Super Eagles Media Officer, Ben Alaiya, has described as absurd and shocking reports that the team’s technical crew and by extension the Nigeria Football Federation has abandoned AFCON 2013 hotshot, Emmanuel Emenike, to his fate in Russia, after he picked up an injury during the tournament.
Reacting to media reports on the matter, Alaiya said the truth of the matter was that an official of the team, in person of Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi Achor, has been in constant touch with the player since he left for Russia after the AFCON in February and they still spoke on Saturday.
Alaiya said: “In fact, Mr. Achor has been the link between the team and all the players all these while.
“The coach only talks to them directly because he wants to know their state of health and wellbeing.
“Incidentally, the staff of the team in question is also an employee of the Nigeria Football Federation.
“So it’s shocking when you read reports that Emenike has been abandoned.”
On Head Coach, Stephen Keshi’s effort to reach Emenike, Alaiya declared that the phone number that the player personally gave to the Keshi has not been functional.
When Keshi discovered that the number was not going through, he called his national team mate, Ahmed Musa, to help get Emenike’s new number but Musa said Emenike refused to give him his new phone numbers, Alaiya said.
He added: “That is why the coach is stuck on this matter.
“If you want to talk to your player and he does not want to talk to you what then do you do?
“I think if Emenike has personal issues against any member of the team, he should come out and say so instead of whipping up public sentiments at a time concentration should be on the game against Kenya in Calabar.”
Keshi has said last Wednesday during the team’s weekly media parley that he has made several attempts to reach the player to no avail.
That was before Emenike granted an interview to a website insinuating that he has been abandoned by the team’s crew and the NFF.
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