There are indications that Nigeria will pick a hattrick of award tonight at the CAF Awards which will take place in Abuja.

The list of the final nominees was revealed by CAF earlier today and we gathered it came with protest from some other interest, who felt some players were axed to protect the interest of Nigerian players.

For instance the exclusion of Atalanta Ivorian forward Franck Kessie from the final list of nominees for the Youth Player of the Year Award was so done to give Alex Iwobi of Nigeria and Arsenal free pass to clinching the award.

Meanwhile in the Promising Player of the Year category Oghenekaro Etebo who was the poster boy of Nigeria at the Rio 2016 was axed, so too the golden boy of Egyptian football Ramadan Soby, leaving Kelechi Iheanacho as favourite.

Meanwhile Arsenal Ladies forward Asisat Oshaola is expected to beat all comers for the award of the best female Footballer in Africa, as she was one of the stars of Nigeria’s AWC triumph in Cameroon.

Dutch Nigerian full back Tyronne Ebuehi has for the first time spoken out on his decision to opt for Nigeria after initially turning down the chance to represent them.

Ebuehi was called up by Nigeria for the World Cup 2018 qualifiers tie against Algeria, but the 20 year old full back turned down the invitation despite initially agreeing to play in the game.

Eligible to play for Netherlands and Nigeria, his initially refusal to honour the call up by Nigeria lead to talks about a potential snub of the Eagles for the Dutch national team.

However after coach of the Nigeria national team Gernot Rohr confirmed he has agreed to play for Nigeria against Senegal in a friendly tie. Ebuehi has revealed why he now wants to play for Nigeria.

Ebuehi in an interview published on the website of his Dutch side ADO Den Haag said he initially said “no” to Nigeria because he wasn’t playing much for his time.

According to the full back who is confident on either flank of the defence, he later said “yes” to playing for Nigeria because he is happy that a big football playing nation like Nigeria want him.

Italian Serie A side AS Roma are set to be without their young Nigerian right back Nura Abdullahi for the rest of the season, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.

Nura has been unlucky with injuries since joining Serie A giants Roma from Serie B side Spezia. The injuries have stopped him from making his first team debut for the team.

In November 2015, he underwent surgery to correct a heart defect which kept him out of action for four months, and upon his return he ruptured his posterior cruciate in his right knee.

He was operated in May and after a sustained period of rehabilitation, it is now confirmed that his chances of playing this season are all but over following a late discovery about his true condition.

It was discovered that the speddy full back, who can also play as a wingback is suffering from an injury far serious than initially diagnosed, hence his comeback has been tagged indefinite for now.

Former captain of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Vincent Enyeama has replied comments made by the coach of Nigeria Gernot Rohr that he refused to take nor return his calls when he tried reaching him on phone.

Speaking in Lagos during a media parley, Rohr said he reached out to the Lille shot stopper to help solve the team goalkeeper crisis, when Carl Ikeme pulled up injured before the World Cup qualifiers against Algeria but Enyeama didn’t take nor return his calls.

“When we had crisis in our hands after Carl Ikeme’s injury, I called him (Enyeama) over 10 times and he never responded nor called back”, Rohr said to Owngoalnigeria.com.

” I am happy with how Daniel Akpeyi responded to the test when he was called up as emergency cover, but he needs to buckle up because we can’t solely depend on Ikeme”.

However in a short reply to the story via his official twitter handle @Vinpee. Enyeama cleared the air by saying he didn’t get a call from the coach and wonder why he said so.

” Why do people take pleasure in lies just because Enyeama is mentioned. The coach never got me on phone, so I wonder why he said that”, he post right under the link of the story published by Owngoalnigeria.com.

* With help From @Cybereagles.

The future and chances of home based players in the team of Super Eagles has been clearly explained by the coach of the team Gernot Rohr.

Rohr who has been under fire from some section of the media over the lack of inclusion of Nigeria Premier League players in the Super Eagles, since taking over as coach revealed his local assistants have the duty to scout the best talents for him in the league.

He said Imama Amakapabo and Salisu Yusuf have both been mandated to send him videos of all the best players in the Nigeria league before a decision will be made on their possible inclusion.
“Our objective is to have young players. Players who are motivated, players who like their country and are honoured to represent their country. For the local players, I have my assistants, Imama (Amakapabo) who sends me videos of all the best players, which is why I am happy to have him in my staff”, Rohr said.

