Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh has invited 23 home –based professionals who will kick –start preparations for next month’s 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Tanzania.
At the head of the pack is Warri Wolves’ forward Gbolahan Salami, who scored one of the goals when the Eagles opened the race with a 2-0 win over Chad in Kaduna in June. There are also regular faces like Solomon Kwambe and Nelson Ogbonnaya.
Oliseh has also called a handful of players of the U-23 squad that survived a stern test in Pointe Noire on Sunday to qualify for the African U-23 Championship finals, alongside former junior international goalkeepers Olufemi Thomas and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, as well as a number of new faces, led by top scorer in the Glo NPFL race, Tunde Adeniji of Sunshine Stars.
The players are expected to report to the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Monday, 17 August. Nigeria play Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on September 5 in one of the Matchday 2 games of the qualification series for Gabon 2017. It will be Oliseh’s first match in charge of the Super Eagles.
GOALKEEPERS: Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars)
DEFENDERS: Orji Kalu (Enugu Rangers); Solomon Kwambe (Warri Wolves); Idris Aloma (Enyimba FC); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Nelson Ogbonnaya (Heartland FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars)
MIDFIELDERS: Ifeanyi Mathew (Nasarawa United FC ); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Azubuike Okechukwu (Bayelsa United); Lordson Ichull (Warri Wolves); Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba FC); Etebo Oghenekaro (Warri Wolves)
FORWARDS: Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Bright Ejike (Heartland FC); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC IfeanyiUbah); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars)