John Obi Mikel

For the umpteenth time Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi has excluded John Obi Mikel and Osaze Odemwingie from his team even as he invited skipper, Joseph Yobo and Russia-based power-playing forward Emmanuel Emenike, as well as eight other overseas-based players for next month’s final 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Liberia in Monrovia.

At a meeting in the NFF Secretariat in Abuja on Friday, the former libero briefed the NFF Technical Sub-Committee on his conviction about the players he had chosen and it was duly approved.

Also listed are goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, defenders Efe Ambrose and Elderson Echiejile, midfielder, Obiora Nwankwo and forwards, Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa and Ikechukwu Uche.

Effervescent midfielder, Nosa Igiebor and in-form marksman, Brown Ideye complete the list of 11 players, who will team up with the home-based players that played a 0-0 draw with the Mena of Niger in an international friendly in Niamey last week.

Chairman of the NFF Technical Sub-Committee, Chris Green, said after the meeting: “Coach Keshi gave his reasons for inviting each of the players and we all agreed with him that these players are in good form presently and will do the job for Nigeria against sLiberia.”

INVITED FOREIGN-BASED PLAYERS

Goalkeeper: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel)

Defenders: Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Efe Ambrose (Ashdod FC, Israel); Elderson Echiejile (Sporting Braga, Portugal)

Midfielders and Forwards: Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain); Obiora Nwankwo (Calcio Padova, Italy); Victor Moses (Wigan Athletic, England); Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal, Spain); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia) and Brown
Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine)