As many as seven players who represented Nigeria at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire didn’t make the list of players called up to the team for upcoming international friendly games against Ghana and Mali respectively, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

African vice champions Nigeria will take on Ghana’s Black Stars and Les Aigles of Mali in two top-grade friendly matches in the Moroccan city of Marrakech later this month.

The game against Ghana will be played on Friday, 22nd March while the game against Mali will be played on the from 9pm on Tuesday, 26th March at the same venue in the city of Marrakech.

Ahead of the games, the Super Eagles who are still without a substantive coach following the expiration of the contract of head coach Jose Peseiro have list of players called up to the team for both games made public by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Seven players who were part of the team that took part at the AFCON where they were beaten 1-2 by the host Cote d’Ivoire in the final were missing in the list for the game. They include captain Ahmed Musa, Joe Aribo, Paul Onuachu and Terem Moffi with the trio of Ola Aina, Zaidu Sanusi and William Troost-Ekong missing through injury.

Their spots were handed to two new players in Benjamin Tanimu who is based in Tanzanian and Luton Town’s Gabriel Osho. Others who are back in the squad includes Sadiq Umar, Tyronne Ebuehi, Cyriel Dessers, Nathan Tella , Jamilu Collins and Wilfred Ndidi.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC, Italy); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City, Wales); Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

African vice champions Nigeria will take on Ghana’s Black Stars and Les Aigles of Mali in two top-grade friendly matches in the Moroccan city of Marrakech later this month.

The clash with Ghana’s Black Stars, which comes up on Friday, 22nd March, is bound to resurrect vintage memories of a 73-year rivalry involving the West African giants, dating back to October 1951 when Nigeria bounced then Gold Coast 5-0 in a Jalco Cup encounter in Lagos.

Most recently, the two teams clashed in March 2022 in a two-legged play-off for a place at that year’s FIFA World Cup finals in Qatar, with the Black Stars edging the fixture on the away-goal rule after a 1-1 aggregate.

While Nigeria and Ghana will resume their rivalry at the Grand Stade de Marrakech as from 4pm Morocco time on 22nd March, the encounter between Nigeria and Mali will commence at the same venue as from 9pm on Tuesday, 26th March.

Nigeria have retained the bulk of the squad that finished as runners-up at the 34th Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire, but have recalled England-based defender Jamilu Collins, as well as Empoli FC of Italy’s Tyronne Ebuehi and Glasgow Rangers’ forward Cyriel Dessers.

Midfield enforcer Wilfred Ndidi, who missed the continental houseparty in Cote d’Ivoire returns from injury, while Bayer Leverkusen of Germany’s Nathan Tella and Turkey-based Fisayo Dele-Bashiru have fresh opportunities to stake claims to permanent shirts.

England-based defender Gabriel Osho and Tanzania-based Benjamin Tianimu are teaming up with the group for the first time.

ALL THE INVITED PLAYERS:

Goalkeepers: Stanley Nwabali (Chippa United, South Africa); Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Ojo Olorunleke (Enyimba FC)

Defenders: Gabriel Osho (Luton FC, England); Chidozie Awaziem (Boavista FC, Portugal); Bright Osayi-Samuel (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey); Tyronne Ebuehi (Empoli FC, Italy); Bruno Onyemaechi (Boavista FC, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa FC, Turkey); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); Calvin Bassey (Fulham FC, England); Jamilu Collins (Cardiff City, Wales); Benjamin Tianimu (Ihefu SC, Tanzania)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Raphael Onyedika (Club Brugge, Belgium); Alhassan Yusuf (Royal Antwerp FC, Belgium); Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Fulham FC, England)

Forwards: Nathan Tella (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany); Victor Osimhen (SSC Napoli, Italy); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Sadiq Umar (Real Sociedad, Spain); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Ademola Lookman (Atalanta FC, Italy); Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (Hatayspor, Turkey); Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest, England); Cyriel Dessers (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland)

The former coach of the senior national team of Cameroon António Conceição has officially joined the race to replace Super Eagles coach Jose Peseiro after the job was declared vacant by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal.

NFF made the decision to make the position vacant after failing to reach an agreement with Peseiro, whose contract expired at the end of last month and terms over an extension of his deal wasn’t reached due to disparity on his monthly wage.

While Peseiro is demanding for $120,000 a month pay, the NFF initially offered him $50,000 a month but later submitted an offer of $80,000 a month pay to the Portuguese but he rejected the latest offer making the NFF to declare the job vacant.

Conceição who is Portuguese like Peseiro and shares a very close relationship with the former Super Eagles coach has thrown his hat in the ring, although he is also in talks for a possible return as coach of the senior national team of Cameroon.

The coach who helped Cameroon to a bronze medal finish at the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations was constantly in touch with Peseiro during the AFCON, per what we exclusively gathered and was contacted by his compatriot before the win over Cameroon in the round of 16.

