Head Coach José Santos Peseiro has called up captain Ahmed Musa, deputy captain William Ekong and 25 other players to the camp of the Super Eagles for this month’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and São Tomé and Príncipe.
The Portuguese tactician has also invited goalkeepers Francis Uzoho and Adewale Adeyinka, defenders Olaoluwa Aina, Calvin Bassey, Sani Faisal, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Chidozie Awaziem, midfielders Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, Alex Iwobi and Innocent Bonke, and forwards Moses Simon, Terem Moffi, Cyriel Dessers and Emmanuel Dennis – who were all part of the squad that played Mexico and Ecuador in prestige friendlies in the United States of America.
Peseiro has added Israeli –based goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye, defenders Abdullahi Shehu, Zaidu Sanusi, Leon Balogun and Kenneth Omeruo, midfielders Oghenekaro Etebo and Frank Onyeka, and forwards Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Ademola Lookman and Sadiq Umar.
Nigeria welcome Sierra Leone to the MKO Abiola National Stadium in one of the Day 1 matches in the campaign, on Thursday 9th June, before flying to Marrakech, Morocco to play away to São Tomé and Príncipe on Monday, 13th June.
Read Also:Exclusive: NPFL Players Deserve To Be Part Of Peseiro’s Eagles’ AFCON Qualifiers Plan –Rufai
SUPER EAGLES FOR SIERRA LEONE AND SÃO TOMÉ & PRÍNCIPE
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Adewale Adeyinka (Akwa United); Adebayo Adeleye (Hapoel Jerusalem, Israel)
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Sani Faisal (Katsina United); Leon Balogun (Unattached); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain)
Midfielders: Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (Watford FC, England); Innocent Bonke (FC Lorient, France); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England)
Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal CF, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Cyriel Dessers (Feyenoord FC, The Netherlands); Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Terem Moffi (FC Lorient, France)
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44 Comments
Bonke an Shehu Abdulahi’s invitations freak me.
Understandable that Ndidi is out injured, but is there gang up against Chudera Ejuke? I know his dribbles can sometimes be immature and selfish, but there’s no denying his massive talent – sometimes his penetrative plays are better than Chukwueze’s
Has Okoye retired? He can’t handle criticism? Pity. He thinks the number 1 shirt is guaranteed?
And why is Iheanacho left out still? I hope Finidi is actively part of drawing up this list? I trust him better than Salisu on that matter.
### IRRELEVANT/INJURY PRUNE PLAYERS IN THE SUPER EAGLE ###
I want to used this medium to advice Coach PASEIRO to thrash away irrelevant/injury prune players in Super eagle. Any players that can not be 90% relevant on the field of play SHOULD NOT BE INVITED to Super eagle team again. Because their inclusion are:
** 1) SURPLUS TO REQUIREMENTS
** 2) creating SHORT-ONE into the team
** 3) BLOCKING THE CHANCES of other players that want to shine.
I expect Awoniyi to be part of this list.
If Awoniyi was included in the two just concluded friendlies, I believe the result would have been different.
We need players that can penetrate opponent defence. Awoniyi and Ejuke are needed in the team.
At the same time, the list is not bad. I only expect Musa to retire honourably now. He has tried enough. He should create space for young and more talented players.
God bless our coaching crew.
God bless Super Eagles of Nigeria
God bless Nigeria
Okoye was not only torn apart in the social media but his life and those of his family were threatened. For God’s sake Okoye is just 22. You can criticize but threatening his life is out of order. I will not blame Okoye if he reconsider his his service to the Super Eagles!
Where’s Awoniyi in this list, u morons have started again, Awo is our best striker against any African team, plus he has more soccer sense than Osimihen, Sadiq and that Yeye Mofti. And that Sani is waste of space, why this country loves to hustle backwards, see what Ghana and Ivory Coast are doing to their opponents.
You get eye well-well jare. To me, Awoniyi has better striking technique than Victor Osimhen. Osimhen only has better brute-force and physicality.
RAPHAEL ONYEDIKA NKO?
Peseiro must recall offessive and combative defensive midfielders who play pressing and sliding football and proper coverage like Anderson Esiti, Usman Mohammed , Joel Obi , Nwankwo Obiora than to recall frail and shaky defensive mid. like Etebo, Onyeka, Bonke; also he must recall Oboabona, Ozornwafor, Uche Agbo than to recall the much frail and shaky William Troost, Abdullahi Shehu; he (Peseiro) must change his tactics from 5-3-2 to 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 which Super Eagles have used to play since a long time.
