Eniwoke Ibagere BBC Sport Online in Lagos

Super Eagles World Cup stars Austin "Jay-Jay" Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu will not be available for next weekend's African Nations Cup qualifier away to Angola.

Bulgaria-based Justice Christopher will also be missing.

"The three want that they should not be picked for the game," said NFA Secretary General, Taiwo Ogunjobi, who has just returned after a trip to the UK.

"I met Okocha and Kanu and they said they were injured. If you have seen Okocha playing for Bolton Wanderers, he's been substituted. Kanu is also struggling to find his form for his club, Arsenal."

The match, fixed for 8 September at the Cidadela Stadium in Luanda, will be the first for Nigeria since the World Cup.

Oparaku returns

Captain Okocha said he was quitting after the tournament, though Nigerian officials, including coach Christian Chukwu, said they would convince the midfielder to change his mind.

Overseas players are expected to arrive in Nigeria for training on Monday, before the team's departure for Luanda on Wednesday.

Home-based players are already in training in Ota town on the outskirts of Lagos.

They do however include defender Mobi Oparaku, who plays in the United States.

He was in the 1996 Olympic gold medal winning team and last played for the Eagles at the 1998 World Cup in France.

Assistant coach Austin Eguavoen said they were looking for players of substance.

"We're putting together a new Eagles and there's no place for junk players - those who dazzle in training and fizzle out during matches," he said.