As players of the Super Eagles face an anxious wait for the list of players who will be picked by coach Gernot Rohr for the upcoming friendly games in October. Owngoalnigeria.com takes a look at players who could possible miss out.
The games will be in Austria against former African Champions Côte d’Ivoire and Tunisia on the 9th and 13th of October respectively. One big omission could be Oghenekaro Etebo.
Etebo hasn’t kicked a ball in anger since the end of the Spanish La Liga season where he spent the second half of last season on loan to Getafe. He returned to Stoke but still isn’t considered for a spot in the team in their quest for promotion to the English Premier League .
He is in Turkey where he is expected to seal a loan switch to Galatasaray and that move could cost him a spot in the team for the game with Rohr most likely leaving him out in order to help him settle at his new club.
However the midfielder faces a fight on his hand upon his return to the team with Joe Aribo striking a very good understanding with Wilfred Ndidi and Alex Iwobi in the heart of the team.
Henry Onyekuru has started the long road to please Rohr with a string of above average performances for Monaco in the first two games of the new season in France. It’s not clear if he will be picked with the emergence of Chidera Ejuke who has been called to the team as one of the wingers. Rohr often plays the former Everton forward on the flanks.
While Ikechukwu Ezenwa is already out of the team for the game. There are still doubts over the inclusion of Daniel Akpeyi despite his return to full fitness after suffering concussion few days ago. Rohr has plans to call a new goalkeeper in addition to the duo of Maduka Okoye and Francis Uzoho.
Shehu Abdullahi failed to secure promotion with second division Turkish side Bursaspor. The 27 year old who has played as right back for the senior national team of Nigeria now faces serious competition for that spot.
Kingsley Ehizibue, Ola Aina and Chidozie Awaziem are expected to push for the right back role leaving Abdullahi out and pushing for a midfield role that he hasn’t played for Nigeria under Rohr.
