MIKEL, CHUKWUEZE EXPECTED IN NIGERIA'S PROVISIONAL AFCON SQUAD

Samuel Chukwueze expected to be recalled to Nigeria squad ahead of Afcon 

Nigeria’s provisional 25-man squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will be announced over the next few days and coach Gernot Rohr says there will be a return for captain John Mikel Obi.

Also expected to be named in the squad is youngster Samuel Chukwueze, who was left out of the Flying Eagles squad to the FIFA Under 20 World Cup starting next week in Poland.

Mikel, 32, has not played for Nigeria since the 2018 World Cup in Russia but said via Ayo Olu Ibidapo that he would be in Egypt

“We had a very good meeting with Obi Mikel,” Rohr said. “Our list will be made and Chukwueze will be in our group of 25 players preparing for the AFCON.”

It will be a return to the senior squad for the Villareal teenager, who was left out of the squad for the last two games in March to help the under 23s overturn a two-goal deficit over Libya in the second round of Olympic qualifiers.

Nigeria will play Zimbabwe on June 8 in the first of their preparatory games for the Nations Cup.

Leroy says Siasia needs to learn respect

Claude Leroy (R) with NFF Exco member Chris Green

Congo coach Claude Leroy has slammed 'disrespectful' Nigeria U23 coach Samson Siasia and said he needs to learn humility.

Both sides meet on Sunday in the first leg of their African Under 23 championship qualifier. In the build up to the game, Siasia said on Thursday that he would like his team to score three or four goals against Congo to make the second leg a formality.

Leroy said he found the comments to be in bad taste and chided his younger colleague

"Football is a game of humility and when I read that he said they will score 3 or 4, I think it is disrespect to another team and he has to learn humility."

Leroy's warning is one that Siasia will do well to heed. Last time the Frenchman led a team to Nigeria, he inflicted a 3-2 defeat on Stephen Keshi's Super Eagles. That result ultimately cost the Eagles a place at the 2015 Nations Cup.

Leroy says that was a different team

"It's a different game. The Nigerian team had just come from the World Cup, and maybe they were a little tired. And also too confident because Congo are a small team. So we tried to take advantage of that overconfidence."