With barely two days to the submission of the final squad of 21 players to CAF for the African Women’s Championship (AWC), Nigeria coach Edwin Okon has yet to assess some of the foreign-based pros he called up.
The AWC is not on FIFA calendar and clubs are not compelled to release their players for national duties.
That is why Falcons coach has been frantic about ensuring that he gets positive response from the foreign clubs of the players.
Super Falcons media officer Gracious Akujobi reports that Okon has been on the neck of the managers of players he invited for the AWC pleading for their release on time for at least two days training before he sends the final list.
“I have been in regular contact with (Desire) Oparanozie as well as Pepertua (Nkwocha), Esther Sunday, Onome and others, and they are yet to give me a positive response,” Okon had said on Monday.
He continued, “They just have to come down and prove themselves before we depart for Namibia. The fight to make the final cut is high in the team and I must confess that this is giving us (coaches) selection problem.”
He expressed joy at the fighting spirit of the players in training adding that they give him hope that the AWC title will not elude them this time.
Also speaking, skipper of the team Evelyn Nwabuoku re-echoed Okon’s assertion that competition for places in the Falcons is very intensive, noting that this is good for the team.
“We know why we are in camp, everyone wants to be part of the team to AWC that is why there is this competition,” she said.
“Representing our country is something we all want to do at some point in our career that is why you see everyone struggling and training hard to be in the final list.
“I have told the girls that we will carry this fighting spirit into the championship proper where we hope to make ourselves and the nation proud.”