The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has disclosed that the country’s Olympic football team will depart the country next week for a final training camp in the United States of America ahead of this year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Head Coach, Samson Siasia, opted for a final training camp in Atlanta, venue of Nigeria’s historic triumph 20 years ago, to “psychologically prepare my boys for victory in Brazil.”
Earlier in the week, the NFF confirmed that there would be a friendly match between the Nigeria Olympic team and the Under-23 National Team of Mexico in Mexico on Saturday, July 2. The match will hold at the Aguascalientes Stadium, home ground of newly promoted top tier club, Necaxa FC, and is scheduled to start at 8.30pm Mexican time.
The NFF also announced that after the friendly, the Nigeria U23 squad will continue its training in the USA and will play Charleston Battery FC in Atlanta on Saturday, July 16. A game against the Honduras U23 team is also being planned for July 27.
Meanwhile, players who have had experience playing in the Nigeria senior team constitute half of those listed in Siasia’s provisional squad of 35, who will train in the USA before a final list of 18 is drawn up just before the trip to Brazil.
Super Eagles’ captain, John Mikel Obi; South Africa-based goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi; defenders, William Troost Ekong, Musa Muhammed, Stanley Amuzie, Kingsley Madu, Kenneth Omeruo and Godfrey Oboabona; midfielders, Oghenekaro Etebo, Okechukwu Azubuike, Imoh Ezekiel, Usman Mohammed and Abdullahi Shehu; and forwards, Alex Iwobi, Jude Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho and Aminu Umar are on the list.
The full list includes: Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa FC, South Africa), Yusuf Bala (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Daniel (Enugu Rangers), Taiwo Abdulrahman (Kwara United), Ndubuisi Agu (FC Porto, Portugal), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia), Stanley Amuzie (Olhanense FC, Portugal), Taiwo Awoniyi (Frankfurt FC, Germany), Okechukwu Azubuike (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Etor Daniel (Enyimba FC), Augustine Dimgba (Sunshine Stars), William Ekong (Haugesund FC, Norway), Saturday Erimuya (Kayseri Erciyespor, Turkey), Oghenekaro Etebo (CD Feirense FC, Portugal), Imoh Ezekiel (Anderlecht, Belgium), Saviour Godwin (Ostende, Belgium), Odion Ighalo (Watford FC, England), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal FC, England), Emiloju Julius (MFM FC), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia), John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England), Musa Muhammed (Istanbul Basaksehir, Turkey), Usman Muhammed (CF Uniao, Portugal), Wilfred Ndidi (KRC Genk, Belgium), Erhun Obanor (MFM FC), Godfrey Oboabona (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey), Kenneth Omeruo (Chelsea FC, England), Sodiq Saliu (Seraing FC, Belgium), Abdullahi Shehu (CF Uniao, Portugal), Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium), Seth Sincere (Rhapsody FC), Ndifreke Udo (Abia Warriors), Aminu Umar (Osmalispor, Turkey), Sadiq Umar (AS Roma, Italy).