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Ejide, Troost-Ekong in danger as Oliseh revolution kicks off

Saturday 25 July 2015

/ by Colin Udoh
How would this line up look under the Oliseh Rule?

Defender William Troost-Ekong could be one of the first victims of Sunday Oliseh's Super Eagles revolution, unless he can find himself a top club soon.

The defender's two-year deal with Eredivisie side Groningen is up, and he is currently without a club.

Oliseh's first pronouncement on signing his Super Eagles contract was that no player outside of a club in the first division would play for his team.

Although he did clarify the statement later to say that those already in the squad would be allowed a limited time to keep their places while they searched for club upgrades, the statement would have sent seismic shivers all through the squad.

While Troost-Ekong's rights were owned by First Division Groningen, he played last season on loan at second division FC Dordrecht, which would have made him ineligible if Oliseh were in charge and his policy in place.

Oliseh is an admirer of the defender, telling ColinUdoh.com that he had watched the big lad on a number of occasions play in Holland prior to his Nigeria debut and had been impressed by his ability.

Having impressed in his one appearance for the Super Eagles would seem to give him a hall pass. But not having a club would most certainly rule him out.

Over the last one year, previous coach Stephen Keshi called up about 62 players to camp. Of that number, 11 are currently ineligible by virtue of not being in first division clubs.

Nine would have been ineligible last season, when they were called up by Keshi.

Austin Ejide, whose club were relegated at the end of last season, is among high profile names who could miss the boat if they don't find clubs.

Kenneth Omeruo is in the subset who would have been overlooked last season. But his recent move to Kasimpasa has helped his cause.

An unstarting eleven of players who would have been ineligible last last season and this would look like this 

UN-STARTING XI
Ejide, Balogun, Omeruo, Troost-Ekong; Azeez, Akpan, Aluko, Ukoh, Gabriel; Oduamadi, Ighalo

SUBS
Joe Omale, Obinna Nsofor, Shola Ameobi, Okechukwu Gabriel

Goalkeepers
1. Vincent Enyeama (Lille)
2. Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be'er Sheva/free agent)**
3. Daniel Akpeyi (Warri Wolves)
4. Chigozie Agbim (Gombe United)
5. Theophilus Afelokhai (Kano Pillars)
6. Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Sunshine Stars)
7. Chidiebere Eze (FC Ifeanyi Ubah)

Defenders
8. Elderson Echiejile (Monaco)
9. Efe Ambrose (Celtic)
10. Godfrey Oboabona (Rizespor) 
11. Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves)
12. Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough/Kasimpasa)*
13. Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC) 
14. Joseph Yobo (Norwich/Rtd)
15. Kunle Odunlami (Sunshine Stars)
16. William Troost-Ekong (FC Dordrecht/Free agent)*/**
17. Leon Balogun (Darmstadt/Mainz 05)*
18. Chima Akas (SharksFC)
19. Solomon Kwambe (Warri Wolves)
20. Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin)
21. Benjamin Francis (Hapoel Tel Aviv)
22. Akeem Latifu (Aalesund FC)
 

Midfielders: 
23. John Mikel Obi (Chelsea)
24. Ramon Azeez (Almeria)*/**
25. Ogenyi Onazi (Lazio)
26. Joel Obi (Torino)
27. Nnamdi Oduamadi (US Latino)*/**
28. Ejike Uzoenyi (Mamelodi Sundowns) 
29. Nosa Igiebor (Maccabi Tel Aviv) 
30. Joe Omale (Dekina Dragons)*/**
31. Reuben Gabriel (Kilmarnock/Boavista)*
32. Michael Babatunde (Volyn Lutsk)
33. Rabiu Ibrahim (AS Trencin)
34. Ogu John (Hapoel Be'er Sheva)
35. Anderson Esiti (Estoril FC)
36. Bright Onyedikachi
37. Steven Ukoh (Biel-Bienne)*/**
38. Sone Aluko (Hull City)**
39. Hope Akpan (Reading FC)**
40. Kingsley Sokari (Esperance FC)
41. Joseph Nathaniel (Sharks FC)


Forwards: 
42. Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow) 
43. Shola Ameobi (Free agent)**
44. Emmanuel Emenike (Al Ain) 
45. Victor Obinna (Free agent)**
46. Peter Odemwingie (Stoke City) 
47. Michael Uchebo (Boavista) 
48. Victor Moses (Chelsea) 
49. Uche Nwofor (Boavista)
50. Gbolahan Salami (Warri Wolves)
51. Okechukwu Gabriel (Unattached)*/**
52. Brown Ideye (WBA)
53. Aaron Samuel (Ghuanzhou R & F)
54. Odion Ighalo (Watford FC)*
55. Moses Simon (KAA Gent)
56. Mfon Udoh (Enyimba)
57. Emem Eduok (Esperance)
58. Ike Uche (Tigres UANL)
59. Bright Dike (Toronto)
60. Anthony Ujah (Werder Bremen)
61. Stanley Dimgba (Warri Wolves)
62. Obafemi Martins (Seattle Sounders)

* ineligible last season 
** ineligible this season 




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