2010 W/Cup: Ike Uche, Anichebe Out As Lagerback Names Squad

Ike Uche and Victor Anichebe are the two high profile casualties of Lars Lagerback’s cull as he named his 23 players for the World Cup on Monday.

Joning the duo are Peter Utaka, Onyekachi Apam, Brown Ideye and the two domestic players Bassey Akpan and Terna Suswan.

The Swede announced the list to players at a meeting where he called the affected players together and explained to them why they were being dropped.

“He called them together and explained that time was too short, and that injuries were also a factor,” Super Eagles Media Officer Idah Peterside said.

More important, Peterside said Lagerback assured the players that in the unlikely event of injury to any player on the 23-man squad before kickoff, he would look no farther than that seven-man group.

The contingent left for South Africa on Monday.

Nigeria squad

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel) Dele Aiyemugba (Bnei Yehuda Israel), Austin Ejide (hapoel Petach Tikvah, Israel)

Defenders

Taye Taiwo (Marseille, France), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Roterdam, Netherlands), Rabiu Afolabi (SV Salzburg, Austria), Danny Shittu (Bolton Wanderers, England).

Strikers: Yakubu Aiyegbeni (Everton, England), Nwnankwo Kanu (Portsmouth, England), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg, Germany), John Utaka (Portsmouth, England), Victor Obinna Nsofor (Malaga, Spain), Osaze Odemwingie (Lokomotiv Moscow, Russia), Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi (TSG Hoffenheim, Germany).