The recent clearance given to Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to switch to the senior national team of Nigeria has sparked a debate on who he will likely replace in the current team, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Okonkwo who is currently the first choice of Wrexham who are pushing to secure a playoff spot, that could lead to promotion to the English Premier League will add to the options available to head coach Eric Chelle.

Highly rated by Chelle, his inclusion will cost one of the trio of Adebayo Adeleye, Amas Obasogie or Francis Uzoho their spot in the squad,per what we exclusively gathered.

However it all depends on how soon regular first choice Stanley Nwabali gets a new club after leaving South Africa side Chippa United by mutual consent. In his absence Uzoho stays.

Maduka Okoye is said to be Chelle’s top pick as first choice now with Okonkwo seen as his deputy. Although Uzoho is well loved by the technical crew for his maturity, excellent spirit and good attitude to training.

It means Chelle will always want him around, but it all will depend on how Okonkwo settles into the team with sources saying he could be involved in the Unity Cup in May.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has been accused of not paying attention to Nigerian players playing in top African Leagues regardless of how well they are playing, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Since taking over as coach of the Nigerian team over a year ago, the coach has only called the goalkeeping duo of Stanley Nwabali formerly of Chippa United of South Africa and Amas Obasogie of Tanzanian side Singida.

The coach is yet to call any outfield player from leagues in Africa, and top football agent Michael Stanley says it is not fair because every African country give opportunities to players based in Africa.

” I don’t think it’s fair to only scout for players in Europe. We have Onuche Ogbelu doing very well in Tunisia for Esperance and Emmanuel Ogbole is seen as as the best player in the Tunisian league at the moment”, he said.

” There is Sodiq Awujoola of Cleopatra in Egypt and also Etiosa Ighodaro of Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa. All these players are from leagues that have players in the national team.

” To me there is a touch of bias in the way he is operating at the moment and his scouts have not been fair to him”, he concluded.

The first choice goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Stanley Nwabali is not in the plans of head coach Eric Chelle for their upcoming friendly games in the month of May and June respectively.

Nwabali has been without a club after terminating his deal with South Africa side Chippa United, shortly after returning from the AFCON with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

He was subsequently left out of the team that prosecuted the recently concluded four team invitational tournament in Turkey. Chelle handed a recall to the duo of Maduka Okoye and Adebayo Adeleye.

Okoye started the first game against Iran with Nwabali’s deputy Francis Uzoho keeping goal in the second game, before getting subbed off in the second half picking up a knock which led to his substitution for Adeleye.

Ahead of the upcoming games at the Unity Cup in May which will take place in London with Nigeria up against Zimbabwe, and the high profile friendly games against Poland and Portugal respectively Chelle has started preparations.

OwnGoalNigeria.com can exclusively reveal that Nwabali is not going to be in the squad with newly cleared goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo coming into the frame. Adeleye will also not be handed another chance after failing to impress Chelle.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The chances of Millwall winger Femi Azeez getting a first time call up to the senior national team of Nigeria got a huge boost yesterday when he was confirmed as a nominee for the English Championship player of the season, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

The 24 year old who has four goals and four assists this season for Millwall who are chasing a play off spot has proven himself as one of the top stars in the English second division. He is already linked to teams in the English Premier League.

Top of the chasing pack is Aston Villa with Leeds United also monitoring discussion around his future. His form has also caught the attention of the coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle.

Azeez who is eligible for both England and Nigeria is yet to be capped at any level, but sources say he is more inclined to playing for the Super Eagles leaving the decision to Chelle.

Chelle we reliably gathered is still gathering information on the winger and will make a decision, ahead of their return to England in the summer for the Unity Cup friendly tournament.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

The most talked about Nigerian player the past one week is relatively unknown winger Zadok Yohanna of Swedish side AIK after his impressive debut in the Allsvenskan.

We exclusively reported his transfer eight months ago , and also his impressive performance in pre season and Cup games in the build up to his debut over the weekend in the league.

Zadok who was spotted from Kaduna where he represented Ikon Allah Football Academy wasted no time in showing what he is all about. He netted the winner to hand his team a 2-1 win over Halmstad.

