The
Nigeria Football Federation has asked Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi
to cut down his list of 42 players invited for the World Cup qualifier
against Malawi to 23. The federation described the list the coach
released as a “jumbo list.”
Keshi had invited 24 Nigerian based and
18 foreign based players to camp for the match billed for September 7 in
Calabar. But the Technical and Development Committee of the NFF after
its meeting on Tuesday in Abuja said that calling up 24 Nigerian based
players for the match was a distraction.
The NFF insists that there would be no
elaborate camping for 24 home-based players Keshi had scheduled to
arrive in Abuja on Sunday, out of which five were to make the shortlist
for the match in Calabar.
Chairman of the NFF Technical and
Development Committee Mr. Chris Green said, “We must be very pragmatic
and take it one step at a time. The 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket is very,
very important to Nigeria. Yes, we have qualified for the African
Nations Championship, for the first time ever, and we very much
appreciate it.
“But there are three very crucial 2014
FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that we must prosecute successfully to
qualify for Brazil before we can start the build-up to the African
Nations Championship. We must be focusing hard, and without any
distraction, on the World Cup ticket.”
Keshi said he was shocked that the NFF wanted him to cut down his list. He told MTNFootball.com
from Benin City, “I have not heard from the technical committee, but if
the information you are giving me is true, then I am surprised,” Keshi
said
“I released a list of 24 home-based
(players), who would resume camping next week so we can bring the home
boys’ fitness level to that of the European boys when they join us in
the upper week.
“It’s not any different from what we
used to do before so I do not understand when you say 33 players for
only Malawi game, because I intend to pick at least five players from
the 24 home-based to join the 18 foreign boys.”
The NFF officials said on Wednesday that
Keshi was expected to harmonise his list and then submit a reviewed
document to the federation before the end of the week.
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