Osaze Faces Life Ban From Super Eagles Over Recent Comments

West Bromwich Albion striker Osaze Odemwingie faces being banned from playing for Nigeria for life after his recent outburst during which he criticized the authorities for not inviting him for the impending African Cup of Nations.

Osaze Odemwingie

Unhappy at being left out of the provisional 32-man squad that will begin camping in Faro this week, Osaze lashed out at head coach Stephen Keshi and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF). Osaze had said that Keshi has no footballing reasons not to invite him to camp and criticized the way he found out about being dropped via the media rather than from the coach himself.

One top NFF official responded by saying that Osaze would not be allowed to go unpunished for insulting the NFF, Keshi and Super Eagles captain Joseph Yobo. He added that Osaze took matters too far with his outburst on Twitter and as such must pay for his actions.

According to NFF sources, Osaze’s case will now be referred to the federation’s disciplinary committee to investigate and make recommendations to the executive committee for the next line of action. He added: “Who does Osaze think he is that makes him think that he can abuse everybody and go unpunished?

“Well, he may think he does not need us because he also holds a European Union passport but we shall make a statement with the action we will take against him. We are 100 per cent in support of Keshi because we know he picked his team without any ill-feelings.”

Osaze meanwhile has conceded that being dropped from the Nations Cup squad effectively ends his international career. He added that it is just as well he was not invited to the Faro camp, as it is not ideal to play for a coach who does not want him.

“It is clear now that my days with the Super Eagles are over as I expected to be left out of the ANC squad because we have had a few issues before. I played a very good 10 years from 2002 to 2012 but I don’t want to be with a coach who doesn’t want me.

“I still love my country and care about the football but I already wasn’t feeling the way I would have liked to feel. Last month I spoke with Keshi because I didn’t play in a few games with the national team and he said my body language didn’t show that I wanted to play for the team but body language for the Nigerian coach is that you have to be calling him all the time and greeting him but for me football is an official thing,” Osaze added.

Pointing out that he is no sycophant, Osaze said: “You invite a player and he comes. I don’t have to be like his son, calling every day and asking how are you, sir? I’m not that type of person. They take it as arrogance but my mentality is different.”

Osaze will now channel all his energies towards helping Albion sustain their top-six push in the Barclays Premier League. He is also expecting his first child any minute from now and not being in camp, he will be able to be present when his wife gives birth.

27 COMMENTS

  1. Who is Emenike and Bright Dike. Compare to Martins, Osaze, Kalu Uche. Keshi has collected bribed and he his been influenced on his decision. He will fail in AFCON 2013 in Jesus name(AMEN). He is a bastard. Where is Joel Obi! He must pay for trying to break the heart of Nigerians once again. God will punish Keshi IJN. He will be disgraced more than the way he disgraced OSAZE who love this nation passiontely, who plays with all his heart, whenever he his playing for the National team. AMEN.

  2. Arrogance on the part of NFF. These are not managers. You cannot deal with adults the way you deal with children. People must be able to talk. This is why the game is not moving forward in Nigeria. Keshi did same for Adebayor but was later over ruled by the federation. You can imagine. What type of coach is not paid for 2 mths and is comfortable? They are sharing money and collecting bribes from players they eventually favoured.

  3. If there is any player that plays whole heartedly for Nigeria….it’s Osaze. I can’t decipher any reasonable analogy for his exclusion from the Squad. He doesn’t deserve this public embarrassment @all.
    This is really dirty politics within NFF.

  4. Keshi and the NFF can do whatever they like against Osaze. But, football loving Nigerians know that Osaze is being crucified because he refused to boot-lick and decided, instead, to tell them the bitter truth to their faces.
    Even during his active playing days, who was Stephen Keshi compared to Osaze? There’s simply no basis for comparison here. Keshi is a boy to Osaze when it comes to football playing.
    It is abundantly clear that both Keshi and NFF never liked Osaze’s bluntness due to their own ineptitude.
    I’ll forever doff my hat for Osaze for his bluntness, fearlessness and patriotism. What do you expect when a blind man is made to lead those without visual impairement let alone being blind? Catastrophy, catastrophy and more catastrophy.
    Ride on to higher height our beloved Osaze. The sky is definitely your limit. Haters should hang for all we care.

