Keshi would love to take 10 Nigeria based players to the Nations Cup in January

Keshi would love to take 10 Nigeria-based players to the Africa Cup of Nations in January

Dec 18, 2012 7:42:00 AM

The national team coach has told the home-based players to prove themselves on the pitch and they will be in South Africa

The national team camp of the Super Eagles opened on Monday in Abuja as 22 home-based players started the jostling for shirts in the team that will take on Africa at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations which kicks off in Johannesburg on January 19.

Coach Stephen Keshi told the returning players at the practise pitch of the Abuja National Stadium on Monday that he is ready to take players from the local league to the Afcon but the players must prove on the pitch that they are ready for the tournament.

“It will be my delight if 10 players prove good enough to make the championship roster,” Keshi said.

“I will be happy if at all times four of such players start every game but you have to prove it on the pitch that you are ready for the challenge,” he added.

The training resumed with Kano Pillars’ players - Gabriel Reuben and Papa Idris; who had been laid low with injuries for the last matches of the Super Eagles.

The players have been out of action for upwards of three months but both players got through training on Monday in flying colours.

Ibrahim Gyaran , the team doctor was happy to say after training that both players had been passed fit for the camping exercise.

“The only fear I have is that since they have not played competitive football for sometimes they will still experience some mind jitters.

“But that is only a thing of the mind and the team psychologist, Robinson Okosun and the coaching crew are already working on that aspect”, he concluded.

The first training session had 22 players in attendance with Fengor Ogude, the only overseas player invited for the first phase camping absent because his wife was delivered of a baby girl last Friday.

The session was mainly to determine the fitness of all players invited and their match conditioning.

The players will continue training on Tuesday as the coaching crew finalise the names of the Europe-based players that will join the camp.

Inside Goal.Com

Like Owomoyela, like Sam
The German-Nigerian has been put in the dicey position of having to decide his international future after J Loew called him up last week
Player Ratings: Siena 1-2 AC Milan
Goal was on hand to judge all the players as Allegri's men finished third in Serie A and secured a Champions League berth next season
Player Ratings: Barcelona 2-1 Valladolid
Goal rates the players on show as the newly-crowned Liga champions cruised past the challenge of Miroslav Djukic's men to keep up hopes of reaching 100 points
Arsenal hold their nerve in top-four battle
Arsene Wenger's side produced a clinical performance to secure a top-four Premier League finish but now they must kick on if they wish to challenge for honours next year
Who is the greatest Champions League striker ever?
Enter our competition now and you will be in with a chance of winning one of four replica football shirts. Simply pick your favourite and subscribe to our YouTube channel