Nigeria: Siasia – Osaze Not Bigger Than Team

David Ngobua

20 May 2011

Super Eagles Chief Coach Samson Siasia yesterday made a sensational declaration that Eagles and West Bromwich Albion striker Peter Osaze Odemwingie is not bigger than Nigeria.

Siasia made the declaration yesterday in Abuja as he made public the list of 24 Eagles he has invited to camp preparatory to the international friendly match against Argentina on June 1 and the Africa Nations qualifier against Ethiopia on June 4.

His position on Osaze effectively brought to an end, the hide and seek game which preceded the unveiling of the list of invited players as he constantly denied reports that the striker has been banned for two matches.

Siasia brought down the hammer on Osaze after he walked out on the team ahead of an international friendly against Kenya in Abuja.

In addition, Osaze is alleged to have made uncomplimentary comments on the Super Eagles chief coach on Twitter.

Speaking yesterday, Siasia said: “Yes, I have excluded Osaze from the squad against Argentina as a result of his insubordination and lack of respect for the technical crew of which I happen to be the head.

“The other players in the team had threatened to stage a mass protest and back out in other matches if I failed to sanction Osaze for leaving the camp in Abuja without taking permission from me and travelling back to England to join his club shortly after Ethiopia’s Nations Cup qualifier and did not wait for the Kenya friendly.

“Some of them confessed to me that they are watching with keen interest to see if I will discipline him or not. So, I had no option than to do this to instill discipline in the team”.

Coach Siasia reiterated that as far as he is concerned, Osaze is still in transit as he has not reached out to him since the time he disappeared from Eagles camp without permission.

He said even as he is happy that the player is doing well for his club in England, no single player is more than the country.

Siasia said anytime Osaze is ready to play for the team, he will reach out to him and it is only then that the team’s coaching crew would decide his fate as far as playing for the national team is concerned.

His words: “All I know is that Osaze is still in transit. He did not tell anybody where he was going to. He simply walked out on the team. He should let me know when he is back. Like I said he is still in transit”.

The coach maintained that anytime he is ready to play for Nigeria, Osaze will have to explain why he left the team’s camp without permission.

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