The plans to keep Super Eagles players plying their trade in China fit for Nigeria’s next competitive game against South Africa in the AFCON 2019 qualifiers has been revealed by coach of the team Gernot Rohr.

There has been doubts surrounding the future of the trio of captain John Obi Mikel, Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye who all moved to China but Rohr was quick in dispelling such thoughts when it cropped up months ago.

Rohr left them out of the Eagles last friendly game against Senegal as they were still settling at their base in China, but the coach has now hinted on how he plans to integrate them into his squad for the South Africa game, which comes up on June 10.

” They (players) need to work hard, we have two and a half weeks to prepare for South Africa after which we will play another friendly game to accommodate some other players, who will be ending their season in June, especially the players playing in China.

” It’s not going to be easy for them to come from China on June 5, there is going to be a lot of difference and a bit difficult, but we have a good programme to prepare everybody for that important South Africa, and the next World Cup qualifier against Cameroon”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com correspondent Osas Mahawi.

* Osas Mahawi

Serie A side Torino are presently running the rule on two talented Nigerian teen spotted by scouts of the team during the recently concluded Viareggio Tournament in Italy.

The duo of Ikechukwu Nwafor and Charles Okwara were spotted by scouts of the club while turning out for their Nigerian side Garden City Panthers of Port Hacourt.

Already they have started training with the Primavera side of the Serie A side, that presently has former Super Eagles ace Joel Obi on their books.

They are both offensive midfielders with lots of potentials, especially when it comes to making use of the ball and covering grounds.

Torino will offer the duo professional contracts, if they impressed the handlers of the team during a trial that is suppose to last at least one month.

* Daniel Martins

Ezekiel Bassey loan spell at Spanish giants Barcelona has been brought to a premature end following a shoulder injury picked up in training on Monday.

The 20 year old joined the La-Liga outfit on a six months loan deal from Enyimba FC of Aba in Nigeria, with the option of making the deal permanent in the summer based on performances.

However issues surrounding issuance of a work permit has delayed his debut, as he is yet to be given the all clear to feature in competitive games for the B team of the Catalan giants.

His performances in test games failed to convince the coaches of the high flying B team, who are sure candidate for promotion back to the second division, as they are top with an unassailable lead with six games left to play.

” Bassey’s loan deal is over, he is so unlucky to be ruled out of the season after picking up a shoulder injury. The injury was thought to be a minor one but scans showed it’s worst than initially feared.

” He will be out for four to five weeks, which means as at when he is fit again. The league would have been over. I feel pity for the lad because this happened when he was beginning to settle down in Spain”, his intermediary told Owngoalnigeria.com.

* Daniel Martins

The latest FIFA ranking released by FIFA earlier today came with shades of good news for Nigeria following the Super Eagles rise to 40th in the world and 5th in Africa.

Nigeria picked up points from the 1-1 draw against Senegal in London to move up one spot in the latest ranking, and also behind Egypt, Senegal, Cameroon and Burkina Faso in Africa’s top five.

Cameroon who are the next opponent of the Super Eagles are still ranked higher than the Gernot Rohr lead team, but the Eagles are ranked higher than fellow World Cup 2018 qualifiers group rivals Algeria and Zambia who are ranked 54th and 97th.

South Africa, Libya, and Seychelles who are group rivals to Nigeria in the race to be at the 2019 AFCON are ranked 64th, 91st and 196th respectively. The qualifiers starts in June.

* Ade Emmanuel

Ahmed Musa has been cleared off all allegations of domestic violence lodged against him by the Police following a complaint of domestic abuse against the 24 year old.

Musa was questioned by the police over allegations of beating up his wife and mother of his two kids Jamila, but was subsequently released after questioning with no further charge launched against him.

” The whole arrest thing came like a shock to Musa, very funny because he went out with his wife, only for him to be arrested upon arrival. They went to celebrate her birthday. This is weird”, a close associate of the player told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” I don’t get where the whole issue started from but there is no truth in it. Even the police had to release him without pressing charges. Musa has never hit anyone in his life talk more of his wife.

