Roll call in Eagles camp in Malaga

Fifteen players are currently sweating it out at the Super Eagles camp in Malaga, Spain, with the arrival yesterday evening of defender Onyekachi Akpam from his base in France.
The Nice player was, however, unable to take part in the evening training session of the team as he arrived after session kicked off at 3.45pm (local time).
Sources at the Eagles’ Atalaya Park Golf Hotel camp told THISDAYSports that Coach Berti Vogts was satified with the response of the players to the training programme, which also saw the arrival yesterday of Wolverhampton Wanderers of England midfielder, Seyi George Olofinjana.
“Vogts is very happy with the response of the players. And from what we’ve seen so far it appears like he (Vogts) has already started tinkering with the tactics and formation he intends to use in Ghana,” explained the source.
It was learnt that the team trains twice daily, first between 10 and 12 noon and then at 3.45. The evening session, however, lasts for just one hour fifteen minutes.
The FA officials who spoke with us re-iterated the fact that the weather was quite favourable.
“In fact as we’re talking with you now we’re wearing just t-shirts. The weather is very okay its about 24 degrees celcius. It is only in the mornings and late at night that it becomes cold,” explained the official.
Sochaux of France defender Rabiu Afolabi was being expected in camp last night while Marseille left back Taye Taiwo sent word that he would arrive today after taking part in the France version of the FA Cup.
Also mentioned as likely to arrive Malaga today is Newcastle United striker Obafemi Martins, who was surprisingly left out of the Magpies FA Cup third round clash with Stoke City.
His exclusion leant credence to reports that Magpies’ boss Sam Allardyce had reached an accord with Vogts to leave the striker out of the FA Cup so that he would be available for Newcastle’s crunch Premiership showdown with Manchester United at Old Trafford this Saturday.
It is clear that Vogts has had to soft pedal in his dealings with the European clubs. After insisting that all his players must be in camp by yesterday in line with the FIFA 14-day rule, Vogts has granted concessions to a number of players including Chelsea’s Mikel Obi and Everton’s Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Joseph Yobo who will join their colleagues in Malaga after tomorrow’s Carling Cup semi-final clash.
It was also scooped that Portsmouth stars Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka along with the others exempted to play for their clubs, will likely all be in by the Wednesday deadline.
Eagles’ head coach, Berti Vogts started his training routine on Friday, with 13 players in attendance, and the same number was on offer for the second session Saturday morning.
The players in camp as at Sunday evening included Peter Osaze Odemwingie, Rabiu Afolabi, Victor Obinna Nsofor, Onyekachi Okonkwo and Stephen Ayodele Makinwa.
Others are Seyi George Olofinjana, Obinna Nwaneri, Sani Kaita, Richard Eromoigbe, Ifeanyi Emeghara, Haruna Lukman, Efe Ambrose, Kingsley Udoh, Oladapo Olufemi and Onyekachi Akpam.