Odemwingie U-turn: “He is ready to fight for his place in the team” – Keshi

Stephen Keshi has set the records straight, over the reports over the weekend that West Brom’s forward, Osaze Odemwingie, has retired from international football.

The Super Eagles manager, in a release by Ben Alaiya on Monday, said the interview he granted Supersports, were actually about the frustrations the former Bendel Insurance player had faced under previous coaches of the national team.

“What [Odemwingie] told me was that after fighting so hard to qualify Nigeria for the South Africa 2010 World Cup, he was dumped on the bench when the tournament proper started and that he fears a repeat following the manner he was substituted in the [2013 Africa Cup of Nations] qualifier against Rwanda in Kigali [in February], which was under me,” Keshi is quoted to have said.

“Well, I told him that if I had my way all the players who featured in that match should have been substituted but I had only three substitutions to make because we played poorly in the encounter.

“He told me he understands my position and that he is now ready to return to the national team fold. We actually spoke for over one hour on Sunday [November 4], so there is actually nothing amiss about [him]. He has said he will join others to come and fight for a shirt and that is the new rule in the national team.”

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