Odemwingie slams Keshi, NFF over omission from AFCON 2013 team

Super Eagles and West Brom striker, Osaze Odemwingie, on Sunday took a swipe at coach Stephen Keshi and the Nigerian Football Federation over his exclusion from the African Cup of Nations 2013 squad. Keshi had excluded Osaze and Taye Taiwo over their poor attitude to February’s Nations Cup qualifier in Rwanda.
Keshi had substituted both players during the match, a situation which made Osaze to confront him.
However, Osaze went on the offensive via Twitter with strong language against Keshi, NFF, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria and former coach Samson Siasia.
He said Keshi had no cogent reasons for excluding him from the team, noting that the coach had not told Nigerians the truth.
The striker said he was not surprised that Keshi and NFF could not tell him durectly but had to break the news of his non-inclusion in the team via the media.
He said his removal was in keeping with a pattern of sending ex-Eagles without ‘respect.’
“On my not inclusion to the eagles list I am not surprised. Not surprised Keshi and NFF couldn’t tell me themselves. No personality!
“We talk through press hahaha how come I am the only stubborn one but no ex-Eagles player was sent off from the team with respect?”
Osaze said Keshi had “no footballing reasons not to invite me but (he) is not saying the truth.”
The striker said the main problem of the Super Eagles was lack of commitment by successive coaches and football authorities.
He noted that he had never been passive about the team and lamented that the Super Eagles had not had a good captain for years.
He also accused unnamed journalists of “making up stories” against him.
He said although Keshi had stated that he still had him (Osaze) in his plans, nothing would ever bring them together again.
Osaze said when an NFF member called him on the telephone on Sunday (today), he told him off.
“I told him I sang national anthem for ten years to be treated like this,” Osaze said.
He vowed not to talk about the national team again and threatened to go off Twitter if necessary.