Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has named a 23-man squad for this month’s international friendlies against Iran and Jordan.

Chelle surprisingly left out Victor Osimhen and first-choice goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from his 23-man squad. But recalled other key players, including Maduka Okoye, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Frank Onyeka, Moses Simon, Samuel Chukwueze, Akor Adams, and Paul Onuachu.

There are also first-time call-ups for Scotland-based defender Emmanuel Fernandez, Germany-based forward Philip Otele, and Yira Collins Sor of KRC Genk. Goalkeeper Adebayo Adeleye returns to the squad.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will face Iran in Antalya, Turkey, on March 27 (4pm local time) before taking on Jordan on March 31 (8pm local time). Both fixtures were moved from Amman, Jordan, due to ongoing military tensions in the Middle East.

Henry Nwosu, a former Super Eagles midfielder, has d!ed.

He passed away at the age of 62.

Nwosu’s former teammate, Segun Odegbami, announced this on his social media page on Saturday.

Nwosu was part of the team that won the 1980 Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by Nigeria in Lagos.

“Henry Nwosu passes on!

“After five days in hospital battling for his life, the one I call ‘Youngest Millionaire’ passed on at 4:00 am this morning at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, where he had been in intensive care since Wednesday.

“It is with deep pain in my heart that I have to be the conveyor of the news of the de@th of Henry Nwosu, MON. May he rest peacefully with our Creator in Heaven,” Odegbami wrote.

Nwosu, who was the youngest member of the 1980 AFCON squad, was widely celebrated for his role in Nigeria’s triumph at the Africa Cup of Nations, where the national team, then known as ‘Green Eagles’, secured the first continental title on home soil.

Former Super Eagles coach, Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, has d!ed at the age of 88.

The family announced his death in a statement signed by Mrs. Bolade Adesuyi, confirming that the football icon and community leader d!ed a few minutes ago.

“With great gratitude to God for a life well spent, we announce the passing of this great man: a Modakeke High Chief, the 1st indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach, father, husband, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend – High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde,” the family statement read.

“We thank God for the fulfilled life and your contributions to the Nigeria nation and the world as an unequalled football coach,” the statement continued. “We pray that your soul will rest perfectly in the bosom of your & our Lord Jesus Christ. Good night till we meet to part no more.”

Onigbinde was Nigeria’s first indigenous coach, having first handled the national team between 1983 and 1984.

He led the Green Eagles to a silver medal at the 1984 Africa Cup of Nations, where Nigeria lost to Cameroon in the final.

Onigbinde also led the Super Eagles to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.