|
Thursday, November 05, 2009
NFF, PTF disagree over Kenya flight, as Kalu Uche replaces Kaita
THE Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has started making its own travel plans to Nairobi after rejecting the seats allocated to its officials for the trip to the World Cup qualifier by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) in the chartered flight billed to take the Nigerian contingent to Kenya for the game.
Nigeria's Super Eagles will meet Kenya in a crucial World Cup qualifier on the 14th of this month. The PTF had arranged for a chartered aircraft to take the team, supporters, media and other officials to Nairobi for the last 2010 World Cup qualifier. But the NFF was allocated only 50 seats - to cover the 23 players, 11-member technical team and the backroom team plus NFF officials.
The Glass House was not happy with that arrangement and has decided to make its own travel arrangements. A key management staff of the NFF was dispatched to Lagos on Tuesday to begin discussions with one of the airlines. The team is expected to leave for Nairobi on the 12th of this month.
Nigeria, two points behind Tunisia in the race to South Africa, needs to win in Kenya and hope that the North Africans fail to get a win in Maputo.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles' technical crew has recalled Almeria of Spain midfielder, Kalu Uche, as replacement for Lokomotiv Moscow's injured star, Sani Kaita. Kaita is nursing a hamstring injury he suffered at his Russian club but was still included in the 23-man squad for the all-important World Cup game away to Kenya. But according to NFF spokesman, Ademola Olajire, "Kaita is injured and has been replaced by Kalu Uche."
The other injury doubt for Nigeria, Chelsea's midfielder John Obi Mikel, has said he would be fit in time for the match in Nairobi. Several other players, including Ikechukwu Uche, Yusuf Mohammed and Adefemi Adebayo, are out through injury.
Nigeria has to win in Kenya and pray that closest rival, Tunisia, slips up in Mozambique if it is to qualify for next year's World Cup finals in South Africa.
|