“Even when I don’t see a lot of the games, the chief coach Salisu Yusuf is on hand to give me important information. I listen to them and together we do the work because I cannot be everywhere. In the game against Algeria, we had five local players. I saw them in Spain and my assistants recommended them. I trust my assistants and I believe we have a good staff”.

Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho favourite position in the Super Eagles of Nigeria is not certain as a top striker according to coach of the team Gernot Rohr.

Rohr while speaking in Lagos was asked about the favourite role of the Manchester City star who lead the line for the team against Algeria, in their last World Cup 2018 game which they won 3-1.
Talks have been about Iheanacho playing in the number 10 position for the team, but the coach says there’s still time between now and when Nigeria regroups for their next assignment to take a decision on his best role.

“It’s still a long time before our next qualifier. A lot of things would have happened. I cannot say who will be our No.9 or No.10. We have our two number nines, Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye. Of course we have Kelechi who had a good game against Algeria”‘

“Also Victor Osimhen is having a good beginning at Wolfsburg. I spoke with Wolfsburg manager and he said Victor is doing very well. And who says Victor who will be playing in the Bundesliga cannot come and play as our number nine? We don’t know what the team will be like in the coming months.”

Turkish based Super Eagles defender Musa Muhammed would have to switch teams this January if he wants to keep his spot in the team.

Coach of the Nigeria senior team Gernot Rohr revealed that he is unhappy with Musa’s lack of playing time at high flying Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir , where he has only made three appearances. All in cup games.

Rparticularly on the look out for teams for the former captain of the Nigeria U-20 to help him gain enough playing time ahead of the resumption of the World Cup 2018 qualifiers.

In each national team you have players who can have problems in their clubs. I knew of this situation already in other countries, in Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso. For example Alain Traorekina Faso. For example Alain Traore for Burkina Faso who didn’t play”, Rohr said will speaking on the inactivity of John Obi Mikel, Odion Ighalo and Ahmed Musa for their respective English teams.

“So this situation is not new for me. Now the January transfer window is open which means these players can change clubs. I had contact on Tuesday morining with one of our players in Turkey. So what we want to do now is help him find a club. Of course our job is also to help players to play or change clubs, to give good information to managers in order to make things work.

“We had problems with the right-back position and the player who is expected to play there, Musa Muhammed, has to change clubs too. When I don’t have players playing, I try to find those who are playing. Players are everywhere even those with double nationality.

A Chelsea fan based in Ukraine named Nazar has penned a farewell note to departing midfielder John Obi Mikel, as he close in on a move away from the club after ten years at Stamford Bridge.

Read letter below.

Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr confirmed talks with a German defender of Nigerian descent who he hopes will play for the Eagles soon.

“Aside from Tyrone, we have found a player in Germany who was playing in the Bundesliga last year but has gone down on relegation. Rohr stated.

He continued: “He is 20 years old. He told me it’s an honour for him to come to play for the country of his father, his mother is German. He is like Balogun, very quick and very good. Hopefully he will come too.

“So now, we have the time to see them play in their clubs, speak and meet with them, bring them in a good condition in order to help us for the qualification”

Rohr was actually referring to Fabian Senninger, and not Joel Noah Sarenren-Bazee as been speculated in some quarters. Senninger is a full back who only recently joined German youth side Hannover 96 from Nike Academy. He confirmed that his father wants him to go the way of his uncle and play for Germany, but he wants to play for Nigeria,

“My father is saying I should play for Germany like my uncle, but me myself personal I want to play for Nigeria, there are so many good players in Germany and it’s easy to win the World Cup with Germany but I want to win the World Cup with Nigeria and get the first star”, Senninger said in an interview with Channels TV.

Coach of the Super Eagles of Nigeria Gernot Rohr has voiced out his lack of options at right back and if Senninger makes the progress as expected, he could be handed a call up by the German coach of Nigeria.

So far he has made 16 appearances with two goals to his name from his role as a full back or right winger for the B team of the 2. Bundesliga side in the Regional League North., as he continues to progress through the ranks ahead of a possible debut for the first team next year.