“Play one last Afcon!” – Nigeria fans tell Peter Odemwingie

5:00 PM Sports No Comments

Supporters of the Super Eagles are cross between letting the West Brom forward face his club career or continue to play for the national team

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It came as a shock when Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi revealed that star forward Peter Odemwingie said he would no longer play for the national team.

With nine goals in 54 appearances, 31 year-old Odemwingie has been one of the most electrifying players in the Super Eagles set up in over a decade.

Even though he has had more than a fair share of troubles with coaches, the player is still loved by many for his impressive work rate. Uncharacteristically outspoken unlike most Nigerian players, Odemwingie has never shied away from speaking the pulse of the team.

In 2010 he accused former coach Amodu Shuaibu of employing unfamiliar tactics after Nigeria’s third place finish at the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. Later in the same year he lashed out at Swedish coach Lars Lagerback for not giving him and the other top players more playing time at the World Cup in South Africa after the Eagles failed in the preliminary stages.

The most recent clash came under Samson Siasia in 2011 when the player lashed out on Twitter against the trainer.

Warts and all, the Uzbekistan-born forward is well respected by his countrymen.

So after Keshi announced the player’s decision to call it quits with the national team,Goal.com asked fans on our Facebook and Twitter accounts what their opinion is. The following is a selection of the key responses from our readers.


FACEBOOK

Anthony Dugbo - He will not be missed! And I believe he knows what he wants. The team has to move on now. This makes Keshi's job of selection easier.

Abdulmajid Dayo - He has a right to his opinion. Ledley King of England quit football at 31. He has offered the national team his best. So, he should be allowed to rest. Nigerians learn how to appreciate good things, but not condemnation always.

Onoja Solomon Nicholas – [He] is a respected striker all over the world, we still need him to play for us, and let’s see how we can please him and convince him to play again, we need him he has done it before he can still do more, please we need him. I’m a footballer too, he’s annoyed with the system that is why!

Bobbyiyke Joe - Yes he is a good player, but we can’t force him against his wish. If [a] player does not go we can’t see another one, just like Ronaldiho left we saw Messi, C Ronaldo left we saw Rooney, Van Persie left we saw Gervinho. So please my people God will give another player.

TWITTER

@ChelseaNigFan - I don't think it’s the right decision for him, though the Super Eagles can do without him.

@boludmaestro - Bros Peter, at least do 2013 Afcon with us before you [leave]. You're temporarily irreplaceable.

@izecsonfaith1 - Osaze is a great and fantastic player both for club and country. I can't imagine the national team without him.

@adeboyemakson - That’s sad, I never expected this from him being one of the most committed. Well, I wish him the best.

@femiakinsola9 - With all due respect to Osaze [he has paid his dues], whoever wants to stay out of the team should go ahead and do so...there's no need having someone whose mind is somewhere else on the pitch playing for us.

Do tell us what you think on Twitter and Facebook.




Source: goal.com

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Keshi: Odemwingie says he won’t play for Nigeria again

2:06 PM Sports No Comments

The West Bromwich forward says he will no longer play for the Super Eagles citing differences with previous coaches of the national team

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Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said that forward Peter Odemwingie will no longer be a part of the national team following the player’s disenchantment with previous coaches.

Odemwingie last played for the Super Eagles in February in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification game against Rwanda in Kigali.

The West Bromwich forward then became injured and has not featured for the side since then. He was invited to play against Liberia last month but declined and the coach has now revealed that the 31 year-old has said he will no longer play for his country.

“I spoke to [Odemwingie] before the Liberia game and he told me that he had decided not to play for Nigeria anymore,” Keshi told Supersport.com.

“He told me that he has no problems with me as a person and that he took his decision even before I assumed position as national team coach.”

Odemwingie has had a history of falling out with national team coaches. He publicly criticised the tactics of Amodu Shuaibu after the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. Later on, he blamed Swedish trainer Lars Lagerback for the country’s early defeat in South Africa 2010. He also infamously had a spat with Samson Siasia through his Twitter account.


“He said he was unhappy at how he was treated in the past in the national team. He explained that prior to Nigeria’s participation at the 2010 Fifa World Cup, he played in all the qualifying games but was dropped at the finals,” said Keshi.

“He said he was angry at the treatment meted out to him but did not discuss it with anyone. I told him that was not the best way to handle issues and that if he had already decided not to play for the national team, he should have opened up to me when I invited him to play.”

For Keshi, the West Brom forward who has scored nine goals in 54 appearances still has a future with the national team.

“I told him that he has to give me the room to work with him; for us to work together and if he does not like the way I work and the atmosphere in the camp, then he can decide to stop playing.

“Deciding that you don’t want to play for Nigeria because of what happened in the past is not the best.

“I understand his feelings. I think he might change his mind but I really don’t know. The ball is in his court,” Keshi said.




Source: goal.com

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