Shocked by his exclusion, the Edo State born striker vented his anger on Keshi, stressing that he was not surprised
Browsing: Super Eagles
Addressing the players, Abdullai, who was clad in white and green national track suit, told the team that President Goodluck Jonathan is interested in the welfare of the team and has asked him to offer his total support to the team as the countdown to the Nations Cup draws near
Following a meeting with the NFF Technical Committee in Abuja on Friday, where he defended the list, Keshi rolled out a squad containing 14 home-based professionals and 18 overseas-based players
The Nasarawa side, managed by veteran Coach Alphonsus Dike, played their hearts out in the encounter but it was the national team that showed more maturity and should have easily won the game but for the several begging chances that were wasted
Speaking at the team’s Bolton White Apartment abode, Keshi said he was not averse to critics of the team but cautioned against those who are hell bent on distracting the team
There were fears that the two players, who have been part of the national team set up from the home front since Stephen Keshi took over about a year ago, may not be fit on time for the AFCON 2013 championship
The team trained twice on Tuesday and looked very sharp for the assignment at hand, as the Nigeria senior team rolls on ground its preparations for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa
Ekeji, who is a former national team skipper and coach, declared at the session that he was impressed by the modern day training techniques of the technical crew of the Super Eagles and wishes that all the sessions be recorded for review on a daily basis as that will help players and officials know areas that mistakes have been made
Speaking when officials of the US Embassy, led by former Mighty Jets of Jos star, Sanni Mohammed, grilled him on the new focus of the team, Amokachi said there is a new focus in the team and that is to return the team to its glory days when Nigerians will sleep easy when the national team has any important game
The Embassy officials still followed due protocols but all members of the team were shocked at the convivial reception that the team got as both American and Nigerian staff of the Embassy swarmed the team for pictures, autographs and pleasantries that are quite uncommon at the Embassy
The fear in the camp of the team is that the visas may not be issued same day to the team and that may upset travel plans already perfected by the NFF for the first international friendly after the team’s qualification for the 2013 Nations Cup
Nigeria, hitherto placed 63rd in the world, is now in the 52nd position, moving 11 places up the ladder
From Tuesday morning, the team, under the tutelage of Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, now leaves its training camp at the Bolton White Apartment in Zone 7, every morning at 6:30am and returns to the camping site at about 9:30am
Keshi said Monday at the Bolton White Apartment camp of the national team that his thoughts may have been misinterpreted, as the light skinned striker merely told him he was frustrated at the manner he had been treated in the past and fears a repeat, which he assured him will not arise
The game has been scheduled for November 14 and it is one of the friendlies that has been lined up to toughen the Nigerian side for the Nations Cup championship
The draws billed for the International Conference Centre, Durban will kick off by 8.30pm local time while media representatives and other invited guests are expected to be at the venue by 6.30pm
Kanu said at the session that he was there to offer his teammates support, as he was still an active footballer
Shorunmu called on Nigerians to always support the team and not to put the blame of any mishap in games at the doorstep of only the goalkeepers
Already, the Super Eagles are in Calabar, Cross River State, putting finishing touches to preparations for Saturday’s cracker, which is delicately poised after both teams ended the first leg 2-2 in Monrovia on September 8