Facts may have emerged on why Nigeria’s West Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie was excluded from the Super Eagles squad for the 2013 African Nations Cup holding in South Africa, by coach Stephen Keshi.
According to Paul Bassey, a columnist with Vanguard Newspaper, who was present at the NFA Technical Committee meeting where Keshi and his assistants defended the Nation’s Cup list, the Eagles’ coaches were skeptical about a player who withdrew from National duty just because he was substituted during a match at the last world cup.
According to Bassey, Keshi was querried by the technical committee on the omission of Martins, Taiwo and Osaze from the list. “Members of the Technical Committee were unanimous that Nigeria needed to go to South Africa with the best legs there are, and presently Osaze was one of the best.
“But by the time Keshi and his assistants finished explaining the reasons for his (Osaze)omission, there was nothing to fault him. Post events have certainly proven the coach right. Much as I do not want to drag us back, the coaches were skeptical about a player who withdrew from National duty just because he was substituted during a match at the last world cup”, Bassey noted.
“…Sirs, as I am talking to you I have an idea of my starting eleven and Osaze may not be there as he has not been part of our plans so far. What happens if I go to South Africa and I do not give Osaze a starting shirt, don’t you think it will cause more problems for the team?….” Keshi was quoted to have told members of the committee.
Keshi was also said to have reminded the meeting that when he invited Osaze in November to take part in the Venezuela friendly, he said he could not because his wife was expecting a baby. “As you are reading this, Osaze’s wife is yet to put to bed!”
“Then, there was the issue of lack of respect for constituted authority. A player who decides not to respect his captain is definitely not a team player and a destablising factor”, Bassey said in his Column, Sports Bassey.
According to Bassey, Keshi was querried by the technical committee on the omission of Martins, Taiwo and Osaze from the list. “Members of the Technical Committee were unanimous that Nigeria needed to go to South Africa with the best legs there are, and presently Osaze was one of the best.
“But by the time Keshi and his assistants finished explaining the reasons for his (Osaze)omission, there was nothing to fault him. Post events have certainly proven the coach right. Much as I do not want to drag us back, the coaches were skeptical about a player who withdrew from National duty just because he was substituted during a match at the last world cup”, Bassey noted.
“…Sirs, as I am talking to you I have an idea of my starting eleven and Osaze may not be there as he has not been part of our plans so far. What happens if I go to South Africa and I do not give Osaze a starting shirt, don’t you think it will cause more problems for the team?….” Keshi was quoted to have told members of the committee.
Keshi was also said to have reminded the meeting that when he invited Osaze in November to take part in the Venezuela friendly, he said he could not because his wife was expecting a baby. “As you are reading this, Osaze’s wife is yet to put to bed!”
“Then, there was the issue of lack of respect for constituted authority. A player who decides not to respect his captain is definitely not a team player and a destablising factor”, Bassey said in his Column, Sports Bassey.
Meanwhile, he has said he regrets his abusive Twitter comments. He claimed they were made because coach Stephen Keshi was not fair to him. He even described Chris Green, whom he had also abused, as a good man:
“I remember it was Green who settled my case with Siasia then, but I was too angry when he called me over this matter, and was impatient to listen to him.”
“My comment was not directed at him personally, but to those who made the decision, but I think I overreacted then.”
On his face-off with Keshi, Osaze said:
“I called the coach two or three times within that period, maybe two or three days before the list was made public and told him of my commitment to be part of the Nations Cup, and have told my (club) coach I will be going to the Nations Cup.
“I told the coach I was ready to report to camp by January 3, even before other professionals start reporting to camp, if I were in his programme for the Nations Cup, and even told him to feel free to drop me, if I were not in his programme.
“I felt betrayed after that seeming heart-to-heart discussions with the coach few days to the release of the team list and he could not hint me I was not in his plan for the Nations Cup.
“I am human and open to errors by the way I may have taken the issue, and regret the whole controversy, and want to put all this behind me now and focus on my club career, while wishing the team the best of luck as a Nigerian.”
“I felt betrayed after that seeming heart-to-heart discussions with the coach few days to the release of the team list and he could not hint me I was not in his plan for the Nations Cup.
“I am human and open to errors by the way I may have taken the issue, and regret the whole controversy, and want to put all this behind me now and focus on my club career, while wishing the team the best of luck as a Nigerian.”
Recall that the West Bromwich striker had in the wake of the release of the Nigeria provisional team list for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations taken to his Twitter account and made disparaging comments against Keshi, the team captain and some Nigeria Football Federation officials.
Past coaches, including Samson Siasia and Lars Lagerback, were not spared and continued days later with direct hits at ex-Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba.
However, Osaze said his mistakes were made in a fit of anger.
However, Osaze said his mistakes were made in a fit of anger.
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