This is the second time that he will be applying for the Super Eagles post after failing to nick it last time out with the NFF deciding to hand the job to Peseiro, who led the team to a second place at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

Nigeria were beaten 2-1 in the final by the host, but Peseiro did meet the target of a semi final spot to trigger an extension to the short term deal he signed to cover the period of the AFCON. However a dispute over pay as mentioned above has now opened the door for Conceição, who can easily pass as his friend to replace him as coach of the Super Eagles before the resumption of the qualifiers for the World Cup 2026.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

As teams begin their plans for the summer transfer window ahead of the start of next season, one team that will definitely be in the market for a striker is English Premier League side Chelsea, OwnGoalNigeria.comreports.

Chelsea are still without a recognized goal scorer at the heart of their attack despite investing over £1 billion in their squad. It has make the signing of a striker top of their priority list going into the summer transfer window.

One player that they have on their list is 23 year old Nigerian forward Victor Boniface who has been a revelation for Bayer Leverkusen in the German Bundesliga, where they are currently holding a ten points lead over champions Bayern Munich.

Prior to getting injured, the forward who only joined the team from Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer found the back of the net ten times and also had seven assists which saw him win the league’s rookie of the month award three times in a row.

Expected to return to action in the next two weeks, Chelsea have identified him as a target in the summer according to the head of football at German publication BILD group.

“Victor Boniface came from Saint-Gilloise in 2023 for €16m. The striker scored 16 goals in 23 games and added eight goals. He is currently injured (adductors)”, Falk told Caughtoffside.com.

“Contract until 2028. Current market value €40m. Chelsea is tempting, but Bayer doesn’t want to sell him”, he said.

Daniel Martins

The coach of English Premier League side Fulham Marco Silva has praised the change of fortune of Calvin Bassey since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where he represented Nigeria.

Bassey was ever present for Nigeria in their run to the final of the tournament, where they were beaten 1-2 by the host Cote d’Ivoire in a game where they let a one goal lead slip to lose the trophy.

Since returning back to Fulham, the 24 year old has looked unstoppable looking the part for a Fulham side who have won their last two games against Manchester United and Brighton respectively in convincing fashion.

His time at Ajax was blighted with criticisms leading to his departure one year after he joined the team in from Scottish side Rangers.

Speaking ahead of this weekend game against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Silva praised the improvement of the former Leicester City youth team player who was signed in the summer from Dutch giants Ajax.

” He has really grown into what we expected when he was signed and he is still improving in certain areas. The experience of playing in a senior international tournament has also worked for his development, the level he is playing now is down to playing at a tournament”, the coach said.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has declared vacant the position of the head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria following deadlock in talks to extend the deal of Jose Peseiro, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Peseiro’s contract ran out in the summer and an agreement to extend the deal wasn’t reached before it’s expiration. Both parties failed to reach an agreement on the wage that the coach who led the team to the final of the AFCON, where they were beaten 1-2 by the host will earn.

An improved offer was sent to his representative but his financial demand of $120,000 a month as opposed to the NFF’s $50,000 a month pay was deemed insufficient, and not the last offer of $80,000 was seen as good enough by the coach.

In response, the NFF declared his job vacant and called for interested candidates to apply for the job and that of the coach of the U17 team of Nigeria, which was last handled by Nduka Ugbade.

The announcement was made on the social media handle of the NFF and it read thus.

VACANCY 1

HEAD COACH OF THE SENIOR MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM (SUPER EAGLES)

Are you a passionate and experienced football coach ready to take on the challenge of leading the national team? The Nigeria Football Federation INFF) is pleased to announce openings for the position of Head Coach for the Senior Men’s National Football Team, Super Eagles

Requirements:

-Relevant Coaching qualifications

-Proven experience at the elite level of football management

-A successful track record in leading teams

Applications can be sent to the email [email protected] or via the links

-Knowledge of African Football will be an added advantage

Deadline: Applications must be received by the Office of the General Secretary latest by 6pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024

A match-winning goal in the Reds’ first home game back in the big time bode well, but Awoniyi had only three Premier League efforts to his name by the end of the calendar year.

He would finish the campaign as the first Forest player to reach double figures in the English top flight since Stan Collymore in 1995.

A flurry of six efforts in his final four games took Awoniyi to that notable landmark.

More of the same was delivered at the start of 2023-24 – as he burst out of the blocks with three in three – and Forest was beginning to earn favor with bettors.co.zm, the betting experts, pooling a wide range of markets from leading sites that cover everything from survival prices to first scorer odds, before fitness issues struck once more.

After being ruled out in mid-November, Awoniyi did not play again until the end of January – sitting out the Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles in the process.

Forest was eager to avoid taking any risks with their star No.9 and eased him back into action.

