Enyeama is no more my captain, Oliseh insists

In from Nifemi Daniel …
Following the crisis that rocked the Super Eagles Tuesday night, Coach Sunday Oliseh, has maintained that Vincent Enyeama is no more the captain of the team but CSKA of Russia striker, Ahmed Musa.

Enyeama arrived at the Super Eagles’ camp on Tuesday afternoon following Saturday’s burial of his mother in Akwa Ibom, but he was shortly thereafter kicked out of the team’s hotel after falling out with the team’s coach. He was bundled out by security from the team’s Verviers Hotel base.

But Oliseh while speaking on a radio interview on Wednesday morning said Ahmed Musa remains his captain.

“There is no captain tussle – Nigeria going forward, I need a player who is regular in the team and it is Ahmed Musa, who did a great job in Tanzania under very difficult circumstances.

“He is the captain of the team, not somebody who is thinking of retirement.

“A captain has to lead by example. We are not here to build stars. If you don’t conform to what I am trying to do, we will be friends, but we will be friends from afar.

“There has been a new government and the President has picked new ministers. And that is what I have also done.”

A month ago, the goalkeeper failed to report to the team’s camp in Abuja for the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania, only for news to break that he had lost his mother.

The Nigeria Football Federation officials and a handful of former Nigeria internationals tried settling the situation Tuesday night.

Read also: NFF rues Belgian embassy attitude as Enyeama arrives camp

Meanwhile, Enyeama has expressed disappointment over the incidence that happened in Belgium Tuesday night.

“I was surprised,” Enyeama, who has 101 Nigeria caps to his name, told ESPN FC. “So I stood up to explain my position and ask for an explanation, but the coach asked me to sit down.

“I insisted on speaking because I felt that with the years of dedicated service I have given to the country I deserve at least the respect of giving my own side. But he told me that either the whole team would leave the room for me, or I would have to leave the room for the whole team.”

“There has been a lot of incidents these last few months,” he said. “I don’t need it, the team does not need it, so maybe the best thing might be to step aside in the interest of the country so that the team can focus on football instead of distractions.”

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