Super Eagles/Iran Friendly: Osaze Out, Yobo In

Team Captain Joseph Yobo and two others have been included on the list of players invited to the Super Eagles’ camp in preparation for the Nov. 17 friendly against Iran.

Tidesports source reports that the Eagles are due to face Iran in Tehran in their second international friendly since the end of 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Deputy General Secretary (Technical) at the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, told Tidesports source that the changes to the invited players’ list were made on the request of the team’s technical crew.

“The technical crew asked that Turkey-based Joseph Yobo should be called up to join the list of 20 earlier released this week, thus making it 21 players invited to camp for the game.

“The others are Alex Nkume of VVV Venlo of Holland and Chukwuma Akabueze of Odd Greenland of Norway. They are replacing Kano Pillars’ Wasiu Showemimo and England-based Osaze Odemwingie,’’ he said.

Ikpeme however did not disclose the reasons given for the changes by the team’s technical crew led by stand-in coach Augustine Eguavoen.

Tidesports source further reports that the NFF had earlier announced a 20-man list of two goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and five strikers, including Odemwingie and Showemimo.

The list had been made up of 13 foreign-based and seven home-based players who were expected to arrive Tehran on Nov. 15, and depart on Nov. 18 after the Nov. 17 game.