Home-based players’ camping to precede Super Eagles’ future games

Nigeria Football Federation in response to calls by Nigerians for the involvement of domestic league players in Super Eagles’ matches, has agreed to henceforth open camp with home-based players, for a week or two, prior to the arrival of the overseas-based players.

Officials told Completesports.com that the Federation came to this conclusion after a meeting with the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, in his office last Tuesday in Abuja, and a followup by the Executive Committee later same day

“The minister suggested to us to involve more home-based players in the Super Eagles’ games, and we have agreed to camp the local boys for between one to two weeks before the overseas-based players report to camp for any particular match in Nigeria or abroad,” our source divulged.

“We have directed coach Gernot Rohr and his assistants to monitor the local leagues and invite players to camp ahead of every game. Rohr will then pick the best among the home-based players to join the foreign-based players when they arrive at camp.

“Our best players are outside the country, no doubt, but we want to boost our domestic football by giving the league players the chance to break into the Super Eagles on merit after training under Gernot Rohr for a week or two. Stephen Keshi discovered many homeboys from his local camping and went ahead to win the 2013 AFCON with about eight domestic league players featuring,” our source divulged.

Meanwhile, Gernot Rohr has started monitoring the domestic players by being at the Rwang Pam Stadium Jos to watch Plateau United play Simba of Tanzania in a CAF Champions League game while one his assistants Joseph Yobo was in nearby Bauchi to watch Wikki Tourist play John Utaka Football Club in a friendly game.