” A perfect gentleman like Musa will never ever hit anyone. He is not that type, please this bad press has to stop, It’s not fair on him and his family”.

* Daniel Martins

Despite calls from most Nigerians on coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr to include the top scorer in the Nigeria Professional League Stephen Odey in his plans, Owngoalnigeria.com can exclusively reveal some other plays are well ahead of him.

A source close to the coach revealed, there are about three players, the coach plan to call up to the team for their next friendly games before the AFCON 2019 qualifiers game against South Africa.

Odey who has 13 goals for modest side MFM FC who are currently pushing for the league title in Nigeria is surprisingly not on the list of the coach potential invitee at least for now.

” Odey is a forward, Super Eagles are well stocked in that department of the pitch although, we still can’t rule out the invitation of new players for some proposed friendly games”, he told Owngoalnigeria.com.

” Presently I know the coach is looking at three players for future invitation, and they are all forwards. Henry Onyekuru of Eupen, Samuel Kalu of Gent and Kingsley Ehizibue who can also operate as a forward aside his primary role as a full back.

” These players are almost certain to be picked ahead of Odey. Rohr won’t call up a player for the sake of calling a player, not his way. Odey will have to wait for his time”.

* Osas Mahawi

Recent moves by Nigeria to cap the talented duo of Ola Aina and Chuba Akpom who have both represented England at various youth level has dominated discussions in the media.

A member of the English FA Technical department who spoke with Owngoalnigeria.com revealed , the FA are aware of the tricks Nigeria are using on the players.

” It’s a case of using what they can offer in the immediate against the future plans we have for the lads. Wilfred Zaha couldn’t wait for his time with England, now he plays on a regular basis for Ivory Coast.

” Same thing Nigeria are doing with the likes of Aina and Akpom, only in Nigeria’s case, they are using the World Cup 2018 as a bait to lure this players as they are in strong position to qualify.

” These players are guarantee to play at the highest stage of World football with Nigeria in few years time, which might not be the case with us. It’s unfair to us but we can’t help it”, he told Michael James of Owngoalnigeria.com.

*Michael James

The current injury woes of the first choice goalkepper of the Super Eagles Carl Ikeme could hamper the Eagles chances of qualifying for World Cup 2018 according to a former Nigeria international.

Emmanuel Babayaro who picked up three caps for Nigeria during the era of Clemens Westerhoff says a suitable back up for the Wolverhampton shot stopper should be the priority for now.

” It’s clear why Rohr still wants Vincent Enyeama. Ikeme has fitness issues, simply put he is injury prone. Remember injury knocked him out of the return leg against Egypt during the qualifiers for the last AFCON.

” Daniel Akpeyi deputised for him in that game, and we crashed out. Ikeme also caused panic when he was ruled out of the Algeria clash in the World Cup 2018 qualifiers, then the Senegal game. I’m afraid you can’t rely on a goalkepper with such injury record.

” We need to groom or search for options who will push Ikeme or come in for him when he is not available. For now with all due respect to Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa they are not at Ikeme’s level”.

*Daniel Martins

Head coach of the Super Eagles Salisu Yusuf has explained why coach FC Ifeanyi Uba shot stopper Ikechukwu Ezenwa is enjoying the favour of the technical crew.

Ezenwa’s continual invitation has divided opinion among most football lovers in Nigeria, as he is yet to be given a chance to man the post even when they had goalkepper crisis.

Franco-German Technical Adviser of the team Gernot Rohr who calls the shot has often prefer Chippa United ace Daniel Akpeyi to the former Nigeria U-20 shot stopper in the absence of first choice Carl Ikeme.

Explaining in a radio interview monitored by Owngoalnigeria.com, Yusuf revealed the reason why Ezenwa is in the team despite failing to dislodge the other two goalkeepers.

“Ezenwa has been in the team because we wanted to keep the team together [he was a member of the team since last CHAN]. But it doesn’t mean he can’t be changed, he told Lagos Talks 91.3Fm.

*Ade Emmanuel