The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Joel Obi

  • Parma bank on Joel Obi

    Parma bank on Joel Obi

    Nigerian midfielder Joel Obi will be at the centre of coach Roberto Donadoni’s strategic readjustments at FC Parma.

    According to reports on Italian daily Correira dello Sport, Donadoni is working on a new playing module that will enable him field his best available players, with Obi identified as one of the key players in the coach’s plan.

    The former Italian national team coach is experimenting with three formations; 3-5-2, 4-4-3 and the 3-4-2-1 which will see former Juventus striker Amauri lead the attack, with support from the likes of Stefano Chuka Okaka.

    While in midfield, Obi and Uruguayan midfielder Walter Gargano formerly of Napoli have been identified as the key players around whom the team will be built.

    Although neither Obi nor Gargano featured in the club’s 3-1 friendly win over Ajaccio on Friday, they are expected to be available for selection in Parma’s Serie A game against AS Roma on September 16.

    Obi was signed on loan from Inter Milan on transfer deadline day, and is currently undergoing an intensive training regime, that will speed up his match fitness.

  • Joel Obi vows to revive career at Parma

    Joel Obi vows to revive career at Parma

    Joel Obi said he hopes to use his loan move to Parma to relaunch his once promising career and make a return to the Super Eagles.

    Obi, whose career has been hampered by recurring injuries, said he hopes to get more playing time and do well with Parma.

    “Moving to Parma is a good move for me. This will give me chance to play regular football. They actually wanted a permanent deal, but we settled for a loan deal,” MTNFootball.com quoted the Super Eagles midfielder as saying in a chat with Brila FM.

    “I will prove my worth and use my move to Parma to get back to the Eagles. I have not played for a year due to the injury. I am happy with the deal.”

    The left-sided midfielder last featured for Nigeria in November 2011, same year he made his debut against Sierra Leone in Lagos.

    He has not enjoyed regular first-team football action since his return from a long injury lay off.

    He joined Inter Milan in 2010 and has played 38 matches with a goal credited to him.

     

  • Parma grab Joel Obi

    Parma grab Joel Obi

    Parma have reportedly reached an agreement with their Serie A counterparts Inter Milan over the signature of Nigeria international Joel Obi.

    ParmaLive.com says negotiations between both parties are at an advanced stage and Inter Milan are working hard to buy another midfielder before the club sanction the departure of Joel Obi.

    Joel Obi, 22, has fallen down the pecking order at the Nerazzurri and might be open to a move to increase his chances of playing first team football.

    Since making his debut for Inter back in 2010, the Super Eagles midfielder has chalked up 39 appearances in Italy’s top division.

  • Inter snub Obi in season opener

    Inter snub Obi in season opener

    Super Eagles midfielder Joel Obi has been left out of the Inter Milan squad that will take on Genoa in their opening game of the 2013/14 Serie A season.

    23 players were summoned by head coach Walter Mazzarri for Genoa’s visit on Sunday at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza.

    Obi’s last outing for the Nerazzurris was in the 1-1 draw against Roma in a Coppa Italia fixture back in January, coming on in the second half to replace Nagatomo in the 57th minute.

    The 23-year-old midfielder, who was listed but unused in Inter’s 4-0 victory over Cittadella in a Coppa Italia tie last Sunday, missed coach Mazzarri’s final list consisting of three goalkeepers, nine defenders, eight midfielders and three strikers.

  • Joel Obi targets starting XI at Inter

    Joel Obi targets starting XI at Inter

    The injury –stricken midfielder is ready to fight for starting shirt at the star-studded Italian giants.

    Inter Milan midfielder, Joel Obi, has declared his readiness to fight for first team shirt when the Italian Seria A starts in September.

    The Nigerian prodigy told The NationSport from Italy that he wants a repeat of the regular playing times he enjoyed under Rafael Benitez.

    He admitted that only hard work would secure him a place in the new –look Inter Milan squad being put together by Walter Mazzarri.

    “Gaining a first team shirt for a young player like me has a lot to do with hard work and total commitment. Whichever way, I am determined to fight hard for the shirt,” said Joel Obi.

    “I owe myself the responsibility to convince the coach that I am ready to play and fight for my shirt. I know it is difficult but it is absolutely possible. It’s just a matter of time and how far I am ready to stretch myself,” he added.

     

     

  • I’ll be ready for Malawi’s match- Joel Obi

    I’ll be ready for Malawi’s match- Joel Obi

    Super Eagles and Inter Milan attacking midfielder, Joel Obi, has assured Nigerian soccer fans that he would be ready for September 5 World Cup qualifying game against the Flames of Malawi in Abuja.

    Speaking with The NationSport in an exclusive chat from his base in Italy on Thursday, former Ebedei United starlet, said he has passed through all the necessary steps for recovery and would rejoin Inter for pre-season training on July 10.

