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Saturday 1 November 2014
SPORTS: Keshi invites Uche, snubs Martins, Moses
Villarreal striker Ikechukwu Uche has made a
sensational return to the national team after he
was named in the 25-man squad to face Congo
and South Africa in the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup
of Nations qualifiers by Nigeria coach Stephen
Keshi on Friday.
But Keshi, who also made a sensational comeback
to the Super Eagles on Friday after he was sacked
by the Nigeria Football Federation after guiding
Nigeria to a 3-1 defeat of Sudan in their Morocco
2015 qualifier in Abuja on October 15, omitted in-
form Seattle Sounders striker and on-loan Stoke
City winger Victor Moses from the list. He also
dropped Israel-based Nosa Igiebor.
Spain-based Uche has been in the international
wilderness for nearly two years after Keshi
refused to invite the 30-year-old, who helped
Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in South
Africa last year.
Keshi, who claimed the former Real Zaragoza star
lacked “tactical discipline”, stuck to his guns to
exclude Uche from his 23-man squad from last
summer World Cup in Brazil, in spite of the
pressure mounted on him from some quarters to
take the player to the tournament.
The former Nigeria captain only gave Martins an
opportunity to play in the World Cup qualifier
against Kenya last year. When the former Inter
Milan underperformed, Keshi refused to invite
him.
But there has been a renewed clamour for
Martins’ return to the national team following the
Eagles’ poor start to the Morocco 2015 qualifiers,
but Keshi has snubbed him again. Martins has
scored 17 goals and made 13 assists in the MLS
helping the American side win the Supporters’
Shield and US Open Cup title.
Moses has not been invited for any of the four
qualifying games and he was again omitted from
the list for the fixtures against Congo and South
Africa, despite his impressive form at Stoke.
Nigeria need to win the games against Congo in
Pointe-Noire on November 15 and South Africa in
Uyo four days later – hoping the Congolese drop
points against Sudan – to stand any chance of
defending their title in Morocco.
However, Keshi has kept faith with majority of the
players who have been part of the the qualifiers.
Captain Vincent Enyeama tops the list consisting
of Godfrey Oboabona, Elderson Echiejile, Efe
Ambrose, Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa,
Emmanuel Emenike, Austin Ejide, Gbolahan
Salami and Juwon Oshaniwa.
Also on the list are Hope Akpan, Raheem Lawal,
Sone Aluko and Osaguona Ighodaro.
Meanwhile, Nigeria ’80 Africa Cup of Nations
winner Henry Nwosu commended the NFF for
the decision to reinstate his former Eagles’
teammate Keshi.
And Nwosu praised Keshi for inviting Uche to the
national team and backed the player to perform
in the qualifiers.
“I protested the removal of Keshi and I said that
appointing another coach (Shaibu Amodu) to take
over from him with two games left was not in the
interest of the country,” the former New Nigeria
Bank midfielder told our correspondent on the
telephone on Friday.
“I have been vindicated. I’m happy with the
decision to reinstate Keshi.
“Uche is a Nigerian and he’s welcome to the
national team. I support Keshi’s decision to invite
him since he feels the player still has something
to offer the country.”
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