  5. Am not suprise at the attitude of Keshi and NFF. Osaze is one man who honors any invitation regarding our national team engagement, he has never for once turned his back on this country and vital goals scored in some of our national engagement have come from him. It’s a same that we have idiots who are blinded with their own greed. Let’s don’t forget that other African countries have woken up to the realities of the game. Cameroon never knew they would be stopped by a less formidable country, but it happened. So Mr. Keshi you can contiune to dance to the music of NFF board members, let me assure you that if you fail, this same people will throw you out by the time Nigerians demand for answers from you.

  6. Keshi; Why did u want to treat our first class players as a modern slaves? I got to understand that u want to bend all the boyz to ur satisfaction but some of this people u are calling them boyz are no more boyz rather MEN. Very importantly, I want u to remember that for every tournament big name is important, psychologically it scared the opponent in d pitch. Therefore; I hereby advice you (keshi and NFF) to be very sensitive in taking a decision.

  7. Osaze does not deserve 2 b treated lyk dat cos he is 1 of d players dat play passionately 4 dis country. Nff shd jst try 2 reverse their judgement b4 Nigerian football lovers begin 2 reign cause on them. Osaze, real Nigerian luv u, don‘t mind dem. They‘re bunch of corrupt branch of Nigeria govt.

  8. Osaze, Taiwo and Martins does not deserve the treatment they got from the coach, these guys served their father land with their whole heart, yet they became victims of politics that is the order of the day in our football house. As players, their loyalty is for the country and not the coach or football house, they are to respect and obey the N.F.F. and the coach and nothing else, but whereby a coach want them to be worshiping him before they get call is not tenable. We should not forget that these guys are professionals and they know the rules of the game. The N.F.F. should not even think of banning Osaze for his outburst.

  9. JI don’t think banning osaze and maltreatment of martins & taiwo is wat nff needed now but how to win d trophy,lots of people are already loosing hope on super eagles & if d people giving us hope are all sent away due to internal reason then nff is tryin to become Arsenal Fc (pls let’s b mindful of the future of nigerian football & the FANs in every action)

  10. The boys of yesterday has become the men of today. So all Nigerians holding both private and public offices should know this. Everyone is a big man in his/her own house, you can’t expect me to be your boy forever. When it is time to address one as a man, we should address him as such.

  11. My plea to d coach is to learn from d mistake of the former nigerian coaches,nigeria populace don’t care much abt NFF management is d national manager they know,nigerians want result,if u win u wil be applauded,but if reverse happens to be the case u wil be sacked pls give your action a second thought

  12. i wonder what you are turning the our nation too? now politics in football,we are all know what osaze is capable of and his passion for his nation.he love his nation but you NFF or what so ever you called yourself are haters of the nation all you are concern about his money,all you want hi to get your account fat.Keshi and NFF why trading our football for money…God will judge you all,what Osaze said in not too much but a CHRONIC TRUTH..GOD WHO SEES THE SECRET WILL JUDGE YOU ALL.

  13. well am nt surprise by keshi’s attitude, he did same in 1994 world cup to ugbade, used his mafia system to collapse yekini scoring chances. he wl soon b disgraced by d bunch of thieves & fools in glass house.afta all freedom of speech is allowd. OZAZE thumb up for u!

  14. Sincerely speaking, Nigerian Football will continue to suffer lack if the NFF leaders continue in this way. I don’t know why Osaze should be dropped. This is a guy who has helped his country in terms of good footballing. How has he offended the coach and NFF leadership. BIG SHAME to all of them. If a country like Brazil could call her experienced players to come home, I don’t know why we should treat our own stars this way. To hell with the Coach Keshi, NFF and the Super Eagles.

  15. Sincerely speaking, Nigerian Football will continue to suffer lack if the NFF leaders continue in this way. I don’t know why Osaze should be dropped. This is a guy who has helped his country in terms of good footballing. How has he offended the coach and NFF leadership. BIG SHAME to all of them. If a country like Brazil could call her experienced players to come home, I don’t know why we should treat our own stars this way. To hell with the Coach Keshi, NFF and the Super Eagles.

  16. I think the decision on osaze was very bad ..let’s tell our self the truth..he has contributed nicely to the fereal republic of nigeria..as long as super eagles is concerned osaze is the man….I like him because he plays with his whole heart….is uncomparable to does guys that has being choosn…nfff and keshi sud wake up and appologies to osaze before is too late.super eagles