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Interim Super Eagles coach, Austin Eguavoen, has expressed optimism as the camp bubbles with 20 players ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against the Republic of Benin and Rwanda, The PUNCH reports.
The three-time Africa champions are set to face the Cheetahs on September 7 before facing the Amavubi on the road three days later.
The Eagles players reported to their Uyo camp on Monday, and according to the media team, 20 invited players had arrived in camp at the time of filing the reports.
Super Eagles captain, William Troost-Ekong, Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, and England-based quartet Ola Aina, Semi Ajayi, Taiwo Awoniyi, and Wilfred Ndidi, South Africa-based goalkeepers Olisa Ndah and Stanley Nwabali, Bayer Leverkusen Victor Boniface, Lazio Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, and former Bendel Insurance goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, arrived at the camp on Monday.
On Tuesday, Fulham duo Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukweuze, Raphael Onyedika, Alhassan Yusuf Abdullahi, Bruno Onyemaechi, Frank Onyeka, and Benjamin Tanimu—who replaced injured Bright Osayi-Samuel—joined the team.
According to the Nigeria Football Federation, new Sevilla signing Kelechi Iheanacho is due in camp today, while Maduka Okoye and Victor Osimhen are expected on Thursday.
Speaking ahead of the first game against Gernot Rohr’s side, Eguavoen, who took charge of the team after German coach Bruno Labbadia, who was announced as the team’s coach last Tuesday, turned down Nigeria’s offer, said he was confident that the Eagles would do well in both games.
“Nigeria is a nation that, in terms of football, a lot of countries respect, and there is no difference in this one,” he said.
“I am very confident that we will scale through these two games and beyond. We have the players, personnel, and support; the only thing we need to remind the players of is that they were almost African champions a few months ago, so what went wrong? They are still the same players; we will do everything we need to do as a technical crew and, of course, as a federation, but they are the ones to rally around.
“I have spoken to them, and we are still going to have a series of meetings, but I am very confident that they will make the nation proud. We will treat Benin with uttermost respect because this is football, where anything can happen, but this is our home.”
The 20 players in camp had their first training session in Uyo on Tuesday evening.
Eguavoen will be assisted by Fidelis Ilechukwu and Daniel Ogunmodede following confirmation by the NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, in a statement on Monday.
