The Super Eagles will hold one training session today (Wednesday) as they continue preparations ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, reports Completesports.com.
According to the information available on the team’s official Twitter handle the Eagles’ training session today will start at 4.45 pm inside the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba.
Gernot Rohr’s charges had two training sessions on Monday and Tuesday.
20 out of the 25 invited players are currently at the team’s Golden Tulip Hotel in Asaba.
The duo of Ahmed Musa and Shehu Abdullahi are expected to join their Super Eagles teammates in camp today, while Odion Ighalo and centre-back William Troost-Ekong will also link up with the team this week.
Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi is expected to join the team in Ismaila, Egypt after he was granted an extended break following his participation in the Europa League final against Chelsea last week Wednesday.
Meanwhile, head coach of the side, Gernot Rohr is expected to release his final list for AFCON 2019 after the international friendly game against Zimbabwe on Saturday.
Two players will be dropped from the squad with the team expected to leave on Sunday for the final phase of their preparation in Ismaila.
The Super Eagles will face the Terangha Lions of Senegal in their last pre-AFCON 2019 friendly game on June 16.
By Adeboye Amosu
6 Comments
Hehehehehe. With Iwobi to join the team in Egypt on Sunday and Ighalo, Musa, Shehu and Ekong still to join the camp, yet the final list of 23 to be released on Saturday, it is safe to assume that some players are guaranteed squad members even without kicking a ball in the training camp. A great chance for players like Simon Moses (not really at his best at the moment), Awaziem (always on the fringes) and Iheanacho (terrible last season) to avoid the drop with a good showing on Saturday against Zimbabwe.
Nigeria football issues are always different. How can Iwobi join the team in Egypt, where is that one done? what if Iwobi had played 90mins of that match and arsenal has won? would iwobi had taken 1month rest and thereby miss the afcon?
Granit xhaka played in the same match and even started and completed the match and he has been with Swiss national team preparing so as xhedan shaqiri of Liverpool, Virgil van dijk is presently with Holland national team, just to mentioned but few. why our always the different, not even when Mikel came to the camp the very day camp open?
what is the lagacy here with Iwobi to the likes of Samuel CHUKWUEZE, victor Osimhen
You have a very good point there…
I think the break is just to long and unnecessary.
Bonding and cohesion is what the team needs now.
Ability to change positions, work out strategy (free kicks corners etc), eye signals, body movements etc.
I just hope this won’t cost us.
You need to understand that playing in the final is not a day affair, he had to be in training for about 2wks when others already had their break.
I think he needs some time to rest to avoid fatigue when it matters most.
It’s simple, 25 called up, 5 on standby, two to be dropped. It’s obvious that Iwobi, Musa, Ighalo, Troost-Ekong and Shehu are Central squad members and unlikely to be dropped. As long as they are fit, they will be picked.
The players on the fringes and liable to be dropped include Iheanacho (last chance saloon), Kalu (fitness), Onuachu and Osimhen (maybe one of) and Awaziem.
None of the rest of the squad are in danger of being dropped. Iwobi as well as Troost-Ekong will have a very good excuse for them to be excused for up to a week. They are both Central to the squad and unless a disaster happens will be at AFCON. This cannot be said of other players who will play for their spot in the squad on Saturday
@BigD don’t be surprised if both osimhen and Onuachu make that squad. Form the wing, we have MUSA, Onyekuru, Simon, Chukwueze, Kalu that make them 5 and we need 4. Don’t forget that iwobi can also play from the wing. Osimhen mostly plays from the wings under Rohr, Kalu can play as a right wing back..so…from the last 2 a, the only time Moses Simon made the team was when Samuel Kalu got injured. Let’s wait and see
Rohr on Onuachu…we have been looking for a striker that can add something different to the attack and Onuachu can offer this.
Remember….Rohr had waited for Osimhen from day one.