NFF Pencils 66 Players For Invitation, Including Kelechi Iheanacho, Chinedu Obasi, Haruna Lukman ETC

The technical department of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday handed a list of 66 Nigerian players in both domestic and foreign leagues to the Super Eagles caretaker coaches for consideration for the AFCON 2015 qualifying matches against Congo and South Africa.

Sources close to the technical department confirmed that the likes of Villarreal of Spain striker, Ike Uche, Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke, Obafemi Martins, Bright Dike, Kelechi Iheanacho, Dele Alampasu and Haruna Lukman previously overlooked by Keshi could be making a return.

While confirming the suggested list, Coach Shaibu Amodu, expressed appreciation over the efforts of the technical department, describing what they did as best approach to the situation, just as he admitted his crew had lost stint with the national teams for a long period of time.

“The NFF has compiled for us a list of players in both the domestic and foreign leagues to pick from for the matches. What they have done is what a technical department is expected to do for any coach that is coming in a situation like this.

“We don’t have the résumé of players both local and foreign and these are the kind of input we expect from the technical department. We will look at the large pool of these players doing well in the leagues and come out with the list for the two matches as well as our future programme.”

“Now, I am not going to dwell with controversies because we do not need it at this period in our national team. I am going to meet with my technical crew to see how we can fashion a plan that will be suitable for all Nigerians.

“At the end of the day, what is important to me and the technical crew is to see how we can salvage the situation and secure the six points that are at stake for us to qualify,” he promised.

Amodu equally spoke on the goalscoring feat in the Spanish La Liga by Ike Uche, promising to send congratulatory message to him, adding that such performances should earn him and other players who are doing well in other league a place in the new look Super Eagles.

According to him: “I will call Ike Uche this night and congratulate him for his goals and this could be a step to his return to the national team with many other players like him.”