By Udo Toby Prince
Super Eagles Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh, has invited 23 home-based professionals who will kick-start preparations for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to Tanzania next month.
In his first major assignment as Nigeria boss, the former skipper retained the services of some of the ‘old legs’ used by his predecessor, Stephen Keshi, and also extended invitation to few members of the Dream Team VI which played a goalless draw against Congo in in Pointe Noire on Sunday to qualify for the African U-23 Championship billed to take place in Senegal later in the year
Nigeria Premier League hotshot, Tunde Adeniji of Sunshine Stars, leads the pack of fresh invitees.
There is a return for former junior international goalkeepers, Olufemi Thomas and Ikechukwu Ezenwa.
Also invited are regular faces like Solomon Kwambe and Nelson Ogbonnaya.
The players are expected to report to the Bolton White Apartments, Abuja on Monday, August 17.
Nigeria play Tanzania in Dar es Salaam on September 5 in one of Match Day 2 games of the qualification series for Gabon 2017. It will be Oliseh’s first match in charge of the Super Eagles.
List of invited players
GOALKEEPERS: Olufemi Thomas (Enyimba FC); David Obiazor (Heartland FC); Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars)
DEFENDERS: Orji Kalu (Enugu Rangers); Solomon Kwambe (Warri Wolves); Idris Aloma (Enyimba FC); Chima Akas (Sharks FC); Nelson Ogbonnaya (Heartland FC); Samson Gbadebo (Lobi Stars); Jamiu Alimi (Shooting Stars); Stephen Eze (Sunshine Stars)
MIDFIELDERS: Ifeanyi Mathew (El-Kanemi Warriors); Usman Mohammed (FC Taraba); Azubuike Okechukwu (Bayelsa United); Lordson Ichull (Warri Wolves); Kingsley Sokari (Enyimba FC); Etebo Oghenekaro (Warri Wolves)
FORWARDS: Ezekiel Bassey (Enyimba FC); Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves); Bright Ejike (Heartland FC); Tunde Adeniji (Sunshine Stars); Bright Onyedikachi (FC Ifeanyi Ubah); Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars)
