We won’t force Keshi to invite Osaze — Green

SEPTEMBER 1, 2013  

Osaze

Chairman of the Nigerian Football Federation Technical Committee, Chris Green, says the football body is fully behind West Bromwich Albion striker, Osaze Odemwingie, as the player endures difficult times at the Hawthorns.

But Green insisted that the federation would not influence Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, in giving the Edo-born player a recall to the national team.

The ex-Insurance player tried to force a move to now relegated Queens Park Rangers in January to the ire of Albion. He has fallen in the pecking order after manager, Steve Clarke, brought in new forwards in the transfer window.

Odemwingie has also been left out in the international wilderness by Keshi after he launched a tirade of abuse on officials of the Eagles and members of the technical committee including Green for being left out of the victorious 2013 Africa Cup of Nations squad.

“Look at what Osaze is passing through; we can’t leave him alone because he is our own and has contributed immensely to the growth of Nigerian football.

“He was rude to several NFF members, ex-players and officials but he realised his mistake and apologised. We cannot sit down and watch him in his travails; we cannot. Take it or leave it, he has played for us and very well,” Green said.

He added, “The NFF is solidly behind him; (Aminu) Maigari (NFF president) has taken it as a personal fight to make sure that he helps Osaze out of any problem he may be having with his employers. We cannot wish away his contributions to Nigerian football.

“Our duty is to protect our players at any point in time; Osaze is a Nigerian and have played for 10 years for this country.

But Green said helping the player at his club didn’t translate to persuading Keshi to invite Odemwingie to the Eagles.

“We don’t select players for the national team. Our responsibility in the technical committee is to make policies. It is the sole responsibility of the coach to invite any player that he wishes.

“We can advice sometimes. For example we can draw the coach’s attention on certain players who are not eligible to play a particular match because of one reason or the other.

“But once a player is eligible to play for Nigeria, the coach has the authority to invite such a player; the buck stops on his table.”