BY JACOB AJOM
Former Nigeria international Jonathan Akpoborie has expressed surprise over the invitation of 38 players to the national team camp by coach Stephen Keshi for the return leg of the South Africa 2013 AFCON qualifier against Liberia.

Reacting to the large number of players called to camp, Apkoborie who was part of the FIFA U-17 World Cup-winning 1985 Golden Eaglets squad said, “Keshi has been with this team for up to nine months and I feel he should have the core of his team by now.

Bringing 15 from foreign leagues and 23 home based is a big surprise to me. The tournament is next January and we are almost approaching December, it is really baffling that he is inviting such a big number now.”

He gave a damning verdict on the performances of coach Stephen Keshi and reiterated his belief in foreign trainers for the national team.

“With all due respect to Keshi, I keep saying  we don’t have a Nigerian trainer who can handle our national team. I still stick to it. But I have to respect the decision of the NFF to appoint Keshi. But so far, everything I have seen around the team is very very unusual and leading me to conclude that I am right afterall.”

Although he expressed the belief that the Eagles could qualify for South Africa 2013, the former international made a gloomy forecast on the teams’ chances in the tournament. “We will qualify, no doubt, but we will just be there to make up the numbers because we don’t have a team yet.

If what I have seen in Calabar and reports from the Monrovia match are anything to go by, with just three months to the tournament then, I am afraid, we won’t be favourites to win the tournament.”