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Odey, Olatunbosun, Ibrahim will determine fate of NPFL players, says Erico

By Samuel Ifetoye
12 May 2017   |   1:51 am
Former Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach, Joseph Erico has hailed national team manager, Gernot Rohr for inviting four home-based players to his squad preparing for a Cameroun 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa.

Stephen Odey

Former Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach, Joseph Erico has hailed national team manager, Gernot Rohr for inviting four home-based players to his squad preparing for a Cameroun 2019 African Nations Cup qualifier against South Africa.

Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries FC duo of Stephen Odey and Sikiru Olatubosun, as well as Alhassan Ibrahim of Akwa United FC and the ever-present FC Ifeanyi Ubah goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa are the four Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) players named in Rohr’s list released on Monday.

The players will join their foreign-based counterparts in a training camp, which is part of the first phase of preparations for the game against South Africa.

Speaking to The Guardian yesterday, Erico said it is a good thing that the players have eventually been considered and invited to the national team as some people had expected.

“We were expecting the NPFL players to be given space in the team, and now the prayer has been answered. This does not necessarily mean that they should be on the starting line up. However, it all depends on how they fare because you never can tell what may happen next.

“To these players, this is the opportunity. This happens once in a lifetime, which not everybody have the chance. I had similar opportunity and I seized it to establish myself. Any minute they are given to play, they should use it to their own advantage,” he said.

Erico admonished the players to work hard to establish themselves in the team, adding that their success would open doors for other NPFL players.He warned the Eagles that the game against South Africa would not be easy, saying, “the South Africans are preparing very hard too, so we need to put our acts together. Rohr should oil the team very well so that we can make good result and make our presence felt on the continent once again.”

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