Super Eagles Leave camp, regroup early October

The Super Eagles were on Sunday officially decamped and are scheduled to resume camping early October for the 13 October crunch African Cup of Nations winner takes all tie against the Lone Star of Liberia in Calabar.

Coach Stephen Keshi, had after consulting with the NFF leadership, addressed the players at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja, when the team returned from Monrovia, Liberia today, and told them that camp has officially been dissolved.

“The players who will be needed for the return leg match against Liberia will be notified early”, Keshi told the players.

Ben Alaiya, Media Officer of the Eagles disclosed that most of the foreign-based professionals, including skipper Joseph Yobo departed for their various destinations after the meeting and did not make it to the team’s Bolton White Hotel camp on Sunday morning.

The team arrived at the Abuja Airport Sunday morning after a stop-over in Lagos for refueling aboard the chartered IRS Airline, which took them to Monrovia for the match against Liberia.

The team Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor said the NFF will take a decision on their next camp dates and venue this week, but noted that the home-based stars will resume for camping ahead of their foreign-based counterparts.

P.M.NEWS leant that Nigeria Coach, Stephen Keshi on Saturday blasted the Super Eagles and told them in harsh tones that their display against the Lone Star of Liberia, was a show of unprofessionalism, saying such will no longer be accepted.

P.M.NEWS gathered that Keshi, who addressed the players immediately after yesterday’s African Cup of Nations qualifier, which ended 2-2, declared that he did not see enough fighting spirit in the players in Monrovia.

Keshi, it was gathered, was very bitter that the Eagles allowed the Lone Star to come from behind to draw the match.

“Keshi addressed the players at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Stadium in Monrovia, moments after the encounter, when surging fans prevented the team from leaving the arena”, Eagles’ Media Officer, Ben Alaiya said in a press release from Abuja Sunday afternoon.

“The coach also took a swipe at some players who did not show enough professionalism in the green and white colours of Nigeria, and warned that any player who is invited and knows he will not be able to show maturity and patriotism should henceforth stay away from the national team.

“I will appreciate players staying away and saying they cannot make it than for them to come and show Nigerians that we are not serious here. I recall that when we thought we were going to play on a synthetic pitch, I called Mikel Obi and he said its not healthy for him to play on such a pitch, that’s the type of maturity and honesty I want from all national team players”, Keshi was quoted as saying in harsh tones to the Eagles last night.

Keshi, it was gathered, also told all the 22 players that went for the battle of Monrovia, that henceforth any player invited and can not make it at the appointedtime to camp, should not bother to come late, as he will not be welcomed.

“Any player who cannot make it on time should just stay away, because we need all the time we can get to blend for our games, because the Nations Cup is just around the corner”, he said.

The former Anderletch of Belgium and Strasbourg of France big defender, said he can no longer watch the national team pick draws when victory is at the window.

“With this attitude on the pitch from top professionals that are in this collection, we won’t excel at the Nations Cup, that is what we want to stop”, the angry coach told the players.