Rohr Leaves out Victor Moses from Corsica Camp

*List Ndidi, Iheanacho, 23 others for friendly
Duro Ikhazuagbe
Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, on Monday made public his list of 25 players for the planned camping programme in France with the exclusion of Victor Moses, Nigeria’s unarguably hottest forward in Europe at the moment.

Moses rediscovered his scoring formula after he was converted to a wingback by Chelsea’s Italian gaffer, Antonio Conte.

The exclusion of the Chelsea player from the planned friendly with the Corsica senior national team later this month may not be unconnected with the FA Cup final Moses is expected to star for Chelsea against Arsenal on May 27 at Wembley Stadium.

Also missing from the list is the duo of Brown Ideye and Odion Ighalo who recently switched to the Chinese Super League. The absence of John Mikel Obi is understandable haven recently went under the knife to get rid of a nagging injury preventing him to be at his best since arriving in the Far East.

Injury has effectively ruled out first-choice goalkeeper Carl Ikeme of Wolverhampton Wanderers in the English Championship, leaving home –based Ikechukwu Ezenwa to fight it out with fellow former junior international Dele Alampasu for the slot between the sticks for the friendly game.

England-based duo Ola Aina (Chelsea FC) and Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC) have been granted permission to feature for their respective clubs in the English FA Cup final on 27th May before joining the squad in Paris.

The three-time African champions will open camp in Corsica on May 24 and then play against the Corsica senior team two days later, before moving camp to Paris, capital of France for the second phase of the training programme ahead of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in June.

Nigeria, unbeaten in a competitive game at senior level by South Africa since the Rainbow nation returned to international football 25 years ago, go up against the familiar foes at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, June 10. The Bafana Bafana 2-2 draw against Eagles effectively ended Nigeria’s dream of qualifying for the AFCON 2015 jointly hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon

THE FULL LIST
Goalkeepers: Ikechukwu Ezenwa (FC IfeanyiUbah); Dele Alampasu (Cesarense FC, Portugal)
Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); William Ekong (KAA Gent, Belgium); Uche Agbo (CF Granada, Spain); Abdullahi Shehu (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus); Tyronne Ebuehi (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Gijon, Spain); Chidozie Awaziem (FC Porto, Portugal)

Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense, Portugal); John Ogu (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Mikel Agu (Vitoria Setubal, Portugal); Alhassan Ibrahim (Akwa United FC)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Leicester City, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium); Stephen Odey (MFM FC); Olanrewaju Kayode (FC Austria Wien, Austria); Isaac Success (Watford FC, England); Noah Serenren-Bazee (Hannover 96, Germany); Victor Osimhen (Wolfsburg FC, Germany); Sikiru Olatubosun (MFM FC)
TO JOIN TEAM IN PARIS AFTER ENGLISH FA CUP FINAL
Ola Aina (Chelsea FC, England); Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England)