₦airaland Forum

Seems Chelle has included Femi Azeez in the June squad, most likely as a replacement for Chukwueze who is grieving.

TheSuperNerd:
11 defenders in SA's final WC Squad... 11 Defenders!!

Na 5 man backline dem wan execute?

Anyway, Nigerian-South African, Ime Okon makes it.

Crazy they have only 4 midfielders and more defenders lmaoo, reminds me of those annoying days under Rohr and Peseiro when they listed only 4 midfielders and overload the defence and attack.

EElopa:
I will take my humble pie and say that I was very impressed with Femi Azeez's play today. I love it when a player is given an opportunity and he grabs it with both hands. He was fantastic today, and he will definitely be promoted to the Super Eagles' team list for the Poland and Portugal games. The left back, who I believe was a home base player, also did himself a whole bunch of good today with his performance. Tochukwu Nnadi was everywhere, and his quality was glaring to everyone. He has established his stay in the super eagles. I really wanted to see Akinsamiro and Nnadi playing together in the midfield today, and this is why I was very mad at Ebenezer Akinsamiro for not making the match day squad due to coming to camp late. Yusuf was fantastic today. This is the best I have seen him play for the Super Eagles in a very long time. Chibuike Nwaiwu was immense today; what a beast of a player. He is definitely leaving Trabzonspor in the summer. Fulham is really pushing for him this summer. Igor Ogbu is a very solid player that I will always have in the Super Eagles. All in all, a good performance for the Super Eagles, and you can see that Eric Chelle is building a deep Super Eagles team. If NFF doesn't Bleep shit up, we should be a formidable team in the coming years.

I heard Femi excused himself from the June friendlies to sort out his club transfer.

Papi85:
bros comot tijani abeg. Mk we slow down the hype

No hype bro, he was decent today.

Our CB and midfield depth might be the best we've had in years, a golden generation type of depth.
Imagine a line up of

CB:
Bassey
Bengy
Igoh
Nwaiwu
Fernandez
Ajayi (still has at least 5 years of quality football in him if he stays fit).
And there are other potentials like Vince Osuji etc

Midfield
Iwobi
Ndidi
Onyeka
Onyedika
Frank the Tank
Dele
Nnadi
Tijani
Akin
David Moses
Femi (I think he's best suited for the CAM role )
Even Tosin from the NPFL looks exciting.

lbrichman2:
Moffi did well today
He's no Osimhen, but can be a decent back up
He led the lines well today
Brought in other players well too
I vote he stays

Definitely behind Akor if he was ever considered

SolaFide:
Make una no forget say NFF dey play kalu kalu with Eric Chelle contract demand.
Eric Chelle may leave the NT set up after the Unity Cup.

Make una dey relax with all this agenda of Chelle leaving, all the body language and social media cues from Chelle suggests he really loves it here and wants to succeed with these players. NFF might be useless but they're not exceptionally stupid; they know Chelle is already a fans favorite among millions of Nigerians so they will definitely have private deals worked out for Chelle's contract that we're not privy to.

Chelle is staying, he has way more to gain staying with us and he knows it.

Kenneth Igboke looked particularly impressive, a NPFL fullback I'm willing to see more of in the NT

lbrichman2:
Going to sort club issues
Transfer

Makes sense!

TheSuperNerd:
Zimbabwe have had their moments mind you and even Arthur Okonkwo just made a fine stop.

The thing is this Nigerian side has done well to contain the Zim Pressure and limit their shots on target. Disciplined and efficient display by a third tier Super Eagles team.

I wonder why Femi wasn't included in the June match squad

Why exactly is Femi in the June friendlies? this guy is ready

Alhassan Yusuf doesn't get enough credit for how good and composed he is, Onyedika gets all the hype but I think Alhassan is the better player tbh

Nehruvia:
I want to know though: did Zimbabwe field their second 11? They're looking non-existent so far.

This is largely their main team.

Our C team come better pass our A team, and this is the same Zimbabwean team our senior players have struggled badly against.

Not a single link dey for this game? Na wa o

Kog45:
Well,not majorly education but securing stable finance for the future..I have a friend who moved from Europe to Iran league and guess what Iran money gave him that stability ....some of this European clubs pay are not that lucrative,reason why you see most players prefer England,league one pay good money than some division one clubs in Nethetland,Portugal and Belguim...Nwakali Barnsley wages tripple what he was earning in Estoril

Makes sense and I agree with you, if it's about financial stability over football legacy then I can't really blame these players for their decisions...a football career is a relatively short one and every football player is one bad injury away from having his career ruined for good.

ChrisKels:
Just one single poor decision and a once burgeoning career is already facing a nosedive.

