NFF Orders Keshi To Focus On World Cup Qualifier As NFF Demands 23-man List For Malawi

Nigeria Football Association, NFA, has urged Super Eagles Head coach, Stephen Keshi, to discard the forty two man list he submitted ahead of the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Malawi in Calabar, Cross River State.

After meeting on Tuesday in Abuja, the association's technical and development committee, urged Keshi to present a twenty three man list for the World Cup cracker against Malawi instead of the forty two man list he submitted to the NFA.

Chairman of the NFF Technical and Development Committee, Barrister Chris Green, explained: “We must be very pragmatic and take it one step at a time. The 2014 FIFA World Cup ticket is very, very important to Nigeria and Nigerians. Yes, we have qualified for the African Nations Championship, for the first time ever, and we very much appreciate it.

“But there are three very crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches that we must prosecute successfully to qualify for Brazil before we can start the build-up to the African Nations Championship. Our smart money must be on focusing hard, and without any distraction,
at the World Cup ticket.”

The NFA has told Keshi that they would not entertain elaborate camp for forty two home-based players, earlier scheduled to arrive in Abuja on Sunday, out of which only five will make the shortlist for the match in Calabar.

Having qualified for the African Nations Championship,CHAN, for the first time ever, the committee's chairman, Christopher Green, said the team still have three crucial 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches which must be successfully executed  to qualify for the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup before the build -up to the CHAN.

To this end, Keshi is expected to harmonise his list and submit a reviewed document to the NFA before the end of the week.