Chele’s Olympic Eagles depleted as seven players leave camp ahead of Remo Stars friendly

Nigeria‘s Olympic Eagles will be without seven players for their upcoming friendly against Remo Stars after the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) granted requests from several Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) clubs to release their players for this weekend’s league fixtures.

The decision represents a temporary setback for head coach Éric Chelle, whose side are using the ongoing camp in Ikenne to prepare for their upcoming international assignment.

The seven players released are Emmanuel Utake of Rivers United, Joshua Jofrank and Chinemerem Olughu of Nasarawa United, Alex Owelayafa of Bendel Insurance, Victor Samuel Umoh of Sporting Lagos, Muhammad Muhammad Umar of Nasarawa United and Junior Ikechukwu of Ikorodu City.

The players are expected to return to their respective clubs to feature in their league engagements before rejoining the national team setup.

Olympic Eagles lose seven NPFL representatives

The latest development comes as the Olympic Eagles continue preparations for their two-legged U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying encounter against the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Chelle initially invited 31 home-based players to camp, with representatives drawn from several NPFL clubs and other domestic sides.

However, the release of seven players means the coaching crew will have fewer options available for the immediate training programme and friendly encounter.

Nasarawa United are the most affected club, with three players initially included in the national team setup. Rivers United, Bendel Insurance, Sporting Lagos and Ikorodu City also have representatives among those granted permission to return for their club commitments.

The decision highlights the scheduling challenges that can arise when domestic league fixtures overlap with national team preparations, particularly when squads are assembled largely from home-based players.

Remo Stars friendly offers opportunity for assessment

Despite the departures, the friendly against Remo Stars presents an opportunity for the technical crew to continue assessing the available players and improve the team’s organisation.

The encounter is particularly important as Chelle works towards building a competitive squad capable of navigating the upcoming continental qualifiers.

With several players returning to their clubs, the remaining members of the Olympic Eagles squad will be expected to make the most of the available training sessions.

The technical crew will also be keen to assess the depth of the squad, particularly in areas affected by the temporary departures.

The friendly could provide valuable minutes for players looking to strengthen their chances of making the final squad for the DR Congo encounter.

Olympic Eagles target return to Olympic football

Nigeria’s immediate objective is to progress beyond the second qualifying round of the U-23 AFCON and keep their hopes of returning to the men’s football tournament at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games alive.

The Olympic Eagles will travel to Lubumbashi for the first leg against DR Congo on November 13, before hosting the return fixture at the Remo Stars Stadium in Ikenne on November 17.

The aggregate winner will advance to the final qualifying round of the U-23 AFCON, scheduled to take place in Egypt next year.

Nigeria has a rich history in Olympic men’s football, winning gold at Atlanta 1996, silver at Beijing 2008 and bronze at Rio 2016.

However, the country has missed the last two editions of the Olympic men’s football tournament, making the current qualification campaign an important opportunity to return to the global stage.

As preparations continue in Ikenne, Chelle and his technical crew will be hoping to maintain momentum despite the temporary loss of seven players to their respective clubs.

The priority remains building a cohesive squad capable of overcoming DR Congo and moving one step closer to securing a place at Los Angeles 2028.

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