Some of this players are irrelevant players. They have nothing to offer in Super eagle, Instead wasting on call-up on players that have limited years to spend in Super eagle, why can’t you Invite players like: SEBASTIAN OSIGWE, UCHE AZUBUIKE, EBUEHI, ALHASSAN, S.TIJANI, AKPOGUMA, NDAH, AWONIYI, AMAO.
God will help you, PASEIRO
Oboabona?????? Some people are of their rockers man doesn’t even play active football anymore.
LMFAO!
Na wa! This COACH wan give TRIBAL BIGOT @UGU IWUNZE HYPERTENSION o…
Why would HE invite MUSA and leave out our LORD and PERSONAL SAVIOUR DENNIS?
LMFAO!!
Dennis sabi play ball? Person wey him country dey find how to score one goal and qualify for World Cup, him dey dia dey dribble himself to get cheers from the crowd. He’s a bit more like a younger version of Austin Okocha, purposeless-skills! Abegi
Hahahaha lol Emma Dennis is in the team lol. Musa should not be there. Check out list on Twitter mumu lol. Your Father Musa is there. And you are celebrating meanwhile Awoniyi and Ejuke is missing. Your big bele aboki Musa is there. Go and celebrate with your monkey family mugu!
And I suspect Pesiero will drop Musa after these games he will want to see him up close and since he will have nothing to offer as usual he will be axed
They have left out your favourites again lol, shall we begin the sacking process. Everyone of you want coach to satisfy you with like 50 players that are playing regularly in their various clubs. Actually this is the first time I am surprised with players invitation for preferring Sadiq to Awoniyi and forleaving Iheanacho. It seems this one will listen to the board very well. All the same, since you like sacking coach because of players he invites, this is the time to begin sacking process ahahahahaha
Onyeka needs to prove himself in Brentford first, what happened to alhassan yusuf? Who has got more playing time?
Moffi again? Moffi is not in form, how many goals last season? Look at his performance in both friendlies.
I understand iheanacho didn’t get enough playing time, but that man remains our joker, but if peseiro made this decision to spur iheanacho to make a change in his career, maybe find a new club not in epl, Spain, then I’m in support of that.
Does musa have amaju’s nudes, they say we need him for experience, has it ever paid off? Shouldn’t we be using his slot to try and cap someone like antonio nusa?
What are bonke and shehu doing in this list? Bonke is only good at fouling, man can’t recirle balls, nothing.
Them no see another homebase call? Na that faisal wey bin dey move in slow mo, na ehn dey call? Is he better than ndah, our homebased are not good enough, ndah is a huge rarity.
Its shocking how the top six goalscorer in a top 4 league in Europe gets omitted from this list, is dessers better than awoniyi? Is dessers even better than onuachu?how is that even possible.
We need to do more scouting, something i remain greatful to rohr for, his last gift being bassey, we need better dms and box to box midfielders than what we currently have, bonke? Etebo? Onyeka? Kingsley Michael is promising but he isn’t there yet.lets check out other guys, these ones are poor and it really affects our gameplay every match, eveytime ndidi is absent.
Finally i wish the coach well, but i see some flaws in this list, however, we have osimhen, umar, bassey, zaidu, dennis, lookman, aribo and iwobi in this list, these are guys who could win you games
Same recycling activities going on in the super eagles. It is sad that our eyes is not yet open until after Pinnick finishes with us before some people here will grow up to see the trend.
I’m surprised Denis is not in this team, after playing in the friendly.. Iheancho is not also included.. Something must have happened after the first leg in Ghana.. This is a good list and all players cannot be invited but the coach should stop impressing those wicked NFF chief by inviting an home base player when we have better players.. Imagine dropping an iheancho that can play in attacking midfield.. What if iwobi gets injured..
Good question@Ololo, beside injury, Iwobi may get tired in 2nd half (as was in BeninCity). The Coaching crew must be prepared to change tired legs in 2nd half. Infact, Sierra Leone may be eyeing 75th to 80th minute riot on Super Eagles when some of our boys fizzle out.
What does this suggest to the Coach?
