Nigeria name 24 for Afcon
Posted: 2009-12-30 15:27

Wolfsburg striker Obafemi Martins is a doubt but eight other players have been cut from the Nigeria squad for next month's African Nations Cup as coach Shuaibu Amodu named a squad of 24 players on Wednesday.

Martins is in a race to be fit on time for the continental championships after undergoing surgery earlier this month, and sources at the Glass House told KickOffNigeria.com that Amodu is agonising between Martins and fellow Germany-based forward Chinedu Obasi.

The coach is hoping to beat the CAF deadline of January 1 for submitting his squad list, and and made the decision to trim his squad after meetings with members of teh NFF's technical committee in Abuja.

On the chopping block are the Europe-based quartet of defenders Dele Adeleye and Adefemi Olubayo, midfielder Femi Ajilore, striker Joseph Akpala and the home-based trio of Chibuzor Okonkwo, Akpan Bassey and Ikechukwu Ibenegbu.

Also dropped is Moroka Swallows goalkeeper Greg Etafia.

Martins, who scored the goal that sealed Nigeria's World Cup place, had surgery on a shin problem earlier this month but is still racing to be fit in time for the tournament.

Martins will be one of 25 players to travel to South Africa with 25 players, but will be in direct competition for the last place to Angola with fellow Germany-based forward Chinedu Obasi of Hoffenheim.

If he fails a fitness test in Durban his place will be taken by Obasi.


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






Colin Udoh

Finally some good info.

My biggest surprises are the exclusion of Adeleye and the inclusion of. . . . . ENERAMO.

Eneramo ahead of Obasi? Nigerian football politics suck.

After decent performances against Ireland and France, a bad game against Tunisia has cost Adeleye a spot in this team. Eneramo has about 5 caps and 2 goals while Obasi has 1 appearance he would love to forget. I think Amodu's reason for two phat strikers is because Yakubu isn't fully fit and Eneramo is probably his bet for a target man.

I hope Obasi does make the team ahead of Martins. This would give Obasi time to NOT be an Akpoborie and make the world cup squad with Martins.

Pharoh:

I heard 11 players are injured in that list

dats an exageration!

Amodu still does not understand football.
What is he doing with all those defensive players? Etuhu, Ayila, Kaita, Mikel. The only offensive midfielder on that list is Uche Kalu. Why can he not take Rabiu Ibrahim as a replacement for Mikel.

How can anyone pick Eneramo over Obasi? Eneramo should be on standby if Martins is not fit. One bad game was not enough to drop Adeleye. Yobo has costs the Eagles many goals but he is still the captain.

He has picked a team with no balance; going by the ratio of strikers to midfielders, Nigeria will keep playing 4-2-4.

all should hail amodu!! with the gift of a car and a fat bank account, i think he should be patrotic enough to tell nigerians that he is a failure who is unfit to coach eagles

Why was Obasi dropped and Eneramo picked? Why??

Read here --> https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-374493.0.html