Super Falcons coach, Thomas Dennerby has included Rivers Angels midfielder Evelyn Nwabuoku and Ibom Angels goalkeeper Christy Ohiaeriaku in a 26-player squad for the 2019 Women’s WAFU Cup of Nations in Abidjan, Completesports.com reports.
The Super Falcons’ squad is dominated by home-based professional players, comprising of four goalkeepers, six defenders, seven midfielders and nine forwards.
Dennerby also handed out invitation to former youth internationals like Efik Peace, Joy Jerry, Joy Bokiri, Ologbosere Mary and Chidinma Okeke.
Overseas-based players were not left out as Sevilla’s Toni Payne, Turkey-based Esther Sunday and USA-based Uchenna Kanu made the cut.
The 26 invited players are expected to arrive at the Serob Legacy Hotel, Abuja on Sunday, April 28. Training is scheduled to commence on Monday, April 29.
After the week-long training camp in Abuja, the team will be trimmed to a 21-player final list to represent Nigeria at the tournament in Abidjan.
Nigeria are drawn against Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and Mali in Group B. The Super Falcons will start their 2019 WAFU Women’s Cup campaign against the Burkinabes on May 9.
THE SUPER FALCONS FULL LIST:
Goalkeepers: Christy Ohiaeriaku, Chiamaka Nnadozie, Alaba Jonathan, Tochukwu Oluehi.
Defenders: Ugochi Emenayo, Glory Ogbonna, Chidinma Okeke, Maryam Ibrahim, Rofiat Imuran, Mary Ologbosere
Midfielders: Peace Efih, Osarenoma Igbinovia, Amarachi Okoronkwo, Adebisi Saheed, Evelyn Nwabuoku, Joy Bokiri, Cynthia Aku
Forwards: Mary Anjor, Alice Ogebe, Uchenna Kanu, Joy Jerry, Chioma Wogu, Rita Okoro, Rofiat Sule, Esther Sunday, Antionette Payne
By Adeboye Amosu
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COMMENTS
It’s difficult to argue against or for this decision to use an experimental team to the WAFU tournament.
Going by this list, it’s obvious that Coach Dennerby has already identified the core of his team for the World Cup (the set of players invited for the Canada friendly plus Francesca Ordega). I believe what the coach is doing here is to use the WAFU tournament to take a second look at some fringe players like Osarenoma Igbinovia and Amarachi Okoronkwo, give a second chance to some old timers like Esther Sunday and Evelyn Nwabuoku who have been out of the team for a while and also integrate new foreign based stars like Toni Payne and Uchenna Kanu.
Although one may be tempted to see this as a missed opportunity for cementing tactics and team chemistry amongst the core of the team, there is also the downside of potential injuries to the core players in a tournament so close to the World Cup, especially a tournament involving our highly physical African teams and played in the kind of pitches that we have in the continent. I can hardly fault the coach for deciding to go on the side of caution by shielding his main team from this tournament especially since the opponents they will meet at the World Cup are totally of a different class. No need burning out the players physically before the main event.
The positive I take for this list is the chance given to players like Evelyn, Esther, Osaranoma and Amarachi to fight their way into the team. I’m sure Toni Payne and Uchenna Kanu already have the quality to be in the main team.
Secondly, this opportunity is going to utilised to identify the players that will immediately take over from the obviously tiring legs that will retire from the the Super Falcons after the World Cup.
I pray the program adopted by the team management ends with positive outcome for the team both in the World Cup and the immediate future of the team thereafter.
Very well articulated piece. The wafu tournament should ideally be used as a platform to expose local based players with a handful of ‘hopefuls’ and this is exactly what this list suggests.
Last Chance Saloon
The likes of Esther Sunday (who has been in international football wilderness for a while) and Toni Payne (who was unable to honour a recent invitation) have one final opportunity to gate-crash Dennerby’s squad for the world cup.
Good luck to the ladies.
I cant agree any less bro.