Tuesday 2 October 2012

KESHI drops two Eagles star

The Super Eagles have dropped Pillars stars Papa Idris and Gabriel Reuben after they failed to recover fully from injury.

According to a media release, the two players have now been replaced by Kalu Orji of Heartland and Stanley Okoronkwo from Sharks.

Idris has been nursing a knee injury, while Reuben is battling a groin injury. Both players were also dropped for the first leg qualifier in Liberia last month.

After Monday morning’s training, coach Stephen Keshi and his assistants went into a lengthy meeting after which it was decided that the two players should be excused, going by the crucial nature of the game at hand.

 “It was a painful decision to let the two players go, but we have to look at the future of the players and the fact that we will need the two of them at the South Africa 2013 Nations Cup, that is why we have said we should give them more time to go and get themselves healed. After the game against Liberia, they should be back in the team,”Keshi explained.

As expected all the players invited save for the Sunshine Stars duo of Izu Azuka and Solomon Kwambe, beat the Sunday evening deadline and were part of the training session at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

“They have special permission to stay away for now”, declared Keshi of the Sunshine Stars duo, who are preparing to host Egyptian giants Al Ahly this weekend in the semi-finals of the CAF Champions League.

Meanwhile, Keshi has again insisted that there will be no automatic shirts in his team who will face Liberia on October 13 in Calabar.

“I know that 15 players are coming from Europe, but we already have 21 of you here, what we expect is that you go out there and prove yourself during training and leave the rest to me,” said the Eagles coach.

“No matter how fantastic players are in Europe and in their clubs, they have to come here to prove that they are good enough to start and if those of you that are here show that you are better you will start against Liberia.”

As if heeding Keshi’s call, newcomers Bassey Ezekiel and Brendan Ogbu shone like a million stars in Monday’s opening day training.

Central defender Kingsley Udoh, was also in his element same for Ohanduku Ogbu, but it was Ezekiel who was the star of the opening day that was superintended by Keshi and his four assistants.

The team continue training on Tuesday with two sessions at the training pitch of the Abuja National Stadium.

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