Wilfred Ndidi (left), Kenneth Omeruo, Ahmed Musa, Henry Onyekuru are among players listed for the matches against Libya….
• Eagles, Libya announce travelling schedule
Members of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) are worried that Super Eagles players have chosen to stay away from the team’s camp, which opened in Uyo on Sunday ahead of Saturday’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya.
The team was expected to have a full house yesterday, but only three players, Isaac Success, Semi Ajayi and William Troost-Ekong last night.Two assistant coaches are already in camp, while Gernot Rohr is expected to arrive today.An NFF official told The Guardian that the players agreed to come to camp latest yesterday, “but some of them have given some rehashed reasons for their failure to report as scheduled.”The officials, who pleaded anonymity, said, “Kelechi Iheanacho said he missed his flight from London to Lagos, while some others said they could not get connecting flights from Lagos to Uyo.
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“The NFF and the Akwa Ibom State government have provided the enabling environment for these players, but it seems they don’t know the enormity of the task before them.“This is the old habit that has not served us well. They should ask their predecessors what happened during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers when some of the players said they missed their flight in London. We never learn.”
The team is camped at the Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort, Uyo. The members of the technical crew, led by Gernot Rohr, were expected to meet with players yesterday ahead of today’s full training session. But that will now hold today with the players available.
Meanwhile, Libya is expected to arrive in Uyo on Friday morning for the game, which Nigeria must win to remain in contention for a Cameroun 2019 African Nations Cup ticket.The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) disclosed that the match officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo would arrive in the country on Thursday.The officials are Jean Jacques Ndala Ngambo (centre referee) and his assistants, Olivier Safari Kabene and Nabina Blaise Sebutu.
Reports from the NFF also indicate that the Super Eagles will leave for Sfax, Tunisia on Monday, ahead of their reverse fixture against Libya aboard a chartered flight.The return fixture will hold on Tuesday at the 18,000-capacity Stade Taïeb Mhiri in the Tunisian city.Libya lead Group E of the qualifiers on superior goals difference from South Africa, who have the same four goals, while Nigeria is on three points.
Source: G Sport
