Keshi may risk home Eagles against Rwanda

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants are toying with the idea of using the home-based players to prosecute the match against Rwanda billed for February 29. But with the Nigeria Football Federation hungry for positive result after the disappointments of 2011, it may be a tough plan to work no matter how Keshi and his men feels about the idea. The full squad of the Eagles managed a 1-1 draw in Kigali on the road to Germany 2006.

There appears to be a consensus among the coaching crew that the home-based professionals can defeat Rwanda in Kigali if they continue with the manner of training they have been going through and back by positive attitude to the match.

Keshi gave an insight to the dream on Tuesday after the training match against Abuja X1, by again challenging the players to give him reasons not to invite any foreign based professional for that first match in the qualifying series for the 2013 African Nations Cup.

He said, “Almost all the Rwandan players are home-based and their league is not better than ours so why can’t we do the same here and create a team that other countries will fear.”

His assistants, Dan Amokachi, Sylvanus Okpala and Ike Shorunmu, spoke in similar fashion.

The team is expected to start shooting training after their Wednesday trial game against Ranch Bees. Keshi said the shooting practice had become necessary, because of the wastages he has seen of the players in front of goal.

The Tuesday session ended with the dropping of six players who were replaced with another six. Kano Pillars attacker Gambo Mohammed is expected to lead teammate Kabir Umar and four others to camp. Others, who have been invited, are Omomo Osas of Sunshine Stars, Kaduna United duo of Papa Idris and Ishaya Daniel, who are already in camp and Obinna Nwachukwu of Heartland of Owerri.

The six players dropped are Fade Adebayo of Kaduna United, Wikki’s Ibrahim Mustapha, Markson Ojobo of Enyimba, Rangers James Okwuosa and Dolphin pair of Fortune Chukwudi and Uche Ochendo. The players have since left camp.