The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Emenike

  • Ideye misses Emenike partnership

    Ideye misses Emenike partnership

    Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye, has declared that his strike partner at the African Nations Cup, Emmanuel Emenike, will be missed when the team faces Kenya in Calabar on Saturday.

    The 24-year-old formed a deadly bond up front with the Spartak Moscow forward which helped Nigeria to win a third Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in February, Supersport.com reports.

    But Emenike is currently out injured and misses out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying against the Harambee Stars of Kenya.

    Ideye said he had built a “good relationship” with Emenike off the pitch leading to their telepathic performance for Nigeria at the AFCON.

    The ex-Ocean Boys’ man is however prepared to play up front with any other striker should he be selected for the game against Kenya.

    “I played with him, he’s a great player. I built a good relationship with him outside of the pitch and it helped us a lot. Apart from playing on the pitch you have to have a close relationship with other players to help team spirit so that it will rub off on the team in matches.

    “I’ll really miss him (for his style of play) but I just have to work with whoever the coach picks to play with me,” said Ideye.

    Seattle Sounders forward, Obafemi Martins, who has similar power-playing style with Emenike, might start up front with Ideye.

    Also, Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih attacking midfielder, Babatunde Michael, is available for selection and has same bulldozing quality.

    Ideye has played 12 times for the Nigerian national team and scored two goals.

     

  • KESHI REPLIES I cannot forget Emenike

    KESHI REPLIES I cannot forget Emenike

    • Faults change in telephone line
    • Says my players are very important to me

    Super Eagles head coach Stephen Keshi has described as unfair the recent statement credited to his power player Emmanuel Emenike that he abandoned him after sustaining injury at the last Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa where he emerged as the highest goal scorer of the tournament.

    Emenike sustained an harmstring injury in the semi-final match against Mali, which ended four goals to one in favour of the Nigerians. Emenike was quoted as saying that he was used and dumped by the NFF and chief coach Stephen Keshi.

    Reacting in a chat with SportingLife on Saturday, the Big Boss said though he does not want to join issues with players again, but the player was not fair to him, by changing his telephone line and refused to reach him on his new line.

    “I have tried severally to reach him, but at every point his telephone line was on answering machine. I also know that the Secretary of the team made efforts to call him but to no avail. At those points that I tried reaching him, I always dropped messages on the answering machine. I had thought that if he decided to change his telephone line, he should have communicated me with his new lines immediately, so that we can reach him to know how he is faring,” Kwshi said.

    The former International said he cannot forget the player, and will be ready to call him immediately his new telephone number is made available.

    “My players are very important to me, and I cannot reject them in their trying periods. If he makes his number available now, I will reach him immediately,” he concluded.

  • Emenike: Keshi, NFF used, dumped me

    Emenike: Keshi, NFF used, dumped me

    AFCON star Emmanuel Emenike has lashed out at Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi for using and dumping him after his long-term hamstring injury.

    Emenike top scored for champions Nigeria at the Nations Cup in South Africa, but suffered a hamstring injury against Mali which has already sidelined him for about four weeks now.

    He was therefore left out of next weekend’s World Cup qualifier at home against Kenya.

    He told MTNFootball.com he is disgusted not to have received even a phone call from Keshi or any official from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) since he rejoined his Russian club Spartak Moscow.

    “I must be honest with you, I have not been treated well by the coach and the NFF because they ignored me so soon, so fast,” he lamented.

    “Nobody from NFF and the coach has called to ask me about my injury. I am bitter about this. It is unfair and I can tell you that is why some players don’t come to give their best for the national team.”

    “When a player gets injured on national duty, I think the country’s football authority and coach ought to keep in touch to let him know he is loved and cared for.

    “I am not a use-and-dump player. I will not act as one at all because my club career is very much important to me than anything.”

    He added: “Look at a player like (Victor) Anichebe (Everton striker was injured while on national team duty last year), no one cared about him and you think he will come to national team to give his best.

    “I am not worried about that but I just need to tell them it’s unfair. It is not everything that is money, but a call just to show you care could change someone’s problem at a particular time.”

    Emenike told MTNFootball.com that this is in sharp contrast to his Russian club Spartak Moscow, which have done everything to get him back playing again.

    “I must give kudos to my club for taking good care of me even though I didn’t get the injury while playing for them,” he said.

    “I can’t wait to return to my best form. I feel like playing and banging in the goals for my club right now.

