Flying Eagles head coach Paul Aigbogun has named his final 21-man squad for the FIFA U -20 World Cup in Poland, Completesports.com reports.
Aigbogun kept faith with some of the players that took fourth position at the Africa U – 20 Cup of Nations in Niger Republic in February.
Skipper of the side, Ikouwem Udoh, Olawale Oremade, Valentine Ozornwafor, Igho Ogbu and Effiom Maxwell all made the team.
Highly rated Perugia of Italy midfielder Kingsley Michael, Manchester City starlet Tom Dele-Bashiru, Bournemouth’s Nnamdi Ofobor and Henry Offia are some of the new players in the squad.
The team tackles Austrian club, Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian city of Salzburg in a friendly game on Tuesday evening.
The squad’s final pre-World Cup friendly will be against Red Bull Leipzig in Germany on Friday, with the delegation to fly out of Germany to Tychy on Sunday.
The Flying Eagles, seven –time champions of the African continent, have finished as runners-up at the FIFA World Cup on two occasions – 1989 and 1995 – and took the bronze medals in the former Soviet Union 34 years ago.
Nigeria’s last appearance at the FIFA U20 World Cup was in New Zealand four years ago, where Coach Manu Garba’s wards were eliminated in the Round of 16 by Germany in Christchurch.
The Flying Eagles will play Qatar, the United States of America and Ukraine in that order at the championship in Poland, with their first game against Qatar in Tychy on 24th May.
THE FULL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Detan Ogundare (Kogi United); Olawale Oremade (Kwara United; Jonathan Zaccala (Triestina FC, Italy)
Defenders: Valentine Ozornwafor (Enyimba FC); Aliu Salawudeen (Amuneke Academy); Igoh Ogbu (Rosenborg BK, Norway); Ikouwem Utin (Enyimba FC); Muhammad Rabiu (Plateau United); Jamil Muhammad (Kano Pillars)
Midfielders: Nnamdi Ofoborh (AFC Bournemouth, England); Eletu Peter (Prince Kazeem FC); Ayotomiwa Dele-Bashiru (Manchester City, England); Kingsley Michael (AC Perugia, Italy); Effiom Maxwell (Enyimba FC); Aniekeme Okon (Akwa United); Collins Sor (Oasis FC)
Forwards: Jerome Adams (Sogndal IL, Norway); Tijani Muhammed (FC Banik Ostrava, Czech Republic); Henry Offia (IK Sirius Uppsala, Sweden); Chinonso Emeka (Club Brookhouse, England); Success Makanjuola (Water FC)
By Adeboye Amosu
26 Comments
You have named your team, so no excuse when you fail Even though I’m wishing you well. Let see how many of this boys can make Super Eagles team in the future.
What happened to Mike Zaruma? That guy played well in the U21 Afcon……….Who took his place?
Muhammad Rabiu of plateau united
Guess he is better.
I wish the allegations of bribery levied against Aigbogun on player selection and bad treatment of players in camp wasn’t true.
This U-20 crop hasn’t been insulated from allegations and imbroglio so far.
It’s a very good list in my opinion. I think they will make it out of that group at least, whatever happens from the round of 16 is anybody’s guess. I like the combination of home based and foreign based. The midfield containing Nnamdi Oforboh, Dele Bashiru (Premier League upcoming youngsters and Kingsley Michael of Perugia IMHO is probably the best Nigeria can offer at U20 level. The attack consist of youngsters from the Scandinavian leagues and a host of home based talents complimenting the midfield and defense.
The defense was fantastic at the qualifiers therefore, adding a number of upcoming foreign pros with quality game time in Europe is a really good blend. I want to see a few future SuperEagles players display their talents to the world. I’m not expecting them to win the U20 WorldCup, but something tells me this set can provide some exciting moments in discovering new talents.
Good analysis! Highly appreciated.
I wish them well.
I like the blend of foreign base players and tbe home based talents especially the foreign born players.
It will attract others to commit to nigeria.
However it is disturbing that the coach and his Assistant are not on the same page with players selection.
I hope they get over their differences and ork together for the common good of the boys in their care.
Nigeria won’t stop to amaze me…Isnt it glaring that this coach is a fraud…you included a player who plays in Serie D and has not even tasted action for his club as a Serie C player,same way you listed an academy player as a player of Kwara Utd and why on earth should our u 20 team(literarily our next step to super eagles) be fielding a player from a part time academy in Europe..not even the youth side of an established football club..Has it gotten that bad that we have a dearth of talents. Anyway I wish them the best of luck but then you can’t give what you don’t have
Are you expecting the list to comprise of players from Juve, Madrid and Barcelona?? This is an U20 tournament for crying out loud and the gaffer was still able to scout some EPL academy players. You can’t expect to have players from top clubs to be called up. Why did most Nigerians rule against Chukwueze’s inclusion?? Because they believe he’s above that level even though he’s within the age bracket. Most of the boys are 18 years old so you can’t expect them all to be playing top division football at that age. Some will be academy players while some plays in the second or third division in Europe which is not bad at all for their development. After all we have players playing in division two in the SuperEagles and they’re doing great. Even our great captain plays in division two. The likes of Henry Offia, Jerome Akor Adams, Igoh Ogbu and Tijani Muhammed all plays first division football in their respective leagues. Even though it’s in Norway, Sweden or Czech Republic however, at 18, 19 and 20 that’s not a bad idea and it’s good for their development.
