Super Eagles: “I will not beg him to play” – Joseph Yobo protests non-inclusion

Yobo Osaze

by Isi Esene

Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo is certainly not happy with team coach Stephen Keshi for seemingly neglecting him vowing not to beg to be invited to camp.

The team captain who spoke with Sports Radio 88.9 Brilla FM lamented over the manner in which he was ignored just after leading the national team to victory in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa.

He also alluded to the fact that one of coach Keshi’s assistants has made the national team uncomfortable for him. Keshi is assisted by Daniel Amokachi, Sylvanus Okpala and goalkeeper trainer, Ike Shorunmu.

Yobo who spoke with the radio on Tuesday said, “I don’t know what happened. I felt we were celebrating the African cup together and working together. But since winning the cup, nobody has spoken to me. Keshi has never called me, so I just focused on my club career.

“I was surprised that I wasn’t on the list. The whole thing was shocking to me; I don’t have a clue as to what happened. I wasn’t told the list was out because nobody spoke with me.”

Yobo expressed his disappointment over his non-inclusion in the team which squared up against Kenya a fortnight ago in Calabar, Cross River.

The defender insisted in the interview that Keshi never informed him that he was dropping him ahead of that match.

“No, we have not spoken since the African Nations Cup ended. He didn’t contact me. I thought we had a relationship but he proved me wrong because there was no communication.

“If I am the captain of the national team, which just won the Nations Cup and then the next qualifying game, not even a phone call was put through to me, then that is very disrespectful. Probably that’s the way he has chosen to do it. He has his reasons for doing so but he hasn’t communicated with me,” he lamented.

The Fernabahce centre-back is baffled at Keshi’s decision to exclude him from the team.

“We spoke a lot on the way to winning the Nations Cup and everybody was happy. I said before that I wanted to carry on and we both agreed but then he goes ahead to name the team list, freezing me out without communication. For me I think that’s not proper.

Yobo said it is only proper for the coach to communicate with him and explain why he was excluded from the team. He said he believes he has proved beyond reasonable doubt that he is fit by playing regularly for his club, Fernabahce.

“If he has issues with me, then he has to speak up because I’m not aware of anything. The breakdown shows that we are not getting along well anymore.”

Speaking about his troubles in the national team he said, “With the assistants, I wouldn’t like to mention names, but one of them seems to be intimidated by my achievements. He is so uncomfortable with my presence. If his playing days are over, then he should stick to being a coach. There is a lot going on that I am not aware of but when it comes to speaking the truth then I have to speak up.”

The player said he would not beg to play for the Eagles after his immense contributions to the team.

“I have put in more than a decade for this national team and so I am really concerned that we continue to do well. Whatever transition is going on now, I feel I should be a part of it. But I have been frozen out completely and I find this very disrespectful. He is the boss, he calls the players, he calls the shot and so he should be the one calling the players and not the other way round. I am not going to be chasing the coach; I am not going to be begging to play for the national team and so I have to concentrate with my club career.”

According to reports, coach Stephen Keshi has responded saying the team captain was not informed about his exclusion but he maintained that Yobo is still important to the team.

He said, “It’s true that I did not call Yobo to inform him that he will not feature in the game against Kenya because I knew how he was going to feel. I did not want to talk with him because I know how we talked in South Africa when he wasn’t starting and I wanted to avoid a repeat of that.

“Yobo is still important in the team; it’s just that at the time, he wasn’t needed. I thought he was going to understand because we talked a lot in South Africa.

“I gave him examples of myself and (Nwankwo) Kanu when we were not playing at some point during our playing careers. I am not going to say because Yobo is the captain, then I have to keep using him even if I don’t need him.”

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