Nkwocha, Dede dropped, as Falcons coach invites 40 players for Japan

Former African Woman Footballer of Year, Perpetual Nkwocha, and the Super Falcons’ skipper, Precious Dede, were major casualties as newly appointed women’s national team caretaker coach, Edwin Okon, invited 40 players to camp ahead of the two international friendly matches against the Senior Women’s Team of Japan, coming up in Japan next month.
The former Falconets’ head coach listed a mixture of the young and promising and the hard-as-nails veterans, for the games coming up on September 22 and 26.
Super Falcons, six-time African champions,failed to fly at the last African Women Championship in Equitorial Guinea, finishing in fourth place, and could not qualify for the 2011 All-Africa Games and the 2012 Olympic Games.
As a result, the Nigeria Football Federation has resolved that new brooms must be brought on board to restore the Falcons to their glory station and Okon has been temporarily charged with the task of forging a new dawn.
The likes of Stella Mbachu, Ebere Orji, Esther Sunday, Blessing Edoho, Glory Iroka, Osinachi Ohale and Evelyn Nwabuoku return, but there are also promising birds like Asisat Oshoala, Ngozi Okobi, Prudent Ugoh and Yetunde Aluko.
All invited players are expected to arrive at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Wuye, Abuja on August 27, 2013.

THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Dikachi Uzor (Delta Queens); Ibebuleye Whyte (Rivers Angels); Charity John (Rivers Angels); Sangonuga (Nasarawa Amazons); Damilola Akano (Sunshine Queens)
Defenders: Ngozi Ebere (Rivers Angels); Blessing Edoho (Pelican Stars); Funsho Osurinayo (Sunshine Queens); Josephine Chukwunonye (Rivers Angels); Gladys Abasi (Ibom Queens); Rebecca Kalu (Rivers
Angels); Margaret Dike (Nasarawa Amazons); Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels); Fasilat Adeyemo (Confluence Queens); Osinachi Ohale (Delta Queens); Maria Nwoko (Delta Queens); Gladys Akpa (Bayelsa Queens); Sarah (Delta Queens)
Midfielders: Maria Oke (FC Robo); Cecilia Nku (Bayelsa Queens); Asisat Oshoala (Rivers Angels); Ngozi Okobi (Delta Queens); Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels); Onyinyechi Ohadugha (Rivers Angels); Prudent Ugoh (Nasarawa Amazons)
Forwards: Ebere Orji (Bayelsa Queens); Esther Sunday (Pelican Stars); Remi Leku (Confluence Queens); Maryam Ezenagu (C. I. Angels); Yetunde Aluko (Sunshine Queens); Maureen Godwin (Delta Queens); Mercy Amanze (Rivers Angels); Temitope Adebowale (FCT Queens); Stella Mbachu
(Rivers Angels); Odunayo Isioma (Sunshine Queens); Amenze Aighewi (Rivers Angels); Glory Iroka (Rivers Angels); Halimat Ayinde (Delta Queens); Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels); Faustina Ugwuadu (Delta Queens).