Also, our opponent may be coming early to Abuja to plant secret cameras or drones to spy the SE training and strategy…???
I want to see this line up if possible
Uzoho
Aina Ekong Balogun Bassey
Etebo, Aribo and Iwobi, Chukwueze, Osimehen and Lookman
Dennis is in the team ,just confirmed from the official NFF Facebook page..
Pls complete sport edit your report.. Dennis is in the team..
What happening with iheancho..he is the only name missing , I think our defenders are abit much, 10 is too much, how many will play.. Some of them need to be dropped, I wonder what the home base guy is doing in the team
This new coach in reality plays 5:3:2 so what do you expect? My own concern is when we are playing top teams as we can see in our recent matches and not this under 50 world teams. Nigerians should note that if we can’t perform against top teams then we can not achieve anything. I am not happy for what us happening in Nigeria. Bhuari and Dare went to Spain to enjoy themselves plus posing with Kenneth celebrating the failure of the Afcon or world qualifiers and banning our performing Basketball team. Nigerians are here rooting for these cabals instead of continuous campaign. No wonder the Basketballers have decided to ditch us and never step foot to rep Nigeria again. If Nigeria doesn’t speak out then it means this is who Nigerians are and reasonable Diasporans will leave you people to continue swimming in your fails!!!
Heaven bless you @Endurance. You spoke with wisdom.
@Ololo Dennis made the cut check out the correct list on SE Twitter and Facebook pages
DEJA VU
…for me the Ekong should not start games anymore and we need a new captain. Musa is over the hill, and we do not need Shehu, as far Etebo, he is decent but has not played much football for close to a year… Onyeke needs to show us that he is proven at a Brentford FC first.
Moses Simon is still not what we need on the left side of midfield or left wing, in his place I would ask for Peter Olayinka, we can also begin to look at the young man Yira Sor. In midfield, Iwobi is the best at creating any spark for now, he just needs to add grit and tackles that are not rash to his hustle plays… Aribo can’t really drive the ball forward, I want to see him use his right foot in support of his heavy left more and he should use the gym to build some muscle mass and toughness…
So, I am saying in essence, I won’t have Frank Onyeka on that list, I won’t have Shehu Abdullahi either, Musa is surplus to requirement and blocking space for better players…
Obinna Nwobodo and Kingsley Michael are ripe and should be by now, in the Super Eagles. I wonder why Nwobodo who is at FC Cincinnati in the USA was not called up in the last friendlies there? It appears certain individuals in the NFF deliberately exclude some players because they are sure to impress Nigerians and their clamour more loud… If Kingsley Michael is no longer injured and is now fit, given time he should be recalled… I watched his last game in October last year for Bologna were he picked up a nasty injury that kept him out longterm… He is a great passer and ball-player…
Musa specifically said last nations cup was it for him… I WONDER WHY HE IS STILL BEING USED… so the whole noise about Ighalo was just politics meant for him to grace another world cup? Nigerians are very selfish people…
In a nutshell… Peter Olayinka is better than Moses Simon on the left, Awoniyi is not inferior to Osimhen and to me is a better ball player, and stronger… but him and Osimhen playing will help us a lot, since Peseiro is leaning towards 3-defenders, 5-midfield, and 2-strikers setup. Sadiq Umar is good inclusion and I think Alhassan Yusuf should replace Abdullahi Shehu going forward…. Shehu can’t be playing in Cyprus for almost 3-seasons and continue to get callups… I wasnt impressed with his showing against Ghana in Abuja… We just don’t need certain players anymore… I will play Olayinka everyday all year ahead of Moses Simon on the left flank…
Leave our Ighalo out of this.
The whole place is full of ABOKIS.
Sierra Leone will beat Nigeria in Abuja to complete Six loses in a row.
200 million coaches,
200 million players,
200 million employers
Hmmmmmmmmmmnh.
Na wa for naija oooooooh
It’s the same thing. The hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. Pessiro the coach but Nigeria picking the list.
Where is the sincerity. This country needs an operation very quickly in all areas. So sad.
Musa … Should go now.
Abdullahu sheu… Not relevant again.
But they are there because of Nigeria or pinnick or some people.
Onyeka was injured for sometime… He has not even proved himslef at all .
I will only give some reasons for etebo to support his invitation. Half fit etebo is better than all these bonke and onyeka thing.
