Villarreal
striker Ikechukwu Uche has made a sensational return to the national
team after he was named in the 25-man squad to face Congo and South
Africa in the Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers by Nigeria
coach Stephen Keshi on Friday.
But
Keshi, who also made a sensational comeback to the Super Eagles on
Friday after he was sacked by the Nigeria Football Federation after
guiding Nigeria to a 3-1 defeat of Sudan in their Morocco 2015 qualifier
in Abuja on October 15, omitted in-form Seattle Sounders striker and
on-loan Stoke City winger Victor Moses from the list. He also dropped
Israel-based Nosa Igiebor.
Spain-based
Uche has been in the international wilderness for nearly two years
after Keshi refused to invite the 30-year-old, who helped Nigeria win
the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa last year.
Keshi,
who claimed the former Real Zaragoza star lacked “tactical discipline”,
stuck to his guns to exclude Uche from his 23-man squad from last
summer World Cup in Brazil, in spite of the pressure mounted on him from
some quarters to take the player to the tournament.
The
former Nigeria captain only gave Martins an opportunity to play in the
World Cup qualifier against Kenya last year. When the former Inter Milan
underperformed, Keshi refused to invite him.
But
there has been a renewed clamour for Martins’ return to the national
team following the Eagles’ poor start to the Morocco 2015 qualifiers,
but Keshi has snubbed him again. Martins has scored 17 goals and made 13
assists in the MLS helping the American side win the Supporters’ Shield
and US Open Cup title.
Moses has not
been invited for any of the four qualifying games and he was again
omitted from the list for the fixtures against Congo and South Africa,
despite his impressive form at Stoke.
Nigeria
need to win the games against Congo in Pointe-Noire on November 15 and
South Africa in Uyo four days later – hoping the Congolese drop points
against Sudan – to stand any chance of defending their title in Morocco.
However, Keshi has kept faith with majority of the players who have been part of the the qualifiers.
Captain
Vincent Enyeama tops the list consisting of Godfrey Oboabona, Elderson
Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi, Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel
Emenike, Austin Ejide, Gbolahan Salami and Juwon Oshaniwa.
Also on the list are Hope Akpan, Raheem Lawal, Sone Aluko and Osaguona Ighodaro.
Meanwhile,
Nigeria ’80 Africa Cup of Nations winner Henry Nwosu commended the
NFF for the decision to reinstate his former Eagles’ teammate Keshi.
And Nwosu praised Keshi for inviting Uche to the national team and backed the player to perform in the qualifiers.
“I
protested the removal of Keshi and I said that appointing another coach
(Shaibu Amodu) to take over from him with two games left was not in the
interest of the country,” the former New Nigeria Bank midfielder told
our correspondent on the telephone on Friday.
“I have been vindicated. I’m happy with the decision to reinstate Keshi.
“Uche
is a Nigerian and he’s welcome to the national team. I support Keshi’s
decision to invite him since he feels the player still has something to
offer the country.”
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