Sportinglife.ng can reveal today that Leicester City’s tottering striker Kelechi Iheanacho will make the country’s 23-man squad to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt to help him rediscover his confidence and his professional career in England next season.
Sportinglife.ng gathered further that Super Eagles chief coach Gernot Rohr has been informed that Iheanacho must be included in any list of players he is assembling to camp in Asaba to prepare for the Africa Cup of Nation beginning from June 21 to July 19.
Indeed, Rohr discussed his list of players with the federations’ chieftains as part of both parties’ concern towards the team’s successful outing at the Africa Cup of Nations, where the tactician hinted that Iheanacho wasn’t part of his plans.
The NFF chiefs reminded Rohr of a similar scenario prior to the Russia 2018 World Cup where Ahmed Musa was virtually confined to the bench at Leicester City which dampened his morale.
The NFF men recalled how Musa’s troubled marital life greatly affected his performance and would have been dropped by the coach, had he not being prevailed on to invite him to the team’s World Cup qualification matches.
According to one of the NFF chieftains who should know at the Glasshouse: ”Ahmed Musa wasn’t a regular at Leicester but played regularly for Nigeria. He rediscovered his confidence, did well in Nigeria’s matches and got the new contract he has in Saudi Arabia, playing for Super Eagles, not Leicester.
”It would have been cruel, if Nigeria abandoned Musa in his hour of need, especially the marital issues he had which apparently affected his output with Leicester.
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Iheanacho is a good player who has lost his confidence. He needs our help and we will stand by him to gain the confidence and form that compelled Manchester City to sign him on.”