How a sane person dumped Marseille for Nice remains unfathomable to me till date.

My theory about all of this weird decisions is that majority of this current Nigerian players are simply not educated enough to understand the dotted lines of whatever contracts thier agents bring for them, cause some of the decisions they make are borderline insane.

Damioduso1:
He is former arsenal academy product with Arthur okonkonwo is father is a Nigeria while is mum is from Uganda is currently on loan in mydtgland in Denmark


He also a young goalkeeper

Where's the source that he's in camp? there seems to be a media blackout on the camp activities, can't even find a picture of the boys.

Ajayi's Hull city have been promoted to the premier league.

TheSuperNerd:
This is Marvellous Basco refers to...

Kelechi Iheanacho contributes off the bench for @CelticFC yet again 🍀

Brilliant footwork and composure from the Nigerian to make it 3–0 👏#ScottishCup pic.twitter.com/zdoGGK1woo

— Premier Sports (@PremSportsTV) May 23, 2026

One thing he has always had in his composure infront of goal besides his finishing ability, sad his prime years were wasted in Leicester when he was content playing second fiddle to Vardy and Patson Daka.

Onuachu's catalog of wonder goals must be mind blowing.

TheSuperNerd:
Amas Obasogie currently in action for Singida Black Stars in Tanzania away at League Leaders, Young Africans SC. They are 2-0 down to Young A at HT.

He did not start the game but he was subbed in on 23mins after the other GK got injured and he conceeded the 2nd goal. The other GK chopped the 1st.

Likable guy and he always brought good vibes to the team camp but that betting scandal really messed him up, glad he's back to football again, which means he was cleared and found innocent...but it's obvious Chelle has finally moved on from him.

This world cup go sweet sha, sucks Nigeria won't be in it.

Noah Atubolu should better go learn how to turn Amala cause Germany ain't looking his way.

solonnachi:
Senegal world cup team

Omo see team 🔥

TheSuperNerd:
He played Fisayo at RB vs Egypt in the 3rd placed game (No jokes though, it happened).

But among the defenders, I think Igoh and Fernandez can makeshift there as they have featured there before at club level at some point in their careers (rarely so though). Alhassan in midfield has also featured there when tactically needed.

As opposed to just inviting natural RBs to avoid all this tactical square pegs in round holes shalaye

No mind me jare, as a Chelle fan I kinda expected better in those fullback positions especially in this friendly windows we have...but we move sha.

BankyGee:
We go dey know if the names suit them when them enter pitch against India 😂

The good thing from this NPFL experiment be say we have the least expectations when it comes to their quality, so it's left for the ones that get a chance in the unity cup to impress so well that we give them good ratings for the main team. The Sodiq guy was touted as the Trent Alexander Arnold of the NPFL only to look like one Sadiku who plays 5 aside football with us at our abule after he's done with his mechanic work.

TheSuperNerd:
Benjamin Frederick - Just recently recovered from a Lingering knee Injury. No match action since November 2025 so rightly excused/rested.

Ryan Alebiosu - Just not invited for these 4 games. Still in the picture.

Nathan Tella - Has not exactly impressed in the GWG. 'Was invited for the last Unity Cup and did not leave good impressions too.

Felix Agu - Did not come off the bench on May 16 vs Dortmund on the last matchday round of Bundesliga 25/26 despite being out of the matchday squad since April 12. So could be fitness or personal issues. Had to be left out.

So it's Zaidu who has hardly impressed in national colors that deserves a call up ahead of Ryan? Lol ok o...while at it, since we're supposing to be using these Unity Cup and friendly windows to expand our radar on the new players with a view of rebuilding, what's the logic of inviting Simon Moses whom we've seen enough of and definitely tired of instead of Promise Obah?

I can agree to some extent with the reasons you stated for the exclusion of the other players.

What's up with Ryan Alebiosu, Felix Agu, Nathan Tella and Benjamin Frederick?

Generally a solid list for both the unity cup and friendly games, I'm happy for the return of Alhassan Yusuf as I feel he offers more grit and composure than Onyedika (perhaps an unpopular opinion). Also like that Chelle is focused on midfield depth, 9 and 7 midfielders called up for both windows respectively is a good trajectory.

My only issue is the inclusion of a relatively unknown player from the third division in England in both the unity cup and friendly game squads? I have to watch this Oseni Owen guy closely to see what he's all about.

Owen Oseni?

Hmmmm

lbrichman2:
Chelle's list is ready but,
NFF are doing the usual
Get ready to see some funny names

Even with the disgrace of missing out on another world cup these criminals still have the belly for more criminality? shame no dey ever catch these people at all?