Super Falcons of Nigeria tactician, Edwin Okon, has reiterated that there will be no automatic shirt for any of the 30 players invited to camp ahead of the forthcoming African Women’s Championship (AWC) holding in Namibia from October 11 to 25.
He said: “There will be no sentiment in selecting the squad that will try to regain the title that was lost in Equatorial Guinea two years ago. There is no automatic shirt for anybody, foreign or home-based.
He also defended the invitation extended to seven foreign players ahead of the championship and the need for them to also fight for a place in the team.
But he explained the necessity considering experienced players like Perpetua Nkwocha, Stella Mbachu and Precious Dede, who will remain a huge bargain for the team in technique and mentality.
“I invited Nkwocha because she is a very important and experienced member of the Falcons. The younger players would benefit very well from her experience and tactics, to help Nigeria to regain the AWC title in Namibia,” said he.
The list of 30 includes Asisat Oshoala, who was best player and highest goal scorer at the 2014 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.
Six other players from the Falconets’ silver-winning side are in the preparatory squad. They are Uchechi Sunday, Ugochi Njoku, Maryam Ibrahim, Sarah Nnodim, Halimat Ayinde and Chinwendu Ihezuo.
The full squad of invited players are: Goalkeepers: Ibubeleye Whyte, Charity John (Rivers Angels), Precious Dede (Ibom Queens), Juliet Obi (State House FC), Ohieriaku Christy (Osun Queens).
Defenders: Blessing Edoho (Pelican Stars), Ebere Ngozi, Josephine Chukwunonye, Ugochi Njoku, Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels), Mariam Ibrahim (Nasarawa Amazons), Onome Ebi (FK Minsk, Belarus), Osinachi Ohale (Houston Dash, U.S.), and Sarah Nnodim (Delta Queens).
Midfielders: Ngozi Okobi, Halimat Ayinde (Delta Queens), Onyinyechi Ohadugha, Asisat Oshoala, Loveth Ayila, Gloria Iroka, Evelyn Nwabuoku, Stella Mbachu, Cecilia Nku (Rivers Angels), Chiwendu Ihezuo (Pelican Stars), and Rosemary Okezie (Nasarawa Amazon).
Attackers: Desire Oparanozie (En Avent De Guingamp, France), Francisca Ordega (Pitea IFF, Sweden), Esther Sunday (FK Minsk, Belarus), Uchechi Sunday (Rivers Angels), and Perpetua Nkwocha (Sunana SK, Sweden).
Nigeria will be gunning for her seventh title of the championship in Namibia.