Nations Cup Qualifier: NFF Cancels Kenya Camp For Super Eagles

Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has cancelled the proposed camping of the Super Eagles in Kenya ahead of their 2013 Africa Cup of Nations game against Rwanda.

Keshi had wanted the Eagles to camp in Kenya for acclimatisation because of the high altitude in Rwanda, but the NFF after careful analysis of the programme said that it would be better for the senior national team to take a chartered flight to Rwanda a day before the crucial tie on 29 February.

Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme, Head of Technical Department of the NFF, told P.M.Sports that the team will not camp in Kenya for 14 days before heading to Rwanda judging by the fact that the professional players will not be released for such a long period of time by their clubs.

“Most of the players the coach wants to use for the Rwanda tie on 29 February are foreign-based. Keshi cannot take both the home and foreign-based players for 14 day camping in Kenya. It is not possible. The highest he can have is 10 days assuming he wants to have the home-based and the foreign-based players for 5 days. We know that the professionals will be the key factor to his game plan

“Our plan is to have all the players’ camp in Nigeria and a day to the match; the team will take a chartered flight to Rwanda for the match. This way, the high altitude of Rwanda will not affect the players negatively,” Dr. Ikpeme said.

The camp of the Super Eagles will open on 5 February with the local players who are billed to take on Liberia on 15 February.

—Francis Achi/Abuja