NFF queries Peseiro for inviting Aribo and other inactive players to camp for World Cup qualifiers

SUPER Eagles head coach Jose Peseiro has been issued with a query by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for inviting inactive players to camp for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Kigali.

Nigeria's Super Eagles are set to host Lesotho in Uyo on Thursday before embarking on a journey to Rwanda for a face-off against Zimbabwe three days later. South Africa, Rwanda, and the Benin Republic are the other members of Nigeria’s World Cup group, with only the leading team guaranteed to qualify.

At the moment, the players are in camp in Uyo preparing for Thursday's game and apparently, the NFF technical committee went through the list submitted by Mr Peseiro and queried the inclusion of some players, especially Southampton’s Joe Aribo. Since the start of the season, Aribo has struggled to get games at his English Championship, playing less than 10 minutes in their last four games for his club Southampton.

Aribo has actually played more minutes for the senior national team of Nigeria than he has at club level over the past one month. Peseiro told the NFF that he constantly invites Aribo because his qualities are entirely different from the other midfielders in the team, adding that apart from Alex Iwobi, the Southampton man is the most attack conscious midfielder in the squad.

Mr Peseiro assured the federation that he would be forced to drop Aribo if he failed to gain regular playing time at Southampton. Meanwhile, 22 players have arrived at the Super Eagles Uyo camp ahead of Thursday's game against Lesotho.

Those in camp include Kelechi Iheanacho, Francis Uzoho, Jamilu Collins, Olorunleke Ojo, Sadiq Umar, Kenneth Omeruo, Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey, Taiwo Awoniyi, Ola Aina, Victor Boniface and Nathan Tella. Others are Bruno Onyemaechi,  Chigozie Awaziem, Bright Osayi-Samuel, Frank Onyeka, Semi Ajayi, Joe Aribo, Moses Simon, Ademola Lookman, Terem Moffi and Raphael Onyedika.