Football | Super Eagles
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Stellar names and dyed-in-the-wool campaigners like Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Taye Taiwo, Obafemi Martins and Peter Odemwingie were all missing from the list and more than a few eyebrows were raised.
Experts and pundits labelled Keshi a crazy gambler and the critics waited quietly as they sharpened their knives waiting for his “inevitable failure” at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in South Africa.
Keshi did not fail. Instead, he stuffed down tonnes of humble pie down the throats of his doubters and led the Super Eagles to the title in the land of the Madiba.
The 'Big Boss’ selected 23 warriors for battle in South Africa and since the Super Eagles won the 2013 Afcon in February, several of those stars have fallen out of favour in the national team.
In this piece, supersport.com attempts to identify the “forgotten Eagles” and how they have been faring since that unforgettable night at the National Stadium, Johannesburg on February 10.
Joseph Yobo
The 33-year-old has not played for the Super Eagles since the 2013 Afcon. Many point out his continued exclusion to an interview he granted to a Nigerian radio station, Brila FM in which he criticized Keshi for leaving him out of the squad that drew 1-1 with Kenya in a 2014 Fifa World Cup qualifier in March.
Keshi has since denied he has any grouse with the centre half. He had an extensive discussion with supersport.com in August and exhaustively talked about the subject.
“He (Yobo) is still our captain. I can’t feature him right now, because I don’t want to bring him in and keep him on the bench. He has done so well for this country that I will bring him in and put him on the bench. I want to bring him in to start games.
“I have these young fellows (Kenneth Omeruo, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Efe Ambrose and Godfrey Oboabona) that are doing so well I cannot bring him back at this moment. Yobo is going to come back to the team. I want to make sure that he gets his 100 caps.
“He’s a very good kid of mine. I made him captain in Namibia about 12 years ago, so he is my friend, he’s part of me,” Keshi said.
Yobo, who is currently on the books of Turkish club, Fenerbahce made his international debut in 2001 and is the most capped Nigerian player ever with 95 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Obiora Nwankwo
The case of Obiora Nwaknwo is very puzzling. The 22-year-old was a very important member of the Nigeria squad before the 2013 Afcon and even made a substitute’s appearance at the tournament in the team’s second game against defending champions, Zambia.
The handwriting was however on the wall with that being his only appearance at the Afcon but Keshi insists he has no problems with the player.
“I have no issues with Obiora. He is a very good player. The thing is, not everyone can play at the same time,” he said.
Obiora, who was previously on the books of Inter Milan, AC Parma, Padova and Gubbio is currently plying his trade in Romania with Liga I club, CFR Cluj where he has made 11 league appearances this season.
Fengor Ogude
He has never been a crowd favourite and an underwhelming display at the 2013 Afcon did not do much to endear him to his numerous doubters.
A poor campaign at the 2013 Fifa Confederations Cup appeared to see Keshi run out of patience with the 26-year-old who has not played for the Super Eagles since then.
He was also left out of the 25-man squad for this month’s internationals against Ethiopia and Italy.
Ogude who has been capped 16 times at international level is currently on the books of Norwegian Eliteserien club, Valeranga where he has made 12 league appearances this season.
Ikechukwu Uche
The 29-year-old best exemplifies the phrase, “victim of one’s success.”
He was pre-2013 Afcon widely regarded as the best Nigerian striker anywhere in the world but an absolutely abject outing in South Africa where he failed to score a single goal effectively sounded the death knell for him.
At a press conference in Calabar on September 4, a reporter asked Keshi why he has been leaving Uche out of the squad.
Keshi stared long and hard at the puzzled reporter before asking, “Who is Ikechukwu Uche?”
It was an awkward and uncomfortable moment for all present but it only goes to show how much Uche has sunk as far as prominence in the national team is concerned.
The attacker has slowly been picking up the pieces of his shocking 2013 Afcon and has scored three league goals in nine appearances for Villarreal in the highly-rated La Liga this season.
Juwon Oshaniwa
Oshaniwa would probably have been as surprised as many at his inclusion in the final 23-man squad for the 2013 Afcon.
Many will recall his 24-minute run out in the final against Burkina Faso after the impressive Elderson Echiejile pulled up with an injury.
Oshaniwa’s nervy performance left many a fan of the Super Eagles with their hearts in the mouths and it’s no real surprise he has yet to pull on the green and white shirt ever since.
The 23-year-old who has been capped 10 times at international level has played eight league games for Asdod in the Israeli top flight this season.
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