Source: Team_Talk
Mikel claims place in Nigeria squad
igeria have named a preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup, with injured Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel selected.[LNB] Mikel is currently sidelined with a knee injury and he will miss Chelsea's FA Cup final clash against Portsmouth at Wembley on Saturday.[LNB]However, he is expected to be back to fitness by the end of the month and should be available to claim his place in the final 23-man squad for the World Cup.[LNB]Joining Mikel in new coach Lars Lagerback's squad is Portsmouth striker John Utaka, who was overlooked for the African Cup of Nations at the start of the year.[LNB]Fellow Pompey forward Nwankwo Kanu is in the squad and there is also a place for Bolton Wanderers defender Danny Shittu.[LNB]Everton trio Joseph Yobo, Yakubu and Victor Anichebe, along with Fulham midfielder Dickson Etuhu, complete the Premier League contingent.[LNB]Monaco's promising midfielder Lukman Haruna is in the squad, while goalkeeper Akpan Bassey and defender Peter Suswan are the only members of the party who play their club football in Nigeria.[LNB]Lagerback, who replaced Amodu Shaibu as coach earlier in the year, has also moved to dismiss suggestions he has been under pressure to select certain players.[LNB]The Swede said: "Individual skills and fitness levels were considered when picking the players, so it does not matter if a player is 20 or 35 years old."[LNB]Nigeria open their World Cup campaign against Argentina on 12th June before facing Greece and South Korea in Group B.[LNB]Nigeria squad:[LNB]Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv), Dele Ayenugba (Beni Yehuda FC), Bassey Akpan (Bayelsa United), Austine Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva)[LNB]Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Marseille), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow) Onyekachi Apam (Nice), Joseph Yobo (Everton), Daniel Shittu (Bolton), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam), Rabiu Afolabi (Salzburg), Peter Suswan (Lobi Stars)[LNB]Midfielders: Kalu Uche (Almeria), Dickson Etuhu (Fulham), John Obi Mikel (Chelsea), Sani Kaita (Alaniya), Lukman Haruna (Monaco), Ayila Yussuf (Dynamo Kiev), Peter Osaze (Lokomotiv Moscow)[LNB]Forwards: Yakubu Ayegbeni (Everton), Victor Anichebe (Everton), Chinedu Obasi (Hoffenheim), Nwankwo Kanu (Portsmouth), Obafemi Martins (Wolfsburg), Ideye Brown (Sochaux), Ikechukwu Uche (Zaragoza), John Utaka (Portsmouth), Peter Utaka (Odense), Victor Obinna (Malaga).