    “I am happy with my rehabilitation and I will start joggling soon and I believe I will respond well because I have missed the game so much.”

  • Emenike faults NFF, Keshi for abandoning him

    Emenike faults NFF, Keshi for abandoning him

    African Nations Cup star, Emmanuel Emenike has lashed out at Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi for using and dumping him after his long-term hamstring injury.

    Emenike top scored for champions Nigeria at the Nations Cup in South Africa, but suffered a hamstring injury against Mali which has already sidelined him for about four weeks now.

    He was therefore left out of next weekend’s World Cup qualifier at home against Kenya.

    He told MTNFootball.com he is disgusted not to have received even a phone call from Keshi or any official from the Nigeria Football Federation since he rejoined his Russian club Spartak Moscow.

    “I must be honest with you, I have not been treated well by the coach and the NFF because they ignored me so soon, so fast,” he lamented.

    “Nobody from the NFF and the coach had called to ask me about my injury. I am bitter about this. It is unfair and I can tell you that is why some players don’t come to give their best for the national team.”

    “When a player gets injured on national duty, I think the country’s football authority and coach ought to keep in touch to let him know he is loved and cared for.

    “I am not a use-and-dump player. I will not act as one at all because my club career is very much important to me than anything.”

    He added: “Look at a player like (Victor) Anichebe (Everton striker was injured while on national team duty last year), no one cared about him and you think he will come to national team to give his best.

    “I am not worried about that but I just need to tell them it’s unfair. It is not everything that is money, but a call just to show you care could change someone’s problem at a particular time.”

    Emenike told MTNFootball.com that this is in sharp contrast to his Russian club Spartak Moscow, who has done everything to get him back playing again.

    “I must give kudos to my club for taking good care of me even though I didn’t get the injury while playing for them,” he said.

    “I can’t wait to return to my best form. I feel like playing and banging in the goals for my club right now.

    “I am happy with my rehabilitation and I will start joggling soon and I believe I will respond well because I have missed the game so much.”

  • Emenike fit again, returns to action

    Emenike fit again, returns to action

     

    Nigeria striker, Emmanuel Emenike has returned to action after suffering a hamstring injury at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.

    Supersport.com reports that the attacker hobbled off injured in the Super Eagles’ 4-1 semifinal win over Mali on February 6 and was expected to be out of action for two months.

    It now appears that he has recovered quicker than anticipated and is now set to make a return to competitive action.

    The burly attacker took to the social networking site via his Facebook account to share the good news.

    “Am (I am) fine and back playing now. Thank you for all your prayers and wishes,” he wrote.

    The attacker is now expected to make a swift return to the first team of Russian club, Spartak Moscow following the latest development.

    Emenike finished as top scorer at the 2013 AFCON with four goals.

     

  • AFCON final: Moses, Uche start

    AFCON final: Moses, Uche start

    Victor Moses will start for Nigeria versus Burkina Faso in the African Nations Cup final, but injured Emmanuel Emenike is out for Ikechukwu Uche.

    MTNFootball.com has again specially gathered that Chelsea winger Moses has overcome a left ankle injury he picked up against Mali in Wednesday’s semi-final in Durban and so will be in action from the start.

    However, the same cannot be said of four-goal striker Emmanuel Emenike as he suffered a more serious hamstring injury, which officials informed MTNFootball.com will sideline the Spartak Moscow striker for at least two weeks.

    The 25-year-old Emenike has not trained since the injury leading up to Sunday’s final.

    His place will now be taken by Uche, who was top scorer in the qualifying tournament with three goals.

    The Villarreal striker lost his first-team place to Emenike during the tournament, but he returned for the crucial group game against Ethiopia with very little effect.

    He will now lead the attack along with the lively Ukraine-based striker Brown Ideye.

    Interestingly, Lazio youngster Ogenyi Onazi will also keep his place in the first XI ahead of Norway-based Fegor Ogude, who has not featured for the team since he returned from a one-match suspension for the Cote d’Ivoire clash.

     

    Eagles starting XI vs Burkina Faso

     

    Vincent Enyeama – Elderson Echiejile, Efe Ambrose, Godfrey Oboabona, Kenneth Omeruo – Ogenyi Onazi, Mikel Obi, Sunday Mba – Victor Moses, Ikechukwu Uche, Brown Ideye.

  • Emenike to miss AFCON final

    Emenike to miss AFCON final

     

    African Nations Cup joint top scorer, Emmanuel Emenike, has been ruled out of Sunday’s final by a muscle tear.

