Former
Nigeria midfield star Henry Nwosu has called on Super Eagles captain
Joseph Yobo to quit international football to concentrate on his club
career.
Nwosu, who spoke to our correspondent on
the telephone during the week, said he was disturbed by Yobo’s media
attack on coach Stephen Keshi for not informing about his exclusion from
the squad for the March 23 World Cup qualifying game against Kenya in
Calabar.
And Keshi explained that he left out
the versatile Turkey-based defender from the squad because he decided
to stick with Godfrey Oboabona and Kenneth Omeruo, who distinguished
themselves in the central defence during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations
won by Nigeria in South Africa.
Keshi again left Yobo out of his 30-man
list for the World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup in Brazil
in June on Thursday.
“I did not inform him that he would not
be in the game against Kenya because I knew I was not going to take him
and we were in South Africa together and I explained to him so there was
no point calling him,” Keshi was quoted as saying.
“I’m trying to protect him from being
embarrassed, he is my captain and Nigeria’s captain and I don’t think it
would be proper for me to bring Yobo down here against Kenya and leave
him on the bench.”
Nwosu, who backed Keshi’s decision, insisted that Yobo was wrong to criticise his coach in the media.
“Yobo is one of the players I respect a lot but I’m disappointed in him,” the former Eagles captain said.
“We saw what he played at the Africa Cup
of Nations and I think he needs to take a rest from the national
team. He has given his best for the Eagles and he should quit when the
ovation is loudest.
“Yobo was not the only player that played at the Africa Cup of Nations that was dropped by the coach.
“Others (Nosa Igiebor, Ike Uche and Juwon Oshaniwa) didn’t go on air to condemn the coach. Why Yobo?
“The coach has the right to invite or
drop any player without explanation. He (Yobo) should respect the
coach’s decision. If he feels strongly about Keshi’s decision, the best
thing to do is to call him and ask for explanation, and not going on
air.
“When Clemens Westerhof didn’t invite
Keshi, who was the national team captain, for some of his matches, he
(Keshi) didn’t go on air. The same thing happened me. I was not invited
for some matches, despite I was the captain and I didn’t attack anyone.”
The Nigeria ’80 Africa Cup of Nations
winner dismissed Yobo’s claim that one of Keshi’s assistants is
intimidated by his achievements with the national team.
“ I don’t believe any of the coaches is jealous of his achievements,” he said.
“Is it Sylvanus Okpala or Daniel
Amokachi? Both of them have won the Africa Cup of Nations and were great
players in their days.”
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