Super Eagles recall Kalu Uche

Kasimpasa forward, Kalu Uche, has finally earned a recall to the Nigerian national team on the back of his Turkish exploits this term. 

But Kalu Uche's younger brother, Ikechukwu, Fenerbahce's Joseph Yobo and injured Obafemi Martins are among notable names missing in the squad announced on Thursday.

Uche last featured for Nigeria's Super Eagles in November 2011 when he scored in the 2-0 win in an international friendly against Zambia.

The 30-year-old attacker is among 30 players called up by Nigeria head coach, Stephen Keshi, ahead of their busy schedule in June.

"Kalu Uche has been consistent at his club in recent months and he is a Nigerian. It's going to be a long month in June and that's why we are turning to our best players now," said Keshi to supersport.com.

Uche makes a return to international football for the first time in 16 months after netting 16 goals this season in the Turkish top flight for Kasimpasa SK.

Also back in Keshi's team is the leading scorer of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, Emmanuel Emenike, who has recovered from injury.

Regular squad players like Vincent Enyeama, John Obi Mikel, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Ahmed Musa, Kenneth Omeruo, Elderson Echiejile and Victor Moses are also named for the June games.

FC Cologne striker, Anthony Ujah, is getting his first call up. The 22-year-old has scored 11 goals for his club in Germany's second tier.

Keshi also named 12 players from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) for the June games.

The African champions have a high-profile friendly against Concacaf champions, Mexico in Houston, Texas, USA on the last day of May before two World Cup qualifying matches in Nairobi and Windhoek that come before the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria play Tahiti, Uruguay and Spain in Brazil but will play two more games if they advance to the knockout stage, before returning to Africa for a 2014 African Nations Championship qualifying fixture against Cote d’Ivoire.

The African champions are expected to play about 10 games between May and July.

Twelve NPFL players and technical/backroom staff are expected to leave Abuja for the training camp in Nuremberg, Germany on May 15 while the other players will link up at the camp.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has also explained that players based in Russia, Ukraine and Norway may only join the team for the matches against Kenya and Namibia, and for the Fifa Confederations Cup.

The Squad:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheva, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Daniel Akpeyi (Heartland FC, Nigeria)

Defenders: Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Elderson Echiejile (FC Braga, Portugal); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, The Netherlands); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Ebenezer Odunlami (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Benjamin Francis (Heartland FC, Nigeria); Solomon Kwambe (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria)

Midfielders: John Obi Mikel (Chelsea FC, England); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); John Ogu (Academica de Coimbra, Portugal); Reuben Gabriel (Kilmarnock, Scotland); Sunday Mba (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Emeka Eze (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Michael Babatunde (Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine); Nnamdi Oduamadi (AS Varese 1910, Italy); Anthony Ujah (FC Cologne, Germany); Kalu Uche (Kasimpasa, Turkey); Gomo Onduku (Sharks FC, Nigeria); Obinna Nwachukwu (Heartland FC, Nigeria); Gambo Mohammed (Kano Pillars, Nigeria)


Culled from SuperSport.com