LESS than 72 hours to the much-hyped international friendly between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the Black Stars of Ghana, it appears the Nigerians will miss the services of some key players.
With Osaze Odemwingie doubtful for the tie due to injury, Samson Siasia's team may also be without some other key players whose possibilty of making the London match on Tuesday is in big doubt.
According to Simon Kalika, Super Eagles assistant coach, Dinamo Kiev of Russia striker, Brown Ideye, AC Milan youngster, Joel Obi, Fengor Ogude, Nnamdi Oduamadi and Nosa Igiebor's chances of featuring in the encounter are cloudy, except there are change of fortunes before Tuesday.
In the case of Ideye, inadequate time to get a UK visa could make him unavailable for the match billed for Vicarage Road, Watford, just as the trio of Ogude, Igiebor and Oduamadi, according to Kalika, are all in a race against time to secure visas.
“It is not so easy to get British visas. But they are trying very hard, and we hope that everything will be sorted soon.”
Ideye, is one of a number of players whose appearance has either been blocked or compromised by a combination of visa problems and a reluctance by clubs to release players.
“We called Ideye, who was on standby, to come just in case Osaze is not fit on time for the game, but it was hard for him to get a visa because the time was so short,” Super Eagles assistant coach Simon Kalika told KickOffNigeria.com.
Meanwhile, Sunday Tribunesports reports that many Nigerian journalists wishing to cover the friendly game have been frustrated by the reluctance of the British Embassy to issue visas for that purpose.
Many journalists had made spirited attempts to procure visa but were mostly turned down.
The story is the same with the Nigeria Football Supporters' Club many of whom will have to watch the game on television as the possibilities of getting entry visas become thinner.
