Keshi, NFF Have Abandoned Me - Emenike

Injured Spartak Moscow striker Emmanuel Emenike has fired a broadside at the Nigeria Football Federation and Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi by accusing them of being insensitive to his plight.

The South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot winner with four goals sustained a hamstring injury after scoring two goals to help Nigeria beat Mali 4-1 and set up a final clash with Burkina Faso. The Eagles beat the Stallions 1-0 to win the championship for the third time.

Emenike, who was not invited for the Eagles’ March 23 World Cup qualifier with Kenya in Calabar, has been on the treatment table at his club.

The former Fenerbahce star alleged on Friday that neither Keshi nor the NFF had contacted him since he returned to his Russian club.

“I have not been treated well by the coach and the NFF because they ignored me so soon, so fast,” Emenike was quoted by MTFootball.com as saying.

Keshi, players get national honours, cash, plots of land

President  Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday announced a cash gift of N5m to each member of the victorious Super Eagles and the team’s three assistant coaches that clinched the gold medal in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

While the Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, was given N10m, members of the technical crew were also given N2m each.

The cash gifts also came with a plot of land and national honours for each member the team.

Keshi bagged the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger while his three assistants and the team captain, Joseph Yobo, were conferred with Officer of the Order of Niger.

The remaining players were conferred with Member of the Order of Niger.

Breaking News: Super Eagles Of Nigeria Win AFCON 2013!!

Nigeria beat Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the 2013 edition of the African Nations Cup. More details later. I dey go pop champagne!!!

Keshi Names Final 23-Man List For AFCON 2013

Nigeria Captain Joseph Yobo will play in his sixth Africa Cup of Nations finals. The 32-year old defender had previously played at the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010 finals, winning bronze on four occasions.

Vice captain and first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and forward Ikechukwu Uche are also included in the team that Keshi held on to the list insisting he could only make public after the first half of the Wednesday match. January 9 was the last day for submission of team list according to the Confederation of African timetable.

The list may have been as widely expected but Keshi surprised many when he chose to drop Bright Dike from the team. Keshi had spoken highly of the America-based Dike who also scored the country lone goal against Catalonia last week in a friendly match which gave the inkling that the rookie striker could make the cut.

Apart from Yobo, goalkeepers Enyeama and Austin Ejide, defender Elderson Echiejile, Mikel and forward Uche who were at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola, the rest will be making their debut in South Africa.

It will be the first appearance for goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim, defenders Kenneth Omeruo, Efe Ambrose, Azubuike Egwuekwe, Juwon Oshaniwa and Godfrey Oboabona, midfielders Nosa Igiebor, Ogenyi Onazi, Obiora Nwankwo, Fegor Ogude and Reuben Gabriel, and strikers Ahmed Musa, Emmanuel Emenike, Sunday Mba, Ideye, Victor Moses and Ejike Uzoenyi.

Nigeria will play Burkina Faso, Zambia and Ethiopia in Group C, with their first two games against the Etalons and the Cup holders coming up inside Nelspruit’s Mbombela Stadium on 21st January and 25th January respectively, before a clash with Ethiopia’s Walya Antelopes in Rustenburg’s Bafokeng Sports Palace on 29th January.

Final list:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Maccabi Tel Aviv, Israel); Austin Ejide (Hapoel Be’er Sheba, Israel); Chigozie Agbim (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria)

Defenders: Elderson Echiejile (SC Braga, Portugal); Juwon Oshaniwa (Ashdod FC, Israel); Joseph Yobo (Fenerbahce, Turkey); Efe Ambrose (Celtic FC, Scotland); Azubuike Egwuekwe (Warri Wolves, Nigeria); Kenneth Omeruo (ADO Den Haag, Netherlands); Godfrey Oboabona (Sunshine Stars, Nigeria).