So alhasan Yusuf can’t come again. So nwobodo can’t be invited.
This is definitely not pessiro list.
@JimmyBall, thoughtful and incisive analysis! To an extent, the list is a head-scratcher.
With this list, Nigeria have just shot herself in the foot. Quota system is sadly and unfortunately back in Nigerian football.
Am really disappointed with this list. Thought the coach said he has scouted Nigerian players and knows there weakness and strength. Am sorry some players don’t deserve to where the eagles shirt, with the 2 games i saw. Bonke and Dennis needs to go, they are both shit, we keep blaming eguavoen but some of the players are rubbish. Moses simon too is another culprit. Why awoniyi wasn’t called clearly shows some people are taking bribe somewhere. Well i will give Uzoho another chance because he saved us during this 2 friendlies. Please just pair omeruo with ekong or balogun and you will see a huge difference. Well all the best to the players
My people, wonders will never end!
They say Nigerians are the most widely spread people on the planet and they’re not lying o! lol
I even found a Nigerian – Solomom Udo, this is a football player playing for the national team of Armenia lol!
Nna we plenty nor be small
With this list of players for Afcon, Oga Paseiro may end up like Oga Rohr without winning a tea cup for Nigeria if he doesn’t step on NFF toes.
No1, Musa Shehu, Moffi, Bonke have no spot in the Super Eagles anymore.
I am expecting Michelle if fully fit to come in while Nwobodo should be giving a chance as well.
Why Musa can’t say no to Super Eagles invitation? Then if truly Oga Paseiro knew our players, Musa, Shehu and co shouldn’t have been on this list.
I’m not against Oga Paseiro but with this list? We have to take action. I will give the gaffer another opportunity to prove to us that he is the right coach. Afcon qualifiers will give me more details of his credibility. For now, fingers crossed. Ire o. God bless Nigeria!!!
This is definitely not PASEIRO’s list!
1. Abdullah Shehu a bench warmer in backwaters CYORUS ahead of EBUEHI, NDAH, NWOBODO and ALHASSAN??
2. AHMED MUSA ahead of OLAYINKA??
3. OMERUO is a spent force. Why not invite any of Olisa NDA (Caf Confederations Cup finalist), Anthony IZUCHUKWU and Kelvin AKPOGUMA??
4. Bonke has failed to impress after 3 matches. One would have expected faces like ALHASSAN, ONYEDIKA, NWOBODO and Tom Dele BASHIRU
5. What offence did AWONIYI commit that he’s been left out again? 3 starts; 1 goal 1 pre-assist and 1 assist; 15 League goals in Germany; 20 goals in 42 matches…. something is wrong somewhere
Thanks for your comments, Mahmud.
It seems rather odd that some of the players were listed, when they have absolutely no business being considered, especially if we are rebuilding for the future (for the umpteenth time).
1. Abdullahi Shehu.
There are far too many up and coming midfielders that should be incorporated NOW especially as Shehu has repeatedly shown he is limited in what he offers in the midfield, as opposed to much better prospects (Alhassan, Onyedika, Bonke, Kingsley Michael) or at right back (Osayi-Samuel, Ebuehi, Awaziem). The guy is surplus to requirements.
2. Ahmed Musa.
Grandpa is not intelligent enough to realize he has outlived his usefulness to the team, especially when we have a lot of up and coming winger/strikers, like Awoniyi and Yira Sor. It is completely asinine to keep inviting this dinosaur when he is of no use to the team.
3. Kenneth Omeruo.
What exactly does this fellow offer the Super Eagles? It is criminally unjust that a player like Akpoguma is dropped for this fellow. He has no pace, keeps making errors and yet is given a VIP invitation to the Super Eagles. It goes to show that the selection process has nothing to do with form, but more of an old boys network.
On Innocent Bonke, I will disagree with you and would suggest that he has played well enough to be invited. He played well in the Dallas game, till he had to leave due to injury. His exit was partially responsible for the loss, as the Mexicans were able to exploit his absence. He is needed.
I will say it’s an ok list because most of the players we’re looking for are preoccupied with after season events. The list is good enough to beat Sierra Leone and São Tomé home and away. Ride on Peseiro. The team didn’t do badly in the two friendlies there are positives going forward. I’m pretty certain that the coach will begin to impose his philosophy on the team starting from the qualifiers any player who can’t perform will be duly dropped by the wayside for deserving ones. For now I’m ok with this list. Let’s go SE!!!
