— Ready for Scotland on Wednesday
—Onazi enlivens camp with jokes
Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles arrived London yesterday afternoon ahead of their international friendly against the Tartan Army of Scotland on Wednesday night in preparation for the Brazil 2014 World Cup.
The team with head coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi at the head of the delegation left the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on yesterday morning and arrived the Heathrow Airport in London at exactly 2:15pm local time, which is also Nigerian time. On ground to welcome the team was team scribe, Dayo Enebi Achor and NFF friendly games Consultant, Jairo Pacho.
Fourteen players made the trip from Abuja to London, while Ukraine based striker, Michael Babatunde was already waiting at the team’s hotel. Among them were nine foreign based stars, while the rest are based in Nigeria. The list includes Ogenyi Onazi, Victor Obinna Nsofor, Ahmed Musa, Michael Uchebo, Godfrey Oboabona, Gariel Reuben, Juwon Oshaniwa, Efe Ambrose and Sunday Mba. As the time of this report, Emmanuel Emenike and Ramon Azeez were the latest to arrive camp.
The home based stars are Chigozie Agbim, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Daniel Akpeyi, Kunle Odunlami and Ejike Uzoenyi. All other players
were expected to link up with the team by dinner time on Sunday.
Camp mood is already gay with Lazio of Italy midfielder, Ogenyi Onazi keeping ribs cracking with jokes. It has always been his character to be jovial and even immigration officials in Abuja and London got a dose of Onazi’s jokes.
Turkey based defender, Godfrey Oboabona, also set the business mood in camp alive when he said the World Cup is a place to showcase true skills and he will do everything within his powers to be part of the final 23 man list for the Mundial in Brazil. Babatunde Michael who was the first player to arrive camp also spoke in a similar vein, assuring that he will give his all to be part of the Nigerian team to the World Cup. The team will have its first training session for the friendly this evening, with all the 30 players invited for the World Cup preparation expected to take part.
The team is putting up at the Hilton Cobhams hotel in London.`