Midfielders: John Mikel Obi (Chelsea FC, England); Nosa Igiebor (Real Betis, Spain); Ogenyi Onazi (SS Lazio, Italy); Obiora Nwankwo (Calcio Padova, Italy); Fegor Ogude (Valerenga FC, Norway); Reuben Gabriel (Kano Pillars, Nigeria);

Forwards: Ahmed Musa ( CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emmanuel Emenike (Spartak Moscow, Russia); Victor Moses (Chelsea FC, England); Sunday Mba (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria); Ikechukwu Uche (Villarreal FC, Spain); Brown Ideye (Dynamo Kyiv, Ukraine); Ejike Uzoenyi (Enugu Rangers, Nigeria).

Osaze Eats Words, Apologizes...

Estranged Super Eagles attacker Osaze Odemwingie has said he regrets his abusive Twitter comments. He claimed they were made because coach Stephen Keshi was not fair to him.

The West Bromwich striker had in the wake of the release of the Nigeria provisional team list for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations taken to his Twitter account and made disparaging comments against Keshi, the team captain and some Nigeria Football Federation officials. Past coaches, including Samson Siasia and Lars Lagerback, were not spared and continued days later with direct hits at ex-Nigeria international Victor Ikpeba.

However, the England-based forward said his mistakes were made in a fit of anger.

On Sunday, he described Chris Green whom he had abused also “as a good man.”

“I remember it was Green who settled my case with Siasia then, but I was too angry when he called me over this matter, and was impatient to listen to him,” he said in a comment published by Mtnfootball.com.

“My comment was not directed at him personally, but to those who made the decision, but I think I overreacted then.”

On his face-off with Keshi, he said, “I called the coach two or three times within that period, maybe two or three days before the list was made public and told him of my commitment to be part of the Nations Cup, and have told my (club) coach I will be going to the Nations Cup.

“I told the coach I was ready to report to camp by January 3, even before other professionals start reporting to camp, if I were in his programme for the Nations Cup, and even told him to feel free to drop me, if I were not in his programme.

“I felt betrayed after that seeming heart-to-heart discussions with the coach few days to the release of the team list and he could not hint me I was not in his plan for the Nations Cup.

“I am human and open to errors by the way I may have taken the issue, and regret the whole controversy, and want to put all this behind me now and focus on my club career, while wishing the team the best of luck as a Nigerian.”

In Faro, Portugal, Russia-based Ahmed Musa and Emmanuel Emenike as well as Italy-based midfielder Ogenyi Onazi arrived at the Eagles camp on Sunday. Raheem Lawal, who now plays in the Turkish second division showed up just as the players prepared for a training session.

Keshi has said apart from Ikechukwu Uche, who has been given January 6, January 5 remains deadline for all players.

Christmas Shocker for Keshi: Shola Ameobi 'not going' to Africa Cup of Nations

Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi will not be going to the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria, according to his manager Alan Pardew.

The former England under-21 international had been named by coach Stephen Keshi in his provisional squad.

But Pardew has ruled out the 31-year-old's appearance at the tournament, which kicks off on 19 January.

He said: "Shola won't be going. The national team manager knows the reasons, which I am keeping to myself."

Ameobi was born in Zaria, northern Nigeria, before moving to England with his parents at the age of five.

Under Fifa rules, players who have represented one country at junior level can play for another at senior level if they meet the qualifying criteria.

Ameobi was first called-up by the Super Eagles 10 years ago but turned down the invitation on the grounds that his heart was set on playing for England.

He was cleared by Fifa to play for the country of his birth last monthtogether with Chelsea winger Victor Moses.

He made his debut in a 3-1 friendly win over Venezuela last month, setting up the third goal in Miami, Florida.

Nigeria will take on African champions Zambia, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso in Group C.

Shocking, Minnows Cape Verde knock out Cameroun to qualify for African NationsCup next year!!!

The tiny Cape Verde islands have knocked out former African Champions, Cameroun in the qualifying stage of next year's African Cup of Nations to be hosted by South Africa!
Cape Verde won (2-3) aggregate despite losing 2-0 in Yaounde
This makes the second straight edition that Cameroun has missed out on...

Nigeria qualifies for African Cup of Nations...

After missing out in the last edition, the Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the 2013 edition of the African Cup of Nations by outclassing the Lone Star of Liberia 6-1 and 8-2 aggregate.
A big shout out to the entire squad!