Nigeria coach, Stephen Keshi has opened the national team door to striker Osaze Odemwingie and skipper Joseph Yobo, but Taye Taiwo may not find a way back in.
All three players, along with a few other established internationals, have been on the outside looking in under the former national captain. Yobo since the African Nations Cup, and Odemwingie just before.
Both players reacted with very public disaffection to their exclusion.
But shortly after the Super Eagles’ FIFA Confederations Cup campaign came to a grinding halt against Spain, Keshi told KickOffNigeria.com how the players can get back in.
“They should just be themselves, play their game,” Keshi said. “Yobo is still my captain. It’s unfortunate that he’s not here, but he’s still the captain of the team.
“Taiwo is still playing but I have younger players that are playing well. I have Juwon (Oshaniwa), who is not here. I have Benjamin Francis, and I have (Elderson) Echiejile, whose performance has improved greatly. So it will be a difficult thing for Taiwo to get back in.
“For Osaze, he still has a place in the team.
I’m not looking for an apology from him. Osaze is somebody that I like very well and he knows that. The thing is, it’s about the team that I’m worried about.
I don’t want to have a player that will come in and divide the team, or want to come and do something to destabilise the team, because when the team is not together, it becomes very difficult to win.
I’m not saying he is going to come in and do that, but a little bit of what he has shown has told me that this is possible.
I really want to have him on the team, and I would like to give him another opportunity.”
One player that Keshi says he really wants to see back in the national team is Obinna Nsofor, along with Seattle Sounders forward Obafemi Martins.
“The person I am really keen on having is Obinna Nsofor.
Unfortunately, each time I call him, he’s always injured. Hopefully next time he will be fit.”
culled from OMG
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