Interim Nigeria head coach Austin Eguavoen has said it would be difficult to open Nigeria’s training camp early ahead of next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

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Eguavoen was appointed as the interim coach of the Super Eagles following the sacking of Gernot Rohr. And in an exclusive interview with Soccernet, Eguavoen revealed it would be impossible to open the training camp before Christmas unless their clubs release them early.

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While players plying their trade in other leagues will get a Christmas break, players in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership will play during the festive period.

“Most of those players are playing in their clubs in Europe as the leagues are still on.” Eguavoen said in an interview with Soccernet.

“To get their release at a go is going to be tardy. But we are working on something, and hopefully, just after Christmas, we will see how those guys can also convince their clubs to get released earlier.”

“But that is not going to be easy. Because the leagues are still on. And mind you, in England, they play through Christmas and early new year.”

Nonetheless, Eguavoen hopes all the players will be available by the end of December. Which will just be a week before the start of the tournament.

“We have already planned to get the players to come as early as possible. But whereby that is not achieved, we are looking at the end of December or the 1st of January.” He concluded.

Although AFCON begins on the 9th of January, the Super Eagles will still have an extra two days to prepare as they do not play until the 11th of January.

The three-time African Champions begin their quest for a fourth continental title with a clash against Egypt before further games against Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.