CSKA Moscow of Russia winger, Chidera Ejuke is likely to get a starting shirt for the Super Eagles in next week’s World Cup qualifier away to Cape Verde, alongside newly invited Innocent Bonke from FF Malmo of Sweden and Kingsley Michael from Venezia of Italy.
This is sequel to the impending absence of several key players that will not make the trip to Cape Verde due to restrictions placed on them by the countries where they ply their soccer trade, and Eagles’ coach, Gernot Rohr is already planning on lining out alternatives.
Megasportsarena.com reports that this much was disclosed by Rohr on the sidelines of preparations for this Friday’s first game of the Qatar 2022 qualifiers against Liberia in Lagos, ahead of which he lamented that he will be without as many as nine players for the next game.
Those who will be absent on Tuesday are mainly from the English Premier League, Italian Serie A and Scotland’s Premiership, as Cape Verde is on Great Britain’s COVID-19 red list, with rules in place about necessary quarantines and travel restrictions.
With clubs in England and Scotland having already decided not to allow their players line out in Cape Verde, Rohr will be without the England-based quintet of Wilfred Ndidi and Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City, Alex Iwobi of Everton, William Troost Ekong and Oghekenaro Etebo of Watford as well as Leon Aderemi Balogun and Joe Aribo from Glasgow Rangers of Scotland.
There is also palpable worry over the possibility of Italy-based Victor Osimhen from SSC Napoli and Tyronne Ebuehi of Salernitana also not being available for the game that holds four days after the clash with Liberia in Lagos, but Rohr is still making plans for Michael.
Rohr hinted as much when he told ESPN: “It is a big challenge for us to replace nine players from our first list and to find in a few days only the players who can, with a good level, replace them.
“We are preparing the team as best as possible, but we will not have these players who are some of our best players.
“So, they will be here for one game and then we have to change completely the team. But we have to handle and manage the situation.
“That is why we are all the time positive about the possibility to see some new players like Innocent (Bonke), like Kingsley Michael, like (Chidera) Ejuke.”
