New Nigeria coach to check on Okocha, Kanu and Yobo in England (22.08.2002)
LAGOS
New Nigeria coach Christian Chukwu is to visit national team players Austin `Jay Jay` Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu in England this week, officials told AFP Tuesday.
"Chukwu will visit Okocha (Bolton), Kanu (Arsenal) and Joseph Yobo, who is at Everton, to brief them on his objectives and targets for his team," said Taiwo Ogunjobi, secretary-general of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA).
"He will also visit our players (playing) in Holland and France to do likewise."
Ogunjobi said the coach will also be looking to check on the fitness of Kanu and Yobo ahead of the crucial African Nations Cup qualifier away to Angola, and will be asking
their clubs to release them in time for the encounter.
Both players were not in action for their teams when the English Premiership kicked off last weekend because of injury.
Nigeria will already be without key midfielder Christopher Justice for the Angola game after he injured his knee during a league match for his Bulgarian club Levski Sofia.
Nigeria begin their Nations Cup qualifying campaign against Angola on September 8 in Luanda under recently-appointed Chukwu.
The former Nigeria skipper won a two-year deal earlier this month in place of Adegboye Onigbinde, who led the `Super Eagles` to the World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan.
