Kelechi Iheanacho, Oghenekaro Etebo, Abraham Marcus, Shehu Abdullahi, John Noble and Anayo Iwuala are the early arrivals for Nigeria’s international friendly against Cameroon, Completesports.com reports.
The Super Eagles will square off against the Indomitable Lions in a double header with the first outing expected to take place on Friday at the Stadion Weiner Neustadt, Vienna.
The second game will hold at the same venue next week Tuesday.
Read Also:Super Eagles Vs Cameroon Friendly At Risk As Osimhen, Simy Nwankwo, Aina, Ajayi, Ebuehi Withdraw
Assistant captain of the team William Troost-Ekong arrived the team’s camp on Monday.
“Touch down. Vienna. @67Kelechi x @etebo_karo x Coach Alloy Agu x @EmmanuelAnayo17 x John Noble x Marcus Abraham x @OfficialShehu,”reads a tweet on the official Twitter handle of the Super Eagles.
Head coach Gernot Rohr is struggling to put together a squad for the two games following the withdrawal of some his key stars.
The likes of Victor Osimhen, Simy Nwankwo, Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi and Tyronne Ebuehi have pulled out of the friendlies due to injuries.
By Adeboye Amosu
4 Comments
Why can’t you guys call up Kelechi Nwakali and other fringe players to make up the numbers?..this is the time to make use of our best reserve or expectant players !!
It’s impossible to secure players within 3-4 days for a friendly match anywhere in the world . NFF must first contact their club side before the players can play for the national team , So the 1st leg friendly match can be cancelled and perhaps , NFF find solution for the 2nd friendly match .
Cancel the 1st match ( June 4 ) and proceed with the second friendly match is the only solution .
NFF should invite a pool of 35-40 players in such double header friendly matches next time…it’s a friendly for God’s sake
_ A test of what exactly? _
In one of the articles I read on Complete Sports Nigeria over the weekend, it was said that the former coach of Kwara United Samson Unuanel ‘revealed’ that the double header friendly against Cameroon in the first 2 weeks of June will be a good test for the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
Having said that, that article offered no real revelation from Mr Unuanel (as far as I am concerned). It was rather vague and lacking in substance on what the friendlies would ‘test’ the team on.
“Playing Cameroon (and Mexico in July) will definitely serve as a good test for the team ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers and 2022 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon.” Said Unuanel.
In what sense I ask?
There are different ways which these games could serve as a test for the Super Eagles. A test of a new formation; a test against a formidable African opposition; a test of how to build on recent victories; a test of how fringe players can embed themselves in the team; or a test of how (well) the Super Eagles are prepared ahead of crucial qualifiers.
Sadly, these were not explored in sufficient depth in that article.
Ahead of world cup qualifiers later this year and Afcon early next year, I think we need to see how resilient the team is. Inviting a large number of fringe players should afford the coaching crew and fans to see what these players bring to the table.
“This friendly against Cameroon is an interesting game because we are going to have some of the new players,” said coach Gernot Rohr on the CAF website.
“It is a big test game and an opportunity to test the new players,” he added.
Absolutely! Now for me is a more meaty quote from the German Gaffer.
With periphery players like Noble and Anayo recalled and already in camp while others like Marcus Abraham and Terem Moffi were handed maiden invitations, fans are only too eager to see how these players will perform against a formidable opposition.
These matches promise to be fascinating encounters. Whereas many Super Eagles fans would like nothing but compelling outcomes (in the way of results) against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, coach Gernot Rohr has chosen to draw the ire of a section of his critics by stating that results are unimportant.
“Of course, we are not going to play for the result against Cameroon in Austria, but it’s an opportunity to see our boys and see something different with our systems against a very good team that will host the next Afcon.” Rohr stated.
It has to be said that there is substantial merit in Gernot Rohr’s statement above. After all, an overarching purpose of these friendlies is to test new players, try out different tactics and see how the team will respond to different scenarios on the pitch against a tough opposition.
But, the sort of results against Algeria and Tunisia in 2020 friendlies left a bitter taste on the tongue and are sure to dampen morale among fans even if the motive of trying fresh faces and formations is achieved.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria go into this encounter at the back of 2 wins, 3 draws in our last 5 games. Positive results in the games against Cameroon will not only help continue a string of wins, it will inadvertently have the domino effect of boosting our standing in the subsequent FIFA rankings – something sure to further bring smiles on the faces of fans and sure to continue enhancing Rohr’s reputation as a coach capable of taking Nigeria places.
Sadly, preparations for the friendlies have be beset with an unprecedented level of withdrawal due to injuries. Suspicion is rife that players are choosing to stay away due to being owed wages/bonuses.
So far, 5 players from the original list have pulled out, leaving just 18 players. Any more withdrawals will put the friendlies in real jeopardy of being call off.
Six players have reportedly landed in camp according to the article above.