SUPER Eagles head coach Stephen Keshi is set to name 26 players for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying game against Chad. The 26 players will be wholly domestic players as the successful ones will battle for place in the final squad with the overseas-based players who will be called up.
Keshi says it’s time to “return to basics” as he looks to “build a solid squad that will make Nigerians happy again”. “We have to return to basics and do the things we did that helped us win the 2013 AFCON in South Africa. “I want to start from scratch to build a solid squad that will make Nigerians happy again.
“It is important to give players in the local league a chance to show us what they can do and that is why I am inviting 26 of them to prove themselves,” the former Mali and Togo coach told supersport.com. He added that the overseas-based players who will be handed call ups are those who “play regularly for their clubs”.
“Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am not a coach that will invite players based on what they have done in the past. “Only those who play regularly for their clubs will be called up and if they fail to give a 120 percent while in camp, they know what will happen.
“There is no automatic shirt for anyone. If anyone thinks that we just need to turn up and beat Chad that person is making a big mistake. “They are a good side and we have to work hard to beat them. We will approach the game with all seriousness and hopefully we will get good result,” he said.
