The Nigeria Football Federation has instructed Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, to focus primarily on earning Nigeria a 2014 FIFA World Cup finals ticket, before the business of full preparation for the 2014 African Nations Championship can start in earnest.
Against the foregoing and rising from its meeting in Abuja on yesterday, the NFF Technical and Development Committee told Coach Keshi to come up with a 23-man list for the World Cup cracker against Malawi in Calabar on September 7, and do away with the jumbo list of 42 that he had earlier submitted.
The former Nigeria captain has been told in no uncertain terms that there would be no elaborate camp for 24 home-based players, earlier scheduled to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, out of which only five will make the shortlist for the match in Calabar.
Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Barrister Chris Green, explained: “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 and Nigerians. 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. Our smart money must be on focusing hard, and without any distraction, at the World Cup ticket.”
Meanwhile, Coach Stephen Keshi has expressed shock at the order by the Nigeria Football Federation that he should cut down his list of call-ups to 23 for next month
Keshi reacted when he had the news, saying “I have not heard from the technical committee, but if the information you are giving me is true, then I am surprised. I released a list of 24 home-based (players), who would resume camp 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,” Keshi said
Recall that had invited 24 home-based players and 18 overseas-based boys to camp ahead of next month’s 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifying game against Malawi in Calabar, on September 7 for a place in the African World Cup play offs
- See more at: http://leadership.ng/news/220813/nff-orders-keshi-focus-world-cup-qualifier#sthash.7FAQtSrG.dpuf
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