Golden Eaglets drop AFCON four stars to replace Bichi, others

Coach Manu Garba has sensationally dropped four more players from the U17 AFCON in Tanzania – Fawaz, Abdullahi, Shedrack Tanko, Mayowa Abayomi  and Ogaga Oduko – as hr named the final 21-man squad for the U17 World Cup.

National Daily learnt that six players from the tournament in Tanzania, where Nigeria placed a disappointing fourth, had already been dropped before the trip to Brazil.

They were David Ishaya, Adrian Akande, Mubaraq Adeshina, Shuaibu Abdulrazaq, Suleman Shuaibu and Olatomi Olaniyan.

However, there was also a surprise place for Abba Bichi, whose inclusion in the squad had long been questioned as his father is head of the country’s security agency.

It has been reported that embattled NFF officials insisted on the boy so as to curry the favour of his father in their desperate bid to escape corruption trial.

FC Hearts star Francis Daniel, a highly promising defensive midfielder who featured at this year’s Bayern Munich World Youth Cup in Germany, was a late inclusion on the squad.

Nigeria Final Squad to the 2019 U17 World Cup

Goalkeepers: Sunday Stephen, Joseph Oluwabusola, Daniel Jinadu

Defenders: Usman Ibrahim, Clement Ikenna, Charles Etim, Quadri Edun, Oluwatimilehen Adeniyi

Midfielders: Samson Tijani (Captain), Francis Daniel, Akinkunmi Amoo, Peter Agba, Ibraheem Jabaar, Monsuru Opeyemi, Ojederan Hamzat, Sa’id Ibrahim

Strikers: Wisdom Ubani, Olakunle Olusegun, Devine Nwachukwu, Olawale Peter, Abba Bichi.