Aside his goal he was a thorn in the defence of Halmstad operating from the right. He struck the ball twice and completed all his attempted dribble in the course of the game.

His performance has already alerted the whole of Europe and Scout Herish Sadi, who discovered Zadok Yohanna in Nigeria while playing for Ikon Allah FC has now revealed how it all went.

“I was really impressed when I watched him play as a number 10 and on the wing. There were a lot of scouts there, and we had to move fast. I called AIK’s CEO and said; How would a hundred million Krona (10 million Euros) feel? You need to close this deal right away. If he doesn’t turn out well, fire me. Fire me without compensation, I said.

“I negotiated with the president and managers there. I actually closed the deal that same evening, and he officially became an AIK player”.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Newly confirmed goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Arthur Okonkwo had a day to forget in the English Championship after his team were thrashed 5-1 by Southampton.

Southampton leapfrogged Wrexham into sixth place in the Championship with an emphatic victory over their play-off rivals at Stok Cae Ras with Okonkwo, who got the all clear to play for the senior national team of Nigeria by FIFA in goal.

Kuryu Matsuki and Flynn Downes both netted early goals for the visitors, who dominated from the outset. Having been second best in the opening 30 minutes, the hosts grew into the contest and responded through Josh Windass’ composed finish.

But Cyle Larin took advantage of a loose pass after the hour mark to rifle home – with Ross Stewart and Finn Azaz adding further efforts late on as the Saints sealed a fifth successive win.

Southampton – who boast a game in hand over each of their top-six rivals – move up one place and two points above the Red Dragons, who drop to seventh.

It’s obviously not the best way the 24 year old would have loved to celebrate his viral switch of nationality from England to Nigeria.

The real reason why head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle is demanding a new deal has been revealed to OwnGoalNigeria.com.

Chelle still has a year to go on his current deal as coach of the team. Talks over an extension started after leading the team to a third place finish at the AFCON in January, but no much progress has been made.

We gathered the deadlock is in the region of his wages with the Malian demanding around $150,000 a month. A significant rise from his current pay of around $75,000.

Sources say the coach is pushing for a new deal because he wants to lead the team to the next major tournament, and feels with the upcoming Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) election a new president could affect his desire to achieve the feat.

He wants a deal that will secure his future even if there is a regime change in the NFF with current president Ibrahim Musa Gusua struggling to hold on to his position, after failing to qualify the team for the world cup for the second consecutive edition.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

Nigeria international forward Moses Simon was honoured by top division Belgium side Gent over the weekend for his contributions during his time at the club, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Simon joined Gent in the January transfer window of 2015 from Slovakian side AS Trenčín and immediately became a key player in coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck’s formation and helped Gent win their first ever national Championship title in May 2015.

Two months later, Simon assisted Laurent Depoitre’s winning goal in the 2015 Belgian Super Cup against cup winners Club Brugge. It was the first time that the club has won the double in their existence. A record that remains till date.

Now at French Ligue 1 side Paris FC, he left Gent for a record fee after three years to Spanish side Levante in 2018. He was honoured for his contributions to the team during his time at the club in front of the fans before their game at the weekend against Mechelen.

Fans of the club held banner with his name and chanted songs of praise for the 30 year old who left the club with 21 goals and 16 assists in 136 games across all competitions.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman

World football governing body FIFA has confirmed the completion of the switch of nationality of Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo from England to Nigeria, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Reports emerged this week that the 24 year old is yet to commit to Nigeria despite wide spread reports, and also statements from the Super Eagles camp and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

FIFA on their official website confirmed that the goalkeeper has successfully switched to Nigeria after receiving the mandatory clearance from England, the team he represented at various youth levels.

It brings to an end debates around his international future, and automatically means he is available for the Super Eagles for their upcoming friendly games in the Unity Cup in May and the games against Poland and Portugal respectively.

Okonkwo who has been key to the promotion push of Wrexham will now battle with Maduka Okoye of Udinese for the number one spot with Stanley Nwabali not active at the moment.

Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman