The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Joel Obi

  • ‘Joel Obi is fit to play for Eagles, team assistant coach’

    Salisu Yusuf, the Super Eagles’ Assistant Coach, on Monday declared that Torino midfielder Joel Obi was fit to play for the senior national football team.

    Yusuf told the News men he was making his declaration on the basis of the fact that the Italy-based striker has had impressive appearances for his club.

    He described Obi as a utility player whose experience was highly needed in the Super Eagles.

    “Joel Obi is a very good player right from the beginning, and he was outstanding the few times he played for Super Eagles.

    “He did very well, both in Inter Milan then and Nigeria, before injury knocked him out and today he is active in Torino,” the coach said.

    Read Also: Joel Obi fit for Tanzania clash

    Speaking on the team’s upcoming friendlies, Yusuf said the Super Eagles would stun Poland and the others they would encounter in the friendlies.

    He said the players were in high spirits with the inclusion of new players like Joel Obi and Ikechukwu Gabriel.

    “We shall take every match serious, and as they come, because our image and name are involved,’’ the coach said.

    The news men reports that Joel Obi played for the Super Eagles the last time in 2014, just before he got injured.

    NAN

  • Joel Obi trains alone

    Joel Obi trains alone

    Torino coach Giampiero Ventura is sweating on the fitness of Joel Obi ahead of the meeting with Napoli in a week’s time.

    Ahead of the week 18 tie at the Stadio San Paolo , The Maroons held a training session on Tuesday but the Nigeria international did not practice with the rest of the squad.

    Instead, Obi , who is recovering from a hamstring complaint, underwent individual training under the supervision of the coach staff.

    The attacking midfielder, 24, has not featured for Torino for over three months, with his last appearance coming against Palermo on September 27, when he lasted only 22 minutes on the pitch.

    The former Inter Milan player has managed only 94 minutes of game time in all competitions since the season began.

  • Joel Obi makes Torino debut

    Joel Obi makes Torino debut

    Nigeria international Joel Obi is back to full fitness as he made his debut for Torino in the Italian Serie A on Sunday.

    Obi, who missed the AFCON 2017 qualifier for Nigeria due to injury, played 51 minutes for Torino as they drew 2-2 at Hellas Verona.

    He was replaced by Ghanaian Afriyie Acquah.

    Obi joined Torino from Inter Milan.

    The 24-year-old midfielder was on loan at Parma last season.

    He has played 16 times for Nigeria since his debut in 2011.

  • Joel Obi fit for Tanzania clash

    Joel Obi fit for Tanzania clash

    • Nigerian to spend 5 – 7 days after MRI scan

    Torino are optimistic that Joel Obi will be available for selection when they tackle Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A on Sunday, August 30, six days before the Super Eagles face off with Tanzania.

    They were boosted by the news that the Nigeria international would have to spend between 5 – 7 days on the sidelines after he underwent magnetic resonance imaging on Thursday.

    Tests conducted revealed a functional overload to the semitendinosus muscle of the attacking midfielder’s left thigh.

    Joel Obi has been plagued by injuries in the last three years which has limited his appearances in the Serie A to just 9 starts from a possible 114 games.

    It is assumed that he failed to make the Super Eagles 2014 World Cup roster after failing to prove his fitness in the training camp prior to the tournament in Brazil.

  • Joel Obi out for one week

    Joel Obi out for one week

    Torino midfielder Joel Obi has been ruled out of action for a week, his club has announced.

    The skillful midfielder, whose career has been plagued by a series of injuries, underwent a medical test on Thursday after persisting symptoms of painful flexor muscle of the left thigh, africanFootball.com reports.

    According to a statement on Torino’s official website, Obi is suffering from overload on the leg.

    “MRI on Obi showed an overuse of the semitendinosus muscle of the left thigh. Recovery times are currently estimated at approximately 5-7 days,” the statement noted.

    He is among the 18 foreign-based players invited by Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, for next month’s 2017 African Nations Cup qualifier against Tanzania in Dar-es Salam.

  • Oliseh recalls Emenike, Haruna for Tanzania clash

    Oliseh recalls Emenike, Haruna for Tanzania clash

    Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, has picked Dubai-based striker, Emmanuel Emenike, among 18 foreign-based professionals for next month’s African Nations Cup qualifier in Tanzania.

    Emenike at the weekend scored a brace to help Al Ain win the United Arab Emirate Super Cup, but many will question his invitation to the Super Eagles after Oliseh’s declaration that he will pick players featuring in the top leagues for his team, africanFootball.com reports.

    Skipper Vincent Enyeama, Kenneth Omeruo, Rabiu Ibrahim, Lukman Haruna, Joel Obi, Ahmed Musa and Anthony Ujah are also in the squad.

    However, there are a number of surprises, in line with the ex-Eagles captain’s earlier pledge to make current form and first –level football key indices for selection.

    The surprise invitees are Wolves of England goalkeeper, Carl Ikeme, midfielder Izunna Ernest Uzochukwu and forwards Emem Eduok, Sylvester Igboun and Moses Simon.

     

    The full squad:

     

    Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Lille OSC, France); Carl Ikeme (Wolverhampton Wanderers, England).

    Defenders: Leon Balogun (FSV Mainz 05, Germany); Kingsley Madu (AS Trencin, Slovakia); Godfrey Oboabona (Caykur Rizespor, Turkey); William Troost Ekong (FK Haugesund, Norway); Kenneth Omeruo (Kasimpasa SK, Turkey).

    Midfielders: Joel Obi (Torino FC, Italy); Izunna Ernest Uzochukwu (FC Amkar Perm, Russia); Obiora Nwankwo (Coimbra FC, Portugal); Lukman Haruna (Anzhi Machatsjkala, Russia); Rabiu Ibrahim (AS Trencin, Slovakia).

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Emem Eduok (Esperance ST, Tunisia); Emmanuel Emenike (Al Ain, UAE); Anthony Ujah (Werder Bremen, Germany); Sylvester Igboun (FC UFA, Russia); Moses Simon (KAA Gent, Belgium).

     

  • Joel Obi back

    Joel Obi back

    Nigeria midfielder, Joel Obi has returned to action for his Serie A side, Torino after a knee complaint kept him out for several weeks.

    Obi has been out for a while due to knee inflammation, but showed he is fully back to fitness as he featured in a friendly Tuesday in which Torino beat Mondovi 2-0.

    He now looks set and ready to play for Torino in an Italian Cup game on Sunday against Pescara.

    The former Inter Milan midfielder was excellent in the midfield for his new team.

    The talented Obi has endured several long-term injuries, which limited his appearances for Inter as well as the Super Eagles.

  • Joel Obi joins Torino

    Joel Obi joins Torino

    Nigeria midfielder Joel Obi has joined Italian Serie A side Torino from boyhood club Inter Milan, africanFootball.com reports.

    The skillful, left-sided midfielder will cost the Turin club a fee of €2.3 million, according to toronews.net

    The midfielder is set to sign a four-year contract after a routine medical on Thursday.

    The 24-year-old Nigeria star, who has played 16 games for the Super Eagles, has failed to establish himself at Inter Milan despite coming through the club’s youth ranks.

    Injuries have stunted his progress at Inter, who shipped him out on loan to Parma in 2013/14 season.

     

  • Genoa consider move for Joel Obi

    Genoa consider move for Joel Obi

    Genoa are weighing up a move for Inter midfielder Joel Obi, for the upcoming summer transfer window.

    The Ligurian club are lining up their options as they look to bring in new faces for the next season now that they face the prospect of saying goodbye to several star players, as the likes of Andrea Bertolacci are being courted by AC Milan and Fiorentina, while other players head into the last year on their contract.

    With a potential shortage in midfield come next season for the Grifone, they are starting to eye replacements, with the 23-year-old Nigerian Obi being added to the long list of names.

    Reports from Gazzetta TV suggest that the club would be interested in the midfielder, who has found playing time hard to come by under coach Roberto Mancini.

    Throughout his duration in Milan the midfielder has struggled with injuries, and almost secured a move away to the Middle East earlier on in the season, but could now ply his trade with Genoa, though they reportedly face competition in the shape of Atalanta and several English teams.

    Obi was signed by Inter in 2005 as a youth team player before being promoted to the first team and now has a contract with the Nerazzurri until 2017.

    He has scored one goal in 17 appearances in all competitions this season.

  • Joel Obi may head to Atalanta

    Joel Obi may head to Atalanta

    Joel Obi is one of several players Inter Milan will release in the summer and his likely destination could well be Atalanta.

    According to reports from the Corriere di Bergamo, Inter coach Roberto Mancini is set to offload some players in the current squad and Nigeria midfielder Obi falls in that category.

    He may now join Atalanta next season as a replacement for Baselli and Cigarini, who are widely tipped to move on in the summer.

    Despite staying back at Inter this season, Obi has failed to establish himself at Inter, who gave him his big break in Europe in 2005, and the 23-year-old player will now have to switch to a club where he will play a lot more regularly.