That process remains ongoing, with Reds boss Nuno Espirito Santo saying to nottinghamforest.news of a rust-shaking exercise: “Strikers are about scoring but for us it’s more than that. They have to work, they have to read the game and when the moment comes put it inside the net. We know he’s struggling in terms of fitness, it’s up to us to manage him.”

Forest is aware of just how important Awoniyi is to their collective cause.

He may have arrived at the City Ground with a hefty price tag around his neck, but he has quickly become a priceless commodity.

Awoniyi has proved a Premier League point where it matters most – out on the field.

Without his goals last season, Forest could easily be playing Championship right now, while the hope is – as covered by bbc.co.uk – that he can replicate those heroics and keep them among the elite for at least another 12 months.

Questions are, however, still being asked.

Capable

It is impossible to ignore the fact that Awoniyi has sat out 27 games – almost three-quarters of an entire campaign – across less than two years.

He may have shown himself to be capable of not only holding his own but getting the better of the finest defenders that the Premier League has to offer, but that skill set is worthless if it cannot be put to good use.

Awoniyi will believe that he has been unfortunate, with injuries merely part of the game, but he needs to show that he can stay fit if potential is to be turned into something more tangible.

The decision to represent Nigeria at the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations has put the club future of one of the stars of the team in jeopardy, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Nigeria went all the way to the final of the tournament before losing 1-2 to the host Cote d’Ivoire in the final. More misery is now on one of the players who played in that final for the Super Eagles.

That player is Kelechi Iheanacho, who hasn’t gotten a look in for any league game since returning from the tournament , where he played in only two games and scored the decisive penalty that sent Nigeria into the final.

Iheanacho went against the wish of coach Enzo Maresca by agreeing to represent Nigeria at the tournament as he wasn’t fully fit after picking up a knock few weeks to the start of the tournament. The injury saw him arrive late for the tournament and reduced his game time.

Maresca while speaking on the lack of game time for Iheanacho since his return from the AFCON said it’s not injury related, but decision he has to made and said with the number of players absent he could get a look in their game two days ago.

Now back at promotion chasing Leicester City, the 27 year old has only made the bench once in a league game which was yesterday’s 1-0 win away to Sunderland, and he was introduced in the 78th minute. The game also saw a return to action for his international teammate Wilfred Ndidi who missed the AFCON due to injury.

The duo will be out of contract in the summer and Maresca has long said a decision on their future will be made known in April.

Osas Mahawi

The pressure of making a big move money often results in fans and others demanding an outright performance from players when they arrive at their new clubs, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

That pressure most times lead to criticism particularly if the team in question isn’t doing better and the new signing has failed to play a part in distinguishing himself from the poor  fortunes of the
team.

Such is what Nigeria international winger Samuel Chukwueze is currently facing at Italian Serie A side AC Milan, the team he joined in the summer from Spanish side Villarreal for a fee in the region of €20m after an extra ordinary season where he found the back of the net 13 times with 11 assists in all competitions.

However he hasn’t matched that height at his new side with just two goals and one assist in his first 21 games for the team. It has led to several harsh opinions on the rationale behind spending that big on him, which was the heaviest they invested in any player in the summer.

The lastest to fire a barb at the Nigeria international is Sky Sports pundit Peppe Di Stefano, who lamented the fact that he is yet to live up to the form.that led to his signing which made him the most expensive among all the ten players signed in the summer by the club.

“He doesn’t have great alternatives at right wing, because Chukwueze is the disappointment of the season. Only 10 starts and few minutes for a player who hasn’t shown the qualities he showed with Villarreal”, he said after the win against Lazio in the Serie A.

Ade Emmanuel

Head coach of Wolverhampton Wanderers Gary O’Neil made a bold move to include Wesley Okoduwa in his matchday squad for their English Premier League game against Newcastle United, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Wesley who is the son of Emmanuel Okoduwa, a former senior international striker for Nigeria who is famed for his exploits in Ukraine during his playing days and earned five caps for Nigeria.

The 15 year old ranks very high in the list of the top prospects at the club with his displays for the U18s where he plays as a right back good enough for a spot on the bench for the game which they lost 0-3 at St.James Park.

The coach explained that a lack of option made him to include the teen defender in his team, saying the sudden withdrawal of Joao Gomes with a hamstring injury made it possible for Okoduwa, who had to skip school to be in the squad.

“Wes missed school yesterday to come with us and sit on the bench today but he’s trained really well, he’s physically very good, so it’s one where we were short, but he wasn’t meant to be sub, Joao Gomes was meant to be sub but he didn’t feel great with his hamstring when he woke up this morning, so Wes ended up going on the bench”, Gary O’Neil told Wolves official webpage

“It’s probably slightly too early in his development, but it’s the situation we’re in.”

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman