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Nigeria’s preparations for the Brazil 2014 World Cup suffered a setback yesterday, with a disagreement between Chief Coach Stephen Keshi and the Technical Committee of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) stalling the release of the Super Eagles provisional team list.

Keshi had earlier submitted the list to the committee and was supposed to defend it yesterday, after which it would be made public. However, anxious sports journalists waited in vain for the release of the list after the meeting that started by 3pm.

There has been public outcry over Keshi’s insistence to exclude on-form striker Ikechukwu Uche over alleged technical indiscipline, while Keshi and the Technical Committee have had disagreements over the number of players to be invited to camp.

The meeting lasted for about three hours and was attended by NFF Chairman, Alhaji Aminu Maigari and other members of the Technical Committee.

Approached by journalists after the meeting, Keshi said: “I have submitted the list to the NFF Technical Committee. Mr. Paul Bassey would tell you more about that. I submitted a list of 37 or 38 players. From that, I will draw up another provisional list of 30 which is what FIFA needs.”

But rather than avail them of the list, Bassey said: “We have decided to shelve release of the list until further consultations are made. We took the opportunity to look at the preparation programme of the Technical Committee. This includes the issue of personnel and others.”

The Technical Committee spokesman, however, assured that NFF would surely meet the deadline of May 10 for the submission of a provisional list of 30 players to world football ruling body FIFA.

•Photo shows Stephen Keshi.

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