The Super Eagles’ players will now fly direct to the capital of Seychelles, Victoria, to open camp at the start of next week ahead of next Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in the same city.
This is in contrast with initial reports that the Eagles would converge on Paris, France, in order to accord them easy access to the camp and subsequent flight to Victoria for the September 7 match.
However, the executive committee of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) revealed after their meeting on Monday at The Glasshouse that all efforts will be put in place to ensure the players arrived in Victoria direct from their various basis.
This corroborates earlier reports that Eagles’ team administrator, Dayo Enebi Achor said all players called for the restart of the AFCON 2019 qualifiers will fly directly to Seychelles.
Achor disclosed that the players will start arriving in Victoria on Monday, 3rd September, while Enyimba of Aba goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa and Eagles’ team officials will travel from Nigeria into the Seychelles capital on Sunday, 2nd September.
However, that report went contrary with feelers that Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr had proposed for the players to converge on Paris, France from their various bases, in order to accord them easy accessibility, then travel direct to Victoria on Wednesday.
Rohr’s suggestion had been widely reported and appeared to be the exact programme the team would follow, especially as he was also said to have travelled out of Nigeria at the start of this week, to prepare ground for the arrival of his players this weekend.
However, that will no longer be the case, as a communiqué issued after Monday’s NFF executive committee meeting has upheld Achor’s angle of the story.
The communiqué read in part: “Board directed the Secretariat to work assiduously towards making adequate arrangements for Players and Officials of the Super Eagles for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Seychelles in Victoria on Friday, 7th September 2018.
“For ease of logistics and in consideration of convenience, Board approved that the players (as well as team officials not based in Nigeria) fly direct into Seychelles from their bases in Europe while the one player from Nigeria and Nigeria –based match officials fly from Nigeria aboard commercial aircraft.”
