Keshi May Recall Osaze, Taiwo, Uche

•Osaze

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Reprieve may come the way of the likes of Osaze Odemwingie, Taye Taiwo and Ikechukwu Uche as Chief Coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi, has dropped hint that he may recall some players that have not been invited to the national team as the country set sight on playing at her fifth FIFA World Cup in Brazil next year.

•Uche

Keshi said that players, who were hitherto left out in his team in the qualifying series for the World Cup which ended last Saturday with a ticket to play in Brazil 2014, could be handed a shock recall to the Eagles as he prepares for the Mundial. Keshi stunned many by leaving out experienced talent from his 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and received a backlash from many who felt he was treading on thin ice.

Keshi however insists that with the World Cup ticket firmly at hand Nigerian players who had been left out of his team will only be allowed to sneak in if they prove they are better than the ones currently in the squad.

“I believe everyone who is eligible to play for Nigeria has a chance and I am being totally honest here. I will assess their performances at their different clubs and we will take a decision but if these players are not better than those that I already have in the team, then they don’t have any chance.

•Taye Taiwo

“However, if they show that they are better and can make the team stronger, why not? It does not matter if they have played for the Super Eagles previously or not.

“I recall that before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, players like Michael Emenalo and Chidi Nwanu did not kick a ball in (the qualifying tournament.)

“They also did not play at the Nations Cup earlier that year but when they showed the coaches what they could do, they came in.

•Osaze

“I have not selected my team for the World Cup. No one has a guaranteed shirt and we will keep working until we know the 23 players that will go to Brazil,” he said. Keshi who won 64 caps and scored nine goals for Nigeria as a player, replaced Samson Siasia as Super Eagles coach in 2011 and has yet to lose a competitive game to African opposition.