Head coach of the senior national team of Nigeria Eric Chelle has picked Francis Uzoho as the new first choice goalkeeper of the team with Stanley Nwabali currently inactive.
Nwabali is still without a club after terminating his contract with Chippa United, and with the Super Eagles set to return to action later this month there is the need to get a new number one.
Chelle didn’t waste time in settling for Uzoho, who was the second choice at the AFCON where they finished third. He is still indifferent on Maduka Okoye who snubbed the team for the AFCON, when he was told he won’t be first choice.
The Udinese goalkeeper would have been the automatic choice, but Chelle felt he questioned his authority by refusing to honour the invitation for the AFCON unless he is guaranteed to be first choice. Uzoho will however face stiff competition from Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo who is also in the team, following his switch of nationality from England to Nigeria.
While Okonkwo can easily partake in friendly encounters, he will need approval of his switch of allegiance application from FIFA to participate in competitive matches like subsequent AFCON and World Cup qualifiers.