    The player is particularly happy that he has a brighter chance of getting involved in Nigeria’s quest to secure one Africa’s tickets for next year’s mundial in Brazil.

    “Firstly I want to thank God Almighty for helping me to see through the recovery process. The injury has stopped me from playing for my club and country for some time now.

    “I want to tell you especially that I would be rejoining my teammates for full training sessions in July 10. So that means I would be back fully on that day and I am really happy about this. It is not easy to pass through the process of recovery from injury but as a professional football player that is one of the things we must pass through. But the joy of rejoining my teammates in Inter really makes me happy,” he told our correspondent.

     

  • Joel Obi back in form

    Joel Obi back in form

    Former Super Eagles Nigerian midfielder, Joel Obi has begun rehabilitation at Italian club, Inter Milan after a long spell with injuries.

    Obi endured an injury-hit 2012/13 season that saw him make just one Serie A and one UEFA Europa League appearance for the Nerazzurri last term.

    His injury woes also forced him to miss Nigeria’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations campaign where the Super Eagles emerged champions. However, things appear to have brightened up considerably for the 22-year-old as he continued intense recovery programmes at the club’s training ground, Centro Sportivo Angelo Moratti on Wednesday.

    The Inter Milan official website reported that Obi and five other players were involved in different training programmes on Wednesday as they recover from their respective injuries under the guidance of the medical staff.

    Club captain, Javier Zanetti underwent physiotherapy while Gaby Mudingayi followed a programme of running exercises and Luca Castellazzi did some technical work on the pitch. Ibrahima Mbaye, Joel Obi and Walter Samuel trained in the gym.

    Obi began his recovery programme on Tuesday. The club have confirmed that Obi and the other injured Inter players will continue the programme throughout the week before beginning athletic work in early July.

  • Injury woes continue for Joel Obi’s Inter

    Injury woes continue for Joel Obi’s Inter

    Joel Obi’s Inter will be hoping the season is fast ended with more injury woes again besetting the Blue and Black.

    The latest on the long list of injury hit players is Antonio Cassano who was said to have fractured the second metacarpal of his right hand.

    The summer signing from Milan, who had only just returned to action after another fitness issue, picked up the problem during a fall in training on Thursday.

    Cassano has scored eight goals in 28 League games for the Nerazzurri this season.

    Inter have had a 2012-13 to forget as they will be ending the season with no shade of silverware and worst off no place in European competition next term.

    The Nerazzurri, ninth in the standings, have lost 15 times in Serie A and will end the campaign at home to Udinese this weekend.

  • Joel Obi still missing

    Joel Obi still missing

    Nigeria’s Joel Obi continues his time on the side lines at Inter Milan as he was again missing from the club’s squad list that will take on Juventus in the Serie A week 30 encounter today.

    The squad list as revealed on football-italia.net confirmed the unavailability of Joel Obi, Gaby Mudingayi, Diego Milito and Luca Castellazzi because of injury. Juan Jesus, meanwhile, is suspended.

    Walter Samuel and Fredy Guarin are in the Inter squad for today’s Derby d’Italia against Juventus.

    The Argentine was an injury doubt while the Colombian midfielder is included despite returning late from international duty.

    The squad

    The squad list consists of Goalkeepers: 1 Samir Handanovic, 27 Vid Belec, 30 Juan Pablo Carrizo.

    Defenders: 6 Matias Silvestre, 23 Andrea Ranocchia, 25 Walter Samuel, 26 Cristian Chivu, 28 Simone Pasa, 31 Alvaro Pereira, 42 Jonathan, 55 Yuto Nagatomo.

    Midfielders: 4 Javier Zanetti, 5 Dejan Stankovic, 7 Ezequiel Schelotto, 10 Mateo Kovacic, 11 Ricardo Alvarez, 14 Fredy Guarin, 17 Zdravko Kuzmanovic, 19 Esteban Cambiasso, 21 Walter Gargano, 24 Marco Benassi.

    Forwards: 8 Rodrigo Palacio, 18 Tommaso Rocchi, 99 Antonio Cassano.

  • Joel Obi out for the season

    Joel Obi out for the season

    The 2012 – 2013 season has not gone well for Inter Milan midfielder Joel Obi.

    Not only did he miss the African Cup of Nations tournament in South Africa, his appearances in the Serie A have been limited due to fitness concerns.

    Celebrated Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport reported on Sunday morning that Obi has secretly undergone an operation in Finland to strengthen the quadriceps tendon.

    Thus, he looks to be out of reckoning for Inter Milan’s remaining games in the championship.

    Obi managed only four appearances for Inter Milan in the current campaign – 2 games in the Serie A, 1 game in Europe and another in the Italian Cup.

    He has contractual obligations with the Nerrazzuri until June, 2017.