Keshi's 30 Man Provional Squad Profile

Keshi's 30 Man Provional Squad Profile

GOALKEEPERS:
Vincent Enyeama France
Club: Lille (FRN)
Games 36
Goals Conceded 22
The Eagles longest serving goalkeeper Vincent
Enyeama may have missed out on the Ligue 1 record
for consecutive clean sheets, but the Lille man’s fine
form has established him firmly as one of the globe’s
most-accomplished shot stoppers. The former
Maccabi Tel Aviv player undoubtedly will be installed
as the team's first choice to the Mundial. Currently in
the running for the Ligue 1 goalkeeper of the season
this year, Enyeama, will relish the prospect of renewing
his acquaintance with Lionel Messi—the ‘keeper was in
fine form against Argentine who failed to get the better
of him four years ago in South Africa.
Austin Ejide
Club: Hapoel (ISR)
Games 32
Goals Conceded: 21
Ejide has been second best to Vincent Enyeama for
over a decade in the national team and his showings in
his absence especially against Italy in London prove
beyond doubts that Nigeria is lucky to have him as a
back-up.
Chigozie Agbim
Club: Gombe Utd (NGR)
Games 10
Goals Conceded: 13
Chigozie Agbim didn't do himself a favour with his
lethagic performance at the CHAN tournament in South
Africa where he conceded one of the cheekiest goals of
the tournament. Making it to the Mundial is much
murkier that the past but Keshi has backed his man
and how long will his faith endure? June 2nd will tell.
Daniel Akpeyi
Warri Wolves Nigeria
Games: 1
Goals Conceded: 0
Not much can be written about him as he has only
seen 90 minutes of action for his club. Though his
qualities has not been in doubt.
DEFENDERS :
Elderson Echiejile
Club: AS Monaco (FRN)
Games: 5
Goals: 0
Since joining French side, AS Monaco ever present left
back Elderson Echiejile has failed to usurp Layvin
Kurzawa who made that position his own until his
injury. He remains a sure bet for the Mundial barring
any injury.
Juwon Oshaniwa,
Club: FC Ashdod,Isreal
Games: 24
Goals: 0
Having been frozen out of the Super Eagles after the
Nations Cup triumph in South Africa, Juwon Oshaniwa
made a strong call for his return by featuring
prominently for his Isreali side who narrowly missed
the title playoff. He is a quality back up to Elderson
Echiejile.
Efe Ambrose
Club: Celtic, Scotland
Games: 36
Goals: 2
Ambrose remains the most consistent player for both
club and country in the past 12 months. The central
defender talents and defensive abilities cannot be
neglected. Although the record of having played 14
matches in defence alongside the trio of Omeruo,
Oboabona and Echiejile where they conceded nine
goals might not be too impressive, their overall
performances in those games have been very
encouraging.
Godfrey Oboabona
Club: Rizespor, Turkey
Games 18
Goals 3
Godfrey Oboabona has established as Keshi stalwarts.
From his defensive duties, Oboabona has scored three
goals in his debut season in Europe not forgetting an
own goal his ability will be tested as he's set to face
four-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Sergio
Aguero, Vedad Ibisevic and Edin Dzeko in Group F.
Azubuike Egwuekwe,
Club: Warri Wolves
Games: 6
Goals:
Egwuekwe is often the man left out of the starting
line-up due to the consistency of the form of Godfrey
Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo in the heart of the
Eagles defence but he has had the chance to prove
himself to the coach during the CHAN competition and
was called-up during the Confederations Cup six
months ago. He will play as a back up as he has only
played six of 11 Warri Wolves games in the Nigerian
Football Premier League this season.
Kenneth Omeruo
Club: Middlesbrough
Games 14
Goals: 0
Omeruo is Nigeria’s emerging defensive stalwart and is
an indisputable entry on this 30 man provisional list
after his impressive showings at the 2013 Cup of
Nations. Having played 14 games for his
Championship side Middlesbrough who finished in the
top half of the log.
Joseph Yobo
Club: Norwich City
Games 10
Goals 1
Yobo remains one of the most confident and
disciplined defenders that has the guts and skill to face
renowned and clinical strikers of other teams. His
bunch of experience will come handy for the team
Kunle Odunlami,
Club: Sunshine Stars
Games: 10
Goals: 0
His good height and man-marking ability is definitely a
blessing to any team he might be put into. It’s little
wonder Sunshine Starts has only conceded only ten
goals in ten league games. The was effective during
the CHAN Nations Cup but the World Cup in Brazil
may come too soon for him
MIDFIELDERS:
Mikel Obi
Club: Chelsea (ENG)
Games 23
Goals 1
Mikel Obi is arguably the biggest name in Stephen
Keshi's 30-man squad, he has been reduced to the
role of substitute, entering games late on to close
down the opposition. Mikel has played crucial roles as
Stephen Keshi guided Nigeria back to the summit. He
remains a catalyst on the grandest stage of all in
Brazil.
Ogenyi Onazi
Club: SS Lazio (ITA)
Games 36
Goals 2
Tipped for greatness, Ogenyi Onazi is an established
member of the Super Eagles and has been burdened
with much of the defensive duties in the midfield since
making his place in the side. Despite these
responsibilities, he’s also not shy of bursting forward
to help attacks.
The young Lazio centre-midfielder is one of the Eagles
stars to have chalked up over 30 appearances this
season in Europe and is expected to keep his place in
spite of the recent reshuffle in the middle of the park
by Stephen Keshi given his dynamism and versatility.
