The coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Jose Peseiro has been forced into adjusting his back four ahead of the first of the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau, OGN can exclusively reveal.

Peseiro’s team will on Friday take on Guinea Bissau at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja but preparation for the game which was short has been affected by the absence of a key player in the plans leading to the game.

OGN exclusively gathered that because of the short time available for preparation for the game, Peseiro’s plan was to stick with three of the players who were in the back four in the 0-4 defeat against Portugal.

In the absence of William Troost Ekong who is out injured, the coach wanted to stick with the quartet of Bright Osayi-Samuel, Calvin Bassey, Kevin Akpoguma and Zaidu Sanusi a player he is familiar with at left back but that plans has now hit a brick wall of some sorts.

Sanusi is yet to arrive camp, meaning it’s either Bassey switches to left back or Boavista star man Bruno Onyemaechi gets his debut. Peseiro already experimented with the set up during yesterday’s training.

The camp of the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of Friday’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea Bissau is bubbling with 22 of the 23 invited players now available for the start of tactical training, OGN reports.

Top striker Victor Osimhen arrived yesterday after the team’s training session in the evening and will take part in training this morning with the rest of the players, who were put through their paces yesterday by head coach Jose Peseiro.

Peseiro already has an idea of how his starting lineup will look like and the possible tactics he will employ to get a good result against Guinea Bissau which will see them move to within one win away from a spot at the next Africa Cup of Nations.

However he could be forced into making one change into his preferred back four with Zaidu Sanusi still unavailable as at the time of this report. He was expected to be the left back for the game on Friday in a back four.

Zaidu’s absence could see the coach deploy Calvin Bassey to left back instead of the center back role he was earlier billed to play. His likely partner will be Kevin Akpoguma with Semi Ajayi also pushing for a starting spot. Below is the list of the 21 players in camp.

Akpoguma, Aribo, Lookman, Iwobi, Ajayi, Aniagboso, Uzoho, Ndidi, Bameyi, Omeruo, Onyeka, Simon, Onuachu, Osayi, Musa, Moffi, Sochima, Bassey, Onyemaechi, Chukwueze, Iheanacho, Osimhen.

The senior national team of Nigeria had their first real training session yesterday ahead of Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers game against Burkina Faso at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja, OGN reports.

21 players took part in the session which was supervised by head coach of the team Jose Peseiro and his assistants. Three goalkeepers were part of the session which was interrupted by a power cut which forced them to bring it to a premature end.

New goalkeepers trainer, Abideen Baruwa Olatunji warmed the three goalkeepers in camp led by first choice goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and two newly invited goakeepers in Victor Sochima and Nigeria U20 shot stopper Chijioke Anigboso.

The goakeepers were made to face the players in several drill which includes shooting and as expected Uzoho was by far the most assuring but Anigboso was the one who stole the show with his reflexes and ball handling.

He dealt with crosses, held shots and commanded his area brilliantly all through the session much to the admiration of the other players in the team particularly the senior players.

During the shooting drills he stopped all that was aimed at him just like Uzoho. Sochima was beaten thrice. Chijioke’s performance is a follow up to his showing at the U20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, where Nigeria who finished as third sealed a spot at the U20 World Cup.

The senior national team of Nigeria had their first real training session ahead of the 2023 back to back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau , OGN reports.

21 players took part in the session that took place at the Moshood Abiola stadium and was supervised by head coach of the team Jose Peseiro and his assistants primarily for the first of the two games against Guinea Bissau which will be held on Friday.

Peseiro and his wards were forced to cut short the session after an hour as it became dark with the public source of power unavailable, the plans to switch to an alternative source failed as the power generating plant at the stadium refused to come on.

OGN also noticed that the team didn’t come to training with their designated team bus, which we gathered is faulty. They came in a white bus hired by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF ) as cover for the team.

They will have another session this morning with 22 players expected to take part following the arrival of top striker Victor Osimhen few minutes after the team’s return from training.

Damian Waziri

The Nigeria U23 team will take on Guinea in the first leg of their U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers game tomorrow in Abuja. Already the team have been training in Abuja under the guidance of coach Salisu Yusuf and his assistant Kennedy Boboye.

