Yes, the gunners are in Turkey and hopefully they have turkey for dinner. But as Nigerian, Nigerian football still takes a percentage of my footballing mind. Nigerians love football and do follow the Premier League with intense passion.

Since the ouster of the Super Eagles in the 2nd round of the Brazil 2014 world cup, so many things have happened to my dear country. The NFF chairman have been impeached, reinstated and maybe re-elected. FIFA has banned the country, albeit for few days and Stephen Keshi sits on the fence on whether he continues to be the coach of the team or he takes up another offer from a better-paying country.

While Keshi and the Nigerian Football Federation are at cold war over paid or unpaid or projected salaries, the business of the pitch draws closer with the AFCON 2015 qualifiers in about two weeks time. The Nigeria populace awaits the outcome of this tussle but Congo DR doesn’t care. They will hope that the Super Eagles are in a state of fugacious lack of coordination to cause a big damage to the defending champion’s hope of being in Morocco.

By hook or crook, a list was realeased by the NFF and behold some new, relative new names with respect to the just concluded world cup were on the team. My favourite returnee is Schalke’s Chinedu Obasi Ogbuke. I am yet to understand why and how he missed the trip to Brazil. The NFF also invited Sone Aluko and Joel Obi. The list also has 5 home based players making waves in the Glo Nigeria Premier League. Premier League trio of Osaze Odemwingwe, Brown Ideye and Victor Moses were left out.

So behold the list….

Goalkeepers:
Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel), Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United, Nigeria)

Defenders:
Elderson Echiejile (Monaco FC, France), Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel), Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland), Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor FC, Turkey), Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria), Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough FC, England), Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)

Midfielders:
John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England), Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy), Ramon Azeez (Almeria FC, Spain), Joel Obi (Inter Milan, Italy), Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain), Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Omatsone Aluko (Hull City, England)

Forwards:
Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Emmanuel Emenike (Fenerbahce FC, Turkey), Chinedu Obasi (Schalke 04, Germany), Uche Nwofor (Heerenveen FC, Netherlands), Nnamdi Oduamadi (AS Varese 1910, Italy), Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves, Nigeria), Christian Osaguona (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

So who will coach the boys against Congo DR?

The Glo Premier League was lit last weekend by the Abia Classico, the Abia version of El Classico. Dubbed as the Abia Derby, it was an opportunity for Enyimba FC of Aba to get a revenge over their neighbours Abia Warriors but the game ended in a 3-3 draw. The game was more exciting than most of the games in the opening day of the premier league.

Other results include:
Abia Warriors 3 – 3 Enyimba International FC
Bayelsa United 3 – 0 Kaduna United FC
Sunshine Stars 0 – 0 Dolphins FC
Warri Wolves FC 2 – 1 Kano Pillars
Lobi Stars FC 1 – 0 Nasarawa United FC
Akwa United FC 1 – 0 El-Kanemi Warriors FC
Heartland FC 2 – 0 Gombe United FC
Rangers International FC 1 – 0 Giwa FC
Taraba FC 1 – 1 Nembe City
Crown FC 2 – 0 Sharks FC

That is my Nigeria. Don’t forget the girls will play against Korea DPR in the Semi finals of the U-20 Female worldcup. Let me catch the game in Turkey. The Falconets dispatched New Zealand 4-1 in the quarter final and would hope to achieve a similar result over Korea DPR.

Enjoy

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