Why Rohr left out China-based players

All the usual suspects were included in the list,  with the Super Eagles China-based players as major absentees.

Captain John Mikel Obi, Brown Ideye and Odion Ighalo were all left out of the squad.

Pulse Sports have learnt that Mikel, Ideye and Ighalo have been given time off the national time to continue their settling in at their new clubs.

The Chinese Super League new season kicks off on Friday, March 3 and Rohr has left out the players so they can focus on their new clubs.

Nigeria play Senegal and Burkina Faso on Tuesday, March 23 and Monday, March 27 respectively in London.

Rohr feels the long distance the China-based players have to travel for the friendly games is not worth it.

Mikel and Ideye kick off their Chinese Super League campaign on Saturday, March 4 as Tianjin Teda travel to face Shandong Luneng.

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Ideye will likely miss the game as his transfer from Olympiacos has not been complete.

Ighalo’s Changchun Yatai will also travel to face Shanghai East Asia in the matchday one of the Chinese Super League.