Will Salisu Yusuf Be Vindicated For Snubbing Foreign based players From Olympic Afcon Qualifiers?
Coach Salisu Yusuf has unveiled his list of 30 players to prosecute the make or mar 2024 Olympics Afcon playoffs against Guinea with foreign based players conspicuous in their absence.
The 100% home based invited players will report in Abuja soon.
Nigeria U23s will host their Guinean counterparts in the first leg of the qualifiers on March 22 in Ibadan.
They eliminated Tanzania 3-1 on aggregate to reach this stage of the qualifying tournament, where a sprinkling of foreign based players made the list.
Nigeria Football stakeholders are praying indefatigably for the Under-23s to qualify for the Olympic Afcon in June and then the actual Olympic games next year. This will provide a modicum of consolation for missing the Qatar World Cup.
The experience of foreign based Success Makanjuola and Ogunniyi Omojesu was key to the team against Tanzania as they both found the back of the net. Yet Salisu overlooked them and others this time around.
Fans are hoping that the exclusion of non-NPFL players will not come back to bite Salisu Yusuf in the backside.
The call-ups:
Goalkeepers: John Amah (Sunshine Stars); Nurudeen Badmus (Dakkada FC); Ifeanyi Nchekwube (Akwa United); Oriya Joseph (Lobi Stars)
Defenders: Christopher Nwaeze (Plateau United); Desmond Ojietefian (Shooting Stars); Okechukwu Chikason (Enyimba FC); Anthony Anieke (Akwa United); Samuel Olamilekan (Niger Tornadoes); Benjamin Tanimu (Bendel Insurance); Evans Ogbonda (Port Harcourt City); Umar Ahmed Farouk (Gombe United)
Midfielders: Daniel Wotlai (Abia Warriors); Akanni Qudus (Remo Stars); Auwalu Naziru (Rangers Int’l); Chibuike Nwaiwu (Enyimba FC); Divine Nwachukwu (Bendel Insurance); Taofeek Malomo (Shooting Stars); Samuel Chisom (Kwara United); Samaila Sarki (Bendel Insurance); Kumaga Suur (Lobi Stars); Inye Green (Ibani United)
Forwards: Munir Idris (Niger Tornadoes); Ahmed Jimoh (Kwara United); Ezekiel Edidiong (Remo Stars); Ifeanyi Ogba (Akwa United); Umar Ibrahim (El-Kanemi Warriors); Alkasin Deji Yusuf (Dakkada FC); Mojereola Suleiman (Sunshine Stars); Akile Monday (Lobi Stars)