Ramon Azeez
Club: Almeria (SPN)
Games 28
Goals 2
The former Flying Eagles skipper played his way into
the heart of the national team handlers on his debut
against Mexico in Miami with a brilliant performance.
His stoppage time goal against Real Betis last Sunday
gave his Almeria a glimmer of hope in avoiding the
drop with two games left to play.
Ejike Uzoenyi
Club: Enugu Rangers(NGR)
Games 8
Goals 3
Ejike Uzoenyi’s superb performances at the CHAN Cup
of Nations have seen the former Rennes trialist thrust
right back into the limelight. He has the quality to
thrive in a tournament setting, but can he find the
consistency to forge a spot on the plane to Brazil?
Sunday Mba
Club: CA Bastia
Games: 15
Goals: 4
Sunday Mba celebrated his recall back to the Super
Eagles with a goal for his Ligue 2 side CA Bastia
Tueday night after been left out of the squad that drew
goalless against Mexico last month. Mba who was
impressive at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South
Africa where he scored winning goals in the team’s
quarterfinal and final games against the Ivory Coast
and Burkina Faso respectively couldn't help his side
from droping to the National league in France.
Gabriel Reuben
Club: Beveren (BEL)
Games: 8
Goals: 0
Another shocking inclusion in the 30 man squad.
Gabriel Reuben has played only seven games
ammassing 357 minutes this for the two teams
(Kilmarnock and Waasland-Beveren) he has
represented this season. First he was released by
Scottish club Kilmarnock, bringing an end to his three-
year contract and hasn't added to his ten caps prior to
the Nations Cup triumph in South Africa.
Nosa Igiebor
Club: Real Betis (SPN)
Games 15
Goals 1
Nosa Igiebor remains a great hope for Nigeria if he
rediscovers the form that shot him to prominence with
the national U-23 team but few of us have seen much
from him over the last 12 months to suggest that he
can be the missing playmaker the Super Eagles craves
for in Brazil. He has not kicked a ball since his side's
2-0 loss at home to Athletic Club on the 23rd of
February.
Joel Obi
Club: FC Parma (ITA)
Games 7
Goals 0
Joel Obi is looking like a fantasy option at this point in
time. The midfielder may have all of the raw materials,
but his record of four start and three substitute
appearances since arriving at Parma does not bode
well for a combative midfield Keshi craves for.
Michael Uchebo
Club: Cercle Brugge,
(BEL)
Games: 30
Goals: 5
Having played one game for the Super Eagles Uchebo
will find it difficult to dislogde an experienced Sunday
Mba for that attacking role.
ATTACKERS :
Ahmed Musa
Club : CSKA MOSCOW (RUS)
Games 31
Goals 8
The CSKA Moscow forward would be a sure bet if he is
a bit more consistent than he has been for the Eagles.
Musa blows hot and cold – more cold than hot lately
– and leaves his coaches and fans frustrated at times.
It remains to be seen if he will shrug off his recent
knee injury which has made him miss his side’s last
four games.
Shola Ameobi
Club : Newcastle (ENG)
Games 28
Goals 3
He is not the quickest or the most prolific of forwards,
but his hold-up play, calming influence and wise old
head will come in handy in Brazil.
Victor Moses
Club : Liverpool (ENG)
Games 21
Goals 2
Moses’s inactivity at Liverpool, where he has been
edged out of the first team by the likes of Danny
Sturridge, Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, is of
concern and the former Crystal Palace man is
struggling for momentum despite scoring two goals.
Emmanuel Emenike
Club: Fenerbache (TUR)
Games 32
Goals 14
Apart from Emenike, Super Eagles do not have a
prolific forward that could get goals out of nothing.
Despite firing blanks in his last five games with
Fenerbache in Turkey, the former Spartak Moscow man
has banged in 12 goals. It was his brace against
Ethiopia that gave Nigeria a victory in the first leg tie
in the final round of the African zone elimination series.
Victor Nsofor
Club: Chievo Verona (ITA)
Games 12
Goals 0
Nsofor’s return to the national team was greeted with
mixed feelings and he has failed to reignite the lost
flame he was known for in attack. He last scored a
goal in the Russian league against FK Krasnodar in
2012.
Osaze Odemwingie
Club: Stoke City (ENG)
Games 14
Goals 5
If smart phones and the internet could be kept away
from the Stoke City forward, Odemwingie will be
instrumental to the Eagles qualification for a second
round berth. He possesses every quality to make the
starting line up of the Eagles against Iran and share
some goal responsibilities with Emmanuel Emenike.
Michael Babatunde
Club: Volyn (UKR)
Games 22
Goals 2
Despite being highly rated in Ukraine, Babatunde
Micheal remains a dark horse in this list and will have
to do the extra ordinary to make it to Brazil despite
chalking up 22 appearances for his modest side Volyn.
Nnamdi Oduamadi
Club: Varese (ITA)
Games 10
Goals 4
Nnamdi Oduamadi has looked like a good fit for the
squad since being called up by Keshi during the
qualifiers. He is a versatile option whose trickery fits
comfortably into the Super Eagles’ fluid forward line.
He scores the last gasp equaliser against Kenya in
Calabar which helped keep the World Cup dream alive.
Nwofor Uche
Club: SC Heerenveen (NED)
Games 3
Goals 0
Uche Nwofor is another surprise inclusion in the 30
man list. The former VVV Venlo has not featured for
Heerenveen since their 2-0 loss away to FC Utrecht in
November last year. It remains to been seen the
criteria used for selecting a player who hasn't played
for seven month for Van Basten's side.