Their preparation wasn’t smooth sailing as 16 of the 30 invited players from the local scene were found out to be above the age forcing the coaches to call up 16 players based abroad for the game.

OGN editor in chief Mohammed Mowiz takes a look at the foreign players invited for the game using the amount of games they have played and if they merit a call up to the team.

1- Success Makanjuola (FK Liepaja, Latvia); Bello Babatunde (Future FC, Egypt); Isaiah Ejeh (Mjallby Alf, Sweden); Abiodun Ogunniyi (FK Auda, Latvia); Monsuru Opeyemi Abdullahi (FC Vizela, Portugal);

Mowiz – As the captain of the team and one who was key in the run that brought them to this stage, Makanjuola naturally picks himself despite the fact that he sparingly plays in Latvia following his move in January to Liepaja.

Ejeh has played just four minutes of senior football this season in Sweden but again he was a part of the team that played in the last round of qualifiers. However at club level he isn’t cutting it and has been demoted to the U21.

Ogunniyi popularly called Omojesu scored one of the goals that helped them beat Tanzania and qualify for this game. He hasn’t done badly at Latvian side Auda this season.

Opeyemi, A member of the 2019 Nigeria U17 team and had a very good pre season for Vizela and it earned him a starting spot in their first game of the season but since then he has been dropped to the U23s. Meanwhile his fellow Nigerian Friday Etim at the same club has played 12 games this season and even has a goal. Why the 20 year old striker wasn’t called up is what I will never understand.

Babatunde can easily pass as one of the best players in the Nigeria Professional Football League in his position as a midfielder while at Sunshine Stars and later Akwa United. However the fact that the 19 year old has only played one game in Egypt, where he is now means his call up can’t be said to be on current form.

2. Omole Akinyinka Olaoluwakitan (Athletic Newham, UK); Owen Tega Udoh (UD San Sebastian Reyes, Spain); Azeez Temitope Yusuf (Mjallby Alf, Sweden); Charles Uba (Lillestrom FC, Norway); Simon Omon (Clube Operation Desportivo, Portugal);

Mowiz – Olaoluwakitan plays non league football in the 9th division of English football for Newham. How was he scouted and how did he make the list? Only Salisu can explain.

The same way he only can provide answers to the invitation of Tega Udoh who plays in the Spanish 5th division and Omon who plays in the 4th division in Portugal, but Azeez of Swedish side Mjallby is an exciting talent right from his days at Gombe United. Credit must also be given to the crew on the invitation of Charles who has been a revelation in Norway this season for Lillestroem.

3. Ihekuna Maximillian Ugochukwu (FC Sfintul Gheorghe Suruceni, Moldova); Chukwudi Goodluck Igbokwe (KAA Gent, Belgium); Abass Saidi (Zagalata FC, Azerbaijan); Ibrahim Buhari (IF Elfsborg, Sweden); Gift Emmanuel Orban (KAA Gent, Belgium); Samuel Amadi (Eramica Cleopatra, Egypt)

Mowiz –  21 year old Maximilian palys in the top division in Moldova and has played 13 games this season with eye catching displays. Tipped to leave the team soon for a team in a top league. A good pick going by what I heard. 8 goals in 24 games for the B team of Belgium side Gent means Igbokwe might not be a bad player to have a look at.

However Saidi who is a bench warmer in a second division team in Azerbaijan is a no no by any stretch of imagination. Buhari is currently seen among the best defenders in Sweden at the moment, so his call up is justified. For Amadi he isn’t a regular just like Bello and how Emmanuel Orok who is the hottest Nigerian prospect in Egypt was snubbed is a head scratcher. For Orban, he needs no introduction.

Final Verdict – A shameful list with two many palyers who have no business in the team.

The controversy over the absence of former Nigeria international goalkeeper and present goalkeeper coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Ike Shorunmu has taken a different twist, OGN reports.

Shorunmu hasn’t been summoned to the camp of the team in Abuja ahead of the back to back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau in Abuja and Bissau respectively. It was said his spot has been taken by Nigeria U20 coach Olatunji Abideen Baruwa.

Reacting to the report yesterday, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in a statement signed by the communication department explained that his absence is a peculiar case from the rest of the Nigerian assistant coaches, who will be rotated for different games as part of the cost cutting measures by the football house.

