Showing posts with label Brazil 2014. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brazil 2014. Show all posts

Thursday, May 8, 2014

2014 World Cup: Rivers APC backs Keshi"s Super Eagle List


The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has thrown its weight behind the provisional list of players for the Brazil 2014 World Cup drawn up by Coach Stephen Keshi and released by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Super Eagles drops in FIFA world rank“This would have been a perfect list if not for the exclusion of in-form striker Ikechukwu Uche, but we respect the position of Keshi, who insists that Uche would divide the team if invited. We believe that the coach knows better. It is better to sacrifice one player than to jeopardise the interest of the entire team and the entire country,” Rivers APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement issued in Port Harcourt.

The party commended Keshi and his assistants for pardoning repentant Osaze Odemwingie, who has rediscovered his scoring form in the very competitive English Premiership.


“With the inclusion of Osaze and other key players we are convinced that if the Keshi and his assistants select the right players for each match when the World Cup kicks off in Brazil in June, we can become the first African team to reach the semi-final of the World Cup,” Rivers APC said.


It appealed to all Nigerians to pray for the success of the Super Eagles during the World Cup “since football is not only a unifying factor among Nigeria but also the only thing that gives the masses joy in these days of suffocating hardship arising from the misrule of the visionless PDP-led government of President Goodluck Jonathan, whose only bright spot has been in the sports sector.” 



2014 World Cup: Rivers APC backs Keshi"s Super Eagle List

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Brazil 2014: Osaze, Yobo, Agbim make Keshi’s list

Ahead of FIFA’s May 10 deadline for the submission of final list of players selected to represent their countries at next month’s World Cup in Brazil, the Nigeria Football Federation Tuesday released a provisional list of 30 Super Eagles players for the mundial.


The list comprised of four goalkeepers. They are Vincent Enyeama, Austin Ejide, Chigozie Agbim and Daniel Akpeyi.


The team’s defenders selected for the mundial are Elderson Echiejile, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Kenneth Omeruo, Joseph Yobo and Kunle Odunlami.


Osaze, Agbim and Yobo,


Also in the team are  John Mikel Obi, Ogenyi Onazi, Ramon Azeez, Ejike Uzoenyi Sunday Mba, Gabriel Reuben,  Nosa Igiebor, Joel Obi and Michael Uchebo. Others are Ahmed Musa, Shola Ameobi, Victor Moses, Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Nsofor, Osaze Odemwingie , Babatunde Michael,Uche Nwafor and Nnamdi Oduamadi.


The list which was read out by the Head Coach of the team Stephen Keshi was

released after he held a three-hour meeting with the NFF Technical Committee at the Glass House in Abuja.


He further stated that the final list of 23 players who would represent the nation in Brazil would be released on June 2.


Last Monday Keshi had insisted  that he was not arm-twisted by members of the Nigeria Football Federation to include or drop any player in the list.


He said he had a free hand from the NFF to select the best players for the World Cup, but he was not averse to taking advice from well-meaning Nigerians on squad composition.


According to him:, “The NFF is our parent body and should be concerned about team composition for the World Cup, because the body is made up of well-meaning Nigerians. But to be honest to Nigerians, nobody in the NFF has come to me to say pick player A or B. They respect my job as the head coach and I respect them as my employers and there is no clash of interest.”


 



Brazil 2014: Osaze, Yobo, Agbim make Keshi’s list