Lol,Tijani Muhammed plays for Ostrava under 19,this i know very well,dot get carried away by what clubs was written for all of them..If that is the case why didnt he go for Arthur Okonwo of Arsenal instead of Zaccala who has ties with Pinnick and plays in Serie D
How do you know he has ties with Pinnick? Where is your proof? Assuming Tijani plays U19 for his club that’s still part of the club academy. It’s still better than any Nigerian club U19 or even the NPFL. Okonkwo is 17 and was mostly mentioned by allnigeria soccer website. There has not really been any contact between him and the coach and he plays for Arsenal U18. if you are very analytical what’s the difference between Arsenal U18 and Serie D? Is it not the same developmental stage? We don’t need players playing regularly in the top five leagues of the world to prosecute an Under 20 tournament. All we need is to discover some new potential talents for the future SuperEagles therefore, I see absolutely nothing with any of the call ups.
**I see absolutely nothing wrong with any of the call ups**
Luomo my guy. I always love reading your contribution.
Nuff respect.
thanks bro,i hail as well,some people just know about Nigerian football on the surface and will never believe whatever you say or what contributions u make..i am not bothered anyway as long i pass my opinion and i sure know it will always count
With all the drama that has characterized the emergence of this final 23, i just hope this team will at least save Nigeria’s reputation with a respectable performance. Cos the approach of the coach before arriving at this point does not evoke even the tiniest bits of confidence. More than half of these 23 were not even in the preliminary squad submitted to the NFF weeks ago for camping, Players strolling in and out of camp, Head coach arriving camp days after the team arrived, assistants still coaching their respective clubs in the NPFL while the team was already in germany….etc.
In all…I wish them the best. For those who were lucky enough to secure a place eventually, its time to show the world that they are worthy of the ‘MARK’
Though I don’t think Aigbogun is a good coach, but I’m agreeing with Aypillydegreat regarding the lists. The list is not bad at all let’s continue to support them hopefully they would do well.
This coach is not a fraud.From the look of things this were the best he discovered in his global search.Those calling him names were aggrieved players who were gutted from not making the roster and frustrated agents who’s wards weren’t good enough to make the team so had to use cheap and corrupt media to vent their frustrations.
Apparently,i do not see anything wrong in having an open camp so far you have kept your best 22 players intact nothing wrong in allowing an open camp for a few days to see if you could get a surprise because you never know.Perusing the list you will realise a couple of discoveries from that open camp which may turn out a huge success for the gaffer and the country in the coming days.
Let’s go through the list to prove the coach is genuine and if he fails is not because he he’s corrupt but i doubt he will fail from the look of things.
The likes of Mike arumma of Plateau united,who was the first choice right back and one of the foremost members of his team from the first day of camping was dropped for Muhammad Rabiu also of plateau united a midfielder converted to play as a right back due to his versatility and was well suited from test games so Mike’s dropping was genuine.
Looking at the defence,he rightly kept faith with same set of defenders who were phenomenal in the playoffs with Muhammad Gamil of Kano pillars who was first choice defensive midfielder moved to the defence because of his versatility also to create room for Dele Bashiru of Manchester city who proved from test games he was a better maestro.The likes of Offorbuh of Bournemouth has made the bench for the premiership survivals a couple of times and was the best player in their last test game so deserves his place also Kingsley Michael of Perugia who has had a great season in the serie b.The likes of Collins sor a lightening right winger from 36 lions who did his chances a lot of good by great displays in training and test games clearly deserves his place and made the team ahead of Mohammed Babawo who happens to be one of Aigboguns favourites from the inception and first choice right back.We knew what Effiong and Okon did in the playoffs they were some of the few shinning light in that team not surprise the coach kept faith in them.Jerome Akor Adam from Norway was an integral part of the team from his academy days in Nigeria before moving to Europe where he has matured and won laurels in his first months at his new club with goals and assists.He and impressive Henry Offia from Sweden and Tijani Mohammed are in line to lead the attack.
In all assessments,the gaffer is not corrupt.Calling him corrupt is rather stereotyped.We should look at things constructively before pointing fingers.
I wish the flying eagles well in Poland.
Sorry,Mohammed Babawo,first choice right winger
@greenturf, you hv indeed spoken well. One of d few very analytical minds, we have here. There are very self-centered agents and media people out there, so intelligent people must learn to read in between lines with logical reasoning before making conclusions. Even if Aigbogun fails to win, I will still refuse to condemn him for he has done something very commendation giving home based n foreign based players a sense of belonging. That alone, gives one a sense of somebody trying to do a good job. We must not forget about loads of political intrigues with top officials, both in government n in NFF, these coaches try to fight against. Anyway all now rest on these players to go there, put their sleeves up n make Nigerians proud thus, etching their names in d history book as the group that won their Nigeria our first u-20 world Cup.
Typo…. Commendable..
Where is the new Ahmed Musa and New Obafemi Martins after all the media hype he is not in the final 21. Nigeria journalist it is time to be realistic else people will be paying you to hype them and be deceiving millions of Nigerians
Let see d 1st game.den I can access d team.til den bye
The flying eagles team just drew 1-1 With Austrian Giant Red bull Salzburg with a home-based player adjudged MOM and Tijani scoring d only goal
I feel d’s team might do well at d world cup in poland
How do you know he has ties with Pinnick? Where is your proof? Assuming Tijani plays U19 for his club that’s still part of the club academy. It’s still better than any Nigerian club U19 or even the NPFL. Okonkwo is 17 and was mostly mentioned by allnigeria soccer website. There has not really been any contact between him and the coach and he plays for Arsenal U18. if you are very analytical what’s the difference between Arsenal U18 and Serie D? Is it not the same developmental stage? We don’t need players playing regularly in the top five leagues of the world to prosecute an Under 20 tournament. All we need is to discover some new potential talents for the future SuperEagles therefore, I see absolutely nothing with any of the call ups.
Where is Nazifi??