“The case of goalkeepers’ trainer, Ike Shorounmu is somewhat peculiar, as the former Nigeria goalkeeper showed a clear lack of desire to be in camp for the matches against Guinea Bissau”, the statement reads.

“We  do not want to go into any details because we have the utmost respect for all our ex-internationals, including Mr. Shorounmu. It was only when we got the clear signal that he was unwilling to come, and the Head Coach was in a quandary, that he (Coach Peseiro) requested for the services of Olatunji Baruwa, who he had seen at work during the U20 AFCON in Egypt, to help do the work of training the goalkeepers”, it concluded on Shorunmu.

Reacting to the release, Shorunmu in an interview with Brila FM explained that his absence in the team is due to the fact that he demanded for his rights, which includes a valid contract and also what his pay will be as if he has been working without those areas sorted.

“I am just been a professional to stand on my feet that no contract, I don’t want to continue again with the state of things on ground”, he said.

“Because  I have been there since last year without getting payment for what I have done for the federation and I have been asking please give us our contract, no contract, no payment, no allowances. My brother how do you want me to survive this as a family person? That’s the only thing. I don’t have a problem with the NFF that’s the only thing”, he rounded up saying.

Mohammed Mowiz

The camp of the senior national team of Nigeria ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau has received a huge boost for the first of the two games against Guinea Bissau.

They were fears that Napoli striker Victor Osimhen will likely miss the games with Napoli insisting on a scan on the striker before he is allowed to honour the games according to several reports in Italy.

However, OGN can exclusively reveal that Osimhen is already in Nigeria but presently in Lagos for the games. He is expected to arrive the camp of the team before their first real training session later this evening at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja.

We gathered, he would have been in camp earlier but he took permission to attend an event in Lagos, where he is set to sign a multi million dollars endorsement deal with a brand Situs Slot gacor.

” They were some issues but it’s sorted. He is in Lagos now on permission from head coach Jose Peseiro. All things being equal he will be in training this evening, the reason for his stop over in Lagos is to seal an endorsement deal. So no shaking”, a team source told OGN.

Mohammed Mowiz

The Nigeria U23 will on Wednesday take on Guinea in the U23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers first leg game in Abuja before travelling two days later for the return leg in Conakry.

Already the Nigerian team have been training at their camp in Abuja in readiness for the game which is the final hurdle to seal a spot at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations. However it hasn’t been the best of preparations for a game of such importance.

From the initial invitation of players where 16 out of the 30 players were found out to be above the age to the disgraceful list of foreign based players called up to beef up the team. They are also going to be without the services of some of their technical staff.

One of the assistant coaches in the team Fidelis Ilechukwu has been told not to report to the camp of the team for the games. The Plateau United coach was with the team for the last round of qualifiers where they defeated Tanzania.

Also, the coordinator of the team Bashir Badawiy has also left his role and we gathered both decisions were taken by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) as part of the measures to cut cost.  The same measure has been taken with all national teams by the Ibrahim Musa Gusau led board of the NFF.

Osas Mahawi

The real reason why coach of Enyimba FC of Aba Finidi George won’t be a part of the technical crew of the Super Eagles has been made known to the editorial team of OGN.

Finidi as reported by OGN won’t be part of the technical crew of the team for the AFCON 2023 qualifiers games against Guinea Bissau in Abuja and Bissau on the 24th of March and 27th respectively.

His exclusion is said to be the decision of the head coach Jose Peseiro as he was excluded from the team alongside the goakeepers trainer of the team Ike Shorunmu. However we exclusively gathered that with Finidi it was his decision to quit the team ahead of the games.

We gathered he decided on quiting the team as he hasn’t been offered a contract one year into his role as assistant coach of the team. He insist on having a valid contract else he won’t be a part of the coaching crew anymore.

It was his decision that made the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to summon second assistant of the team Usman Abdallah to join the team in camp for the game. Abdallah is also working without a contract like the other local coaches.

” Finidi wasn’t sacked. He quit the team on one condition which is he can’t continue working without a contract. Nobody should do that in a set up like the senior national team of any country. Unless that is sorted he won’t be a part of the team anymore”, a source close to the coach told OGN.

Mohammed Mowiz