On Monday, Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr named his squad for a training program in Corsica and Paris next month. Rohr's squad composition is interesting as much for those who are on it, as it is for the players who are not.
To start with, the German has seemingly bowed to pressure and picked four players from the domestic league, with two from title challengers MFM FC.
Stephen Odey is the league top scorer with 14 goals so far, and his exploits have seen the media launch a full on campaign to have him in the national team.
That clamour cooled somewhat when the player controversially decided to go off to Denmark on trials -- without the knowledge of his club. But Rohr appears to have ignored all of that and called up the forward along with teammate Sikiru Olatunbosun, he of the CNN Goal of the Week fame.
Joining them is Akwa United's impressive attacking midfielder Alhassan Ibrahim, whose goals and all round play have been phenomenal in hurling his side from the depths of relegation to challenging for a continental place.
While there is room for more players from the domestic league, Rohr has done well in picking four of the league's best players. It is now up to them to prove they deserve to be there.
The easiest of those tasks rests with goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa. In the absence of the injured Carl Ikeme, the FC Ifeanyi Ubah keeper has just youngster Dele Alampasu to contend with. But both will have to show good form to keep out Daniel Akpeyi. Rohr has again left out his China-based players. Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo and Brown Ideye will not be required for the Corsica friendly. Neither is Ogenyi Onazi. But expect at least two of those to return to face South Africa later in June.
Instead, he has recalled some of the players who did not get a chance to be tested the last time out, after the second friendly game in England was called off.
The likes of Tyronne Ebuehi, Noah Bazee, Victor Osimhen and Ola Aina will all get a chance to stake a claim for a spot, along with Chidozie Awaziem, Isaac Success and Olanrewaju Kayode.
The Corsica friendly should be indicative of which new players do enough to force their way into the team and on the field against South Africa later in June.