Siasia Calls Up 53 Players For 2016 Olympics Qualifiers

The initial 51 player list contained 16 foreign internationals and 35 home based players before the addition of Barcelona B team defender Godwin Elohor Ekpolo and Nathan Oduwa of Glasgow Rangers.
The foreign players list is headlined by Super Eagles and Arsenal forward, Alex Iwobi, Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Taiwo Awoniyi of Liverpool.

Foreign –based players:
Azubuike Okechukwu (Yeni Malatyaspor, Turkey), Junior Ajayi (CS Sfaxien, Tunisia), Taiwo Awoniyi (FSV Frankfurt, Germany), Kelechi Iheanacho (Manchester City, England), Moses Simon (KAA Gent Belgium), Wilfred Ndidi (Genk, Belgium), Isaac Success (Granada, Spain), Dele Alampasu (Estoril, Portugal), Shehu Abdullahi (Uniao Da Madeira, Portugal), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal, England), Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovenia), Vin Solomon Otabor (Birmingham, England), Uche Ikpeazu (Port Vale FC, England), Stanley Amuzie (Olhanense, Portugal), Aminu Umar (Osmanlispor, Turkey), Paul Onuachu (FC Midtjylland, Denmark).
The invited home based players are: Emmanuel Daniel (Rangers Int Enugu), Yusuf Mohammed (Kano Pillars), Emmanuel Iwu (Heartland F. C), Segun Oduduwa (Nath Boys), Sincere Seth Rhapsody, Erhun Obanor (Abia Warriors), Chima Akas (Sharks F. C), Daniel Etor (Enyimba F. C), Oghenekaro Etebo (Warri Wolves F. C), Godwin Aguda (Rangers F. C), Usman Mohammed (Taraba F. C), Ndifreke Effiong (Abia Warriors F. C), Chukwuebuka Iroha (Diamond F. C).
Others include: Austine Oladapo (F C Ifeanyi Ubah), Christian Pyagbara (Sharks F. C), Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves F. C), Semiu Liadi (Warri Wolves F. C), Godspower Effiong (Kano Pillars F. C), Ifeanyi Mathew (El Kanemi F. C), Bright Onyeadikachi (F. C Ifeanyi Ubah), Prince Aggrey (Sunshine Stars F. C), Mustapha Abdullahi( Sport Light F. C),Muritala Adamu (Kano Pillars F. C), Zaradeen Bello (Kano Pillars F. C).
Also included are: Dayo Ojo (Sunshine Stars F. C), Seun Olulayo (Sunshine Stars F. C), Tiongoli Tonbara (Bayelsa United), Kufre Ebong (Warri Wolves F. C), Kingsley Eduwo (Sunshine Stars F. C), Stephens Eze (Sunshine Stars F. C), Anaezemba Nzube (Enyimba F. C), Charles Chukwudi (Plateau United), Daniel Enmanson (Akwa United ), Ibrahim Alhassan (Heart F. C Kano) and Adebayo Ajadi (36 Lions).
The training camp for the players opened on Monday October 26 and Siasia has lamented how some of the invited players refused to show up.
He told africanfootball.com: “I am not impressed that most of the players I called are yet to report to camp. They have preferred to stay back at their clubs.”
“We only have 10 players in camp now as most of the other players I called up are staying away with their clubs.”
According to the NFF, Siasia has directed all clubs in the Nigeria Professional Football League requesting for the release of their players for league games to send their request to the General Secretary of Nigeria Football Federation, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, as he (Siasia) has no power to release any player.
Coach Siasia told the NFF that he hoped all the invited players will make it to camp.
He said: “While I understand with them that they need their players for club engagements, I also want to remind them that they need to co-operate with us to qualify for the football event of the Rio Olympic Games, and the only way we can achieve this objective is by having all the players in camp to train so we can pick only the best legs.”
The Africa U23 Cup of Nations will be played in Senegal from November 28 to December 12. Nigeria are drawn in Group B at the U23 Nations Cup along with Egypt, Mali and Algeria.
The top two teams will advance to the knockout stage of the competition with the best three teams qualifying automatically for Rio 2016.