    Nigeria is gunning for a third Nations Cup title after Super Eagles won the tournament in 1980 and 1994.

    MTNFootball.com reports that a scan has showed that the Spartak Moscow striker suffered a thigh muscle tear of the right leg and so will miss the tournament final against Burkina Faso.

    A top team official informed MTNFootball.com: “Emenike has been ruled out after a scan showed he suffered a thigh muscle tear of the right leg during the semi-final against Mali. It’s a big, big blow for Nigeria.”

    The big, all-action centre-forward, who has emerged as one of the shining stars at only his first AFCON, has fired four goals, just short of the 10 goals scored by Nigeria to propel the Super Eagles to the Sunday’s championship game.

    One of his goals was the opening Group C match against Burkina Faso, which underlined his power-play style as he literally bulldozed his way past his markers to give Nigeria the lead.

    The 25-year-old striker has missed training for the past two days and both he and team officials have worked overtime to ensure he will be fit for Sunday.

     

  • ‘Emenike’s injury not serious’

    ‘Emenike’s injury not serious’

    Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike’s injury is not serious, while a scan will be carried out for Victor Moses, officials told MTNFootball.com.

    Emenike injured his right leg during the semi-final victory over Mali while shooting for goal, but team spokesman Ben Alaiya said it was not a serious injury as the doctor is expected to confirm this later Thursday.

    Alaiya said, “Emenike’s injury is not serious, he had just a knock which is minor. He should be fit for final, but we are waiting for the medical report on him which should be ready by lunch time.”

    Emenike has scored four goals so far in the tournament with two assists to top the goals chart at the African Nations Cup in South Africa.

    He suffered what look like a hamstring injury while shooting from long range at goal against Mali on Wednesday.

    Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi disclosed that a scan will be carried out on Chelsea winger Moses, who also picked up an injury against Mali.

    “We hope it is not serious and he will play the final,” said Keshi.

     

  • Siasia tips Emenike to dazzle the world

    Siasia tips Emenike to dazzle the world

    Former Nigeria coach, Samson Siasia, has backed Emmanuel Emenike to be among the top strikers in the world very soon.

    Siasia first capped the Spartak Moscow star two years ago and he told MTNFootball.com the big centre-forward will soon have the football world under his feet.

    “He is a complete striker, getting the goals and creating chances for others to score. He has all it takes to be among the best strikers in the world, he will certainly go places,” Siasia told MTNFootball.com

    “I know his qualities as a striker and that was why I went ahead to cap him to the Eagles. I am very happy with his performance so far at the Nations Cup.

    “I love his commitment. He is using his strength and speed very well.”

    The 25-year-old Emenike made his long-awaited international debut against Sierra Leone in Lagos in 2011, but it was shortlived as he lasted less than 20 minutes after he suffered an injury.

    He scored his first Eagles goal against Argentina in a friendly in June 2011 and he has now netted three goals to propel Nigeria to Wednesday’s semi-final of the AFCON.

     

  • Emenike, Uche to start against Ethiopia

    Emenike, Uche to start against Ethiopia

    … Yobo out again

    Super Eagles officials have again left out injury-hit skipper Joseph Yobo, while Emmanuel Emenike and Ike Uche lead the attack against Ethiopia.

    MTNFootball.com gathered that Yobo has not fully recovered from an ankle injury, which he picked up in the match against Burkina Faso, and so he will miss his second straight match of the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.

    The vastly experienced Fenerbache defender returned to full training this week, but officials said he is not yet 100 percent fit for the crucial encounter.

    Stephen Keshi will therefore stick with the central defence pairing of Godfrey Oboabona and youngster Kenneth Omeruo.

    Celtic defender Efe Ambrose will regain his place at right back after he served out one-match ban for receiving a red card against Burkina Faso.

    Lazio youngster Ogenyi Onazi was the makeshift right back against Zambia on Friday.

    In midfield, Enugu Rangers new signing Sunday Mba will make his AFCON debut ahead of Real Betis ace Nosa Igiebor, who has struggled to impress in South Africa.

    The Eagles will parade a fast and daring strike force of Emmanuel Emenike, Ikechukwu Uche and Victor Moses.

    MTNFootball.com reported on Monday that Villarreal striker Uche will make his first start at this tournament on Tuesday.

    It means CSKA Moscow’s Ahmed Musa will start from the bench in this clash.