Regardless of who is included and excluded from this list, there are only 2 variables that I am interested in:
1) Does it contain a strong starting 11?
2) Does if contain a dependable bench?
Mercifully, the answer to both questions is yes.
For Peseiro’s preferred 3-5-2 formation, we have a hypothetical starting 11 that looks like:
Francis Uzoho
Ola Aina
Calvin Bassey
William Troost-Ekong
Semi Ajayi
Leon Balogun
Alex Iwobi
Frank Onyeka
Joe Aribo
Victor Osimhen
Cyriel Dessers
For the potential 4 subs, you have:
Umar in for Dessers
Etebo in for Onyeka
Zaidu in for Bassey
Lookman in Ajayi (with the team now going to a back 4).
This list has resilience built in across departments as there is ample cover. For every player that is added, one player will be dropped. All of the players on this list are capable of delivering decent performances on their day.
It is a 4/5 list for me.
A third question:
3) Can this team generate an entirely different starting 11 that will be strong and formidable based on a Plan B formation? For me, the answer has to be ‘Yes’.
Based on Peseiro’s alternative 4-4-2 Formation, the alternative line up can look something like:
Adebayo Adeleye
Shehu Abdullahi
Kenneth Omeruo
Chidozie Awaziem
Zaidu Sanusi
Peter Etebo
Innocent Bonke
Samuel Chukwueze
Ademola Lookman
Sadiq Umar
Emmanuel Dennis
You all should stop condeming our players, they are all good players, all they need is good tactics. Another issue we have is the striking position, our strikers tend to lose their vision and confused once they are at the opponents 18 yard box, and that’s why we have not been winning.Contrary to what some people are saying on this platform, we have good players, our goalkeepers are good, the defenders and midfielders are also good,but we have issues scoring goals and that is it. Many of these players we have and codeming other countries don’t even have players of their caliber and yet they do well.Some people are saying is the midfield that is not feeding the strikers, i disagree, the strkers are getting balls but are confused and not clinical, so coach Jose Paseiro should work on the strikers more to score goals, and super eagles will excel.
The NFF should ask the new coach never to invite MADUKA OKOYE again. He is not committed to the SE. He is fool of himself & that’s why Gernot Rhor benched him sometime ago.
He feels he is bigger than Nigeria just because he’s born abroad. Let’s invite those who are fully committed to the Nigerian cause.
Let him remain in Watford. Uzoho is a hungry chap, who wants to be better. He should be encouraged to become the best!
THIS IS MY OPINION.
Uzoho needs to be keeping week in week out. Be it Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech, Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Israel or Saudi Arabia, Uzoho just needs to be keeping regularly. If he does that, the number one shirt is his even if Okoye keeps for Manchester City.
But it will be difficult and unfair to retain Uzoho as number one if he is languishing in Cypriot bench whereas Okoye, Adeleye and even forgotten 20 year old Daniel Jinadu (the 2019 Golden Eaglet is expected to make a promising career move in the coming months) are all playing regularly.
The next season should see a slew of Nigerian eligible goalkeepers feature regularly in average-to-decent leagues in Europe. Okoye just needs time – he will be back to fight for his place.
Nigeria’s goalkeeping department will be fine next season.
Okoye remains super eagles best Goalkeeper right now.
Uzoho haven’t feature for is club through at this year. Adeleye who plays in Israel league is not that fit to match okoye, a second choice Goalkeeper who plays in Israel.
Why okoye is excepted from this list, it’s because he sustain an injury calf, he need special medication.
Maduka Okoye remains Eagles best. Now he is in Watford after helping is former Club Sparta Rotherham from escaping relegation.
If Adeleye and Uzoho is better than Okoye, they should move to top leagues.
Maduka has proven himself in Europe top league “Netherland Eredevisia).
Maduka Okoye was Netherland best Goalkeeper last season.
Nigeria fans you guys should cope together and support our players both in home and diaspora. Football is game, There is loser and a winner.
We should not give up supporting Eagles.
We played against Mexico and Ecuador, though we lost but we played well.
Hungary defeated England 1-0 Yesterday, So you see guys”No minors in football anymore.