No automatic shirts for home-based Eagles against Malawi, says Keshi

The national team coach is making final arrangements for the camping of the squad ahead of their crunch qualifier against Malawi in Calabar next month

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi was in Abuja on Thursday to finalize the arrangements for the Super Eagles’ crunch 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Flames of Malawi on September 7th in Calabar.

Goal tried to scoop from the coach the likely home based players that would make the 23-man list which he has submitted to the Nigeria Football Federation but not yet released by the NFF.

“There is no automatic shirt for the home lads,” Keshi told Goal. “All of them have to fight for the five slots I allocated to them and I don’t know what you mean by the regular five home-based Eagles players. When we start training we will know who is who.”

He also confirmed to Goal that he was fully aware of midfielder Sunday Mba’s trip to France to join AC Bastia. He disagreed with reports that stated the midfielder went on trials at the club.

“Sunday Mba is in France to team up with a top division side. He did not travel to undergo trials but to join the team as well as finalize the contractual terms involving his transfer to the club,” Keshi said.

Nigeria need at least a draw against Malawi to qualify for the final play off stage of the 2014 Fifa World Cup Brazil.

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