Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has given several reasons why he has handed a fresh call-up to Rangers defender Calvin Bassey for the World Cup qualifiers against Central African Republic.
Bassey is the only player yet to be capped by the Super Eagles on the 23-man squad for the qualifiers on October 7 and 10.
The leftback or central defender is also eligible to play for Italy, where he was born, and England.
Rohr said the matches against CAR will afford him a chance to test a new player like Bassey and he is also delighted the left-footed player could play as central defender in a team dominated by right-footed central defenders.
“It is important to have him quickly because it is one of the last moments we can test new players,” he told ESPN.
“It is good to know that Bassey can also play central defence.
“We don’t have any left-footed central defenders, what we have are only five right-footed central defenders.”
Rohr further explained that Bassey was originally on the list for the qualifiers against Liberia and Cape Verde last month but he was forced to pull out after he tested positive for Covid-19.
