda, Zimbabwe assignments.
Musa, who currently plays for Kano Pillars, has been listed among the forwards, while Niger Tornadoes mid-fielder Papa Daniel Mustapha earns a spot in midfield.
In defence, Rangers International’s Ifeanyi Onyebuchi is in contention for a place, while Kayode Bankole of Remo Stars is one of five goalkeepers selected.
Chelle has also called up Stanley Nwabali and Adebayo Adeleye in goal, while the defensive line-up features William Troost-Ekong, Calvin Bassey, and Ola Aina.
In midfield, the experienced duo of Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi are included, with attacking options such as Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman, and Moses Simon also making the list.
Other notable names include goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defenders Bruno Onyemaechi and Zaidu Sanusi, midfielders Frank Onyeka and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, as well as forwards Samuel Chukwueze and Sadiq Umar.
The squad also sees first-time call-ups for defenders Igoh Ogbu and Ifeanyi Onyebuchi, midfielders Anthony Dennis, Chrisantus Uche, and Papa Daniel Mustapha, along with forwards Tolu Arokodare and Jerome Akor Adams.
There could also be returns for Jordan Torunarigha, Joseph Aribo, Cyriel Dessers, and Nathan Tella, should they make the final 23-man squad.
Nigeria currently sit fifth in Group C behind Rwanda, South Africa, Benin Republic, and Lesotho.
NIGERIA’S PROVISIONAL SQUAD FOR
RWANDA, ZIMBABWE
Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Udinese FC, Italy); Amas Oba-sogie (Singida Blackstars, Tanzania); Adeleye Adebayo (Enosis Paralimni, Cyprus); Kayode Bankole (Remo Stars)
Defenders: William Ekong (Al-Kholood FC, Saudi Arabia); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce SK, Turkey); Bruno Onyemaechi (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Gabriel Osho (AJ Auxerre, France); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Nottingham Forest, England); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Igoh Ogbu (SK Slavia Prague, Czech Republic); Jordan Torunarigha (Gent FC, Belgium); Ifeanyi Onyebuchi (Rangers International)
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi (New England Revolution, USA); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Lazio FC, Italy); Frank Onyeka (Augsburg FC, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Southampton FC, England); Anthony Den-nis (Goztepe SK, Turkey); Chrisantus Uche (Getafe CF, Spain); Papa Daniel Mustapha (Niger Tornadoes)
Forwards: Samuel Chukwueze (AC Milan, Italy); Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray FC, Turkey); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Middlesbrough FC, England); Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Simon Moses (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (Valencia FC, Spain); Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Tolu Arokodare (KRC Genk, Belgium); Chidera Ejuke (Sevilla FC, Spain); Paul Onuachu (Southampton FC, England); Ahmed Musa (Kano Pillars); Jerome Akor Adams (Sevilla FC, Spain) —Premium Times Nigeria/